Automation testing is a testing technique that applies automated testing support tools to execute many sets of highly complex test cases. Automation testing plays an important role in improving testing performance, avoiding errors during test case execution and synthesizing results while minimizing tester boredom with repetitive test cases repeat.

Launched in 2004, Selenium is a free open source testing support toolkit, supporting multi-platforms such as Windows, Linux, Mac OS... Initially Selenium only supported programmers with unit testing. by writing test scripts based on programming languages such as C#, Java, Python, JavaScript, etc. Until 2006, a Japanese testing expert named Shinya Kasatani developed a testing toolkit as an add-on on Firefox browser based on Selenium Core, Selenium IDE. Selenium IDE stands out with its feature of changing traditional test script writing by recording user actions on the browser to generate test scripts. This opens up easier access for testers to automation testing tools without needing to know much about programming languages.

In this article, I will guide you how to use Selenium IDE to execute tests on the project.

1. Install Selenium IDE

To install Selenium IDE, go to the Chrome web store and search Selenium IDE.

Figure 1.1. Add-on Selenium IDE on Chrome web store

Click the Add To Brave button (depending on which browser you are using, the display name may be different from the example in the article), then continue to click the Add Extension button.

Figure 1.2. Accept the installation of the Selenium IDE Add-on for the browser

Figure 1.3 Selenium IDE Add-on installation process is complete

Figure 1.4. Start Selenium IDE Add-on

Start Selenium IDE and start testing.

2. Introduction to the project

The project tested in this article is an employee information management system.

The database is described as follows:

Figure 2.1 Database description

The department info table has default data: Engineering, Product Management, Marketing, Human Resources, Sales.

The position info table has default data: Software Engineer Product Manager, Marketing Manager, Human Resources Manager, Sales Manager.

Regarding detailed design:

Figure 2.2 Detailed design description

Regarding the development environment:

• • Framework: Flask Python
  • Database: Sqlite

3. Write test case

Based on the detailed design, I will perform testing Creating employee information on function No.2, No. 4 and No.5 as follows:

• • Login info : 
    • username: johndoe
    • password: password1
  • Input data : 
    • First name : Sam
    • Last name : Simon
    • Email address : abc@example.com
    • Phone number : 0123456789
    • Employee image : Upload file
    • Department : Engineering
    • Position : Software Engineer
    • Hire date : 01/01/2023
    • Salary : 100000
  • Expected: 

 After registering employee information, the user will be redirected back to the home page, the newly registered employee information is displayed in the employee list:

• • • Employee ID : number automatically increases
    • FullName : Sam Simon
    • Email address : abc@example.com
    • Phone number : 0123456789
    • Employee image : Upload file
    • Department : Engineering
    • Position : Software Engineer
    • Hire date : 2023-01-01
    • Salary : 100000

4. Use Selenium IDE to execute test case

Figure 4.1 Start creating a test project

Figure 4.2 Naming the test project

Figure 4.3 Enter the URL website to test. (URL may vary based on your actual project)

After creating the project, follow the instructions in the video below:

Watch the video for reference :  SeleniumIDE | Create test case

Now we have a test case as follows:

Figure 4.4 Create employee test case 

We can see that the test steps are recorded as items in the command column, corresponding to the action that will be applied to the object in the target column and the input values ​​in the value column.

In case you want to learn more about how the created command works above, you can refer to the page : Selenium IDE | Command

When there is a change in test data, change the test value in the value column and run the test case. Then all test case execution steps are performed completely automatically.

Watch the video for reference: Selenium IDE | Execute test case

5. Advantages and disadvantages of Selenium IDE 

• • Advantage:
    • It is a free, open source testing tool.
    • Easy to install.
    • Supports installation on many platforms: Chrome, Microsoft Edge, FireFox, etc.
    • Improve testing performance, execute tests quickly and accurately, and support executing multiple test cases at the same time.
    • The generated test script can be stored and test steps added.
    • Easily accessible to testers who do not have much knowledge of programming languages, by creating test steps by recording operations in the browser.
  • Disadvantages: 
    • There is no function to synthesize test results into file reports.
    • Cannot integrate user-generated test scripts.

In summary, Selenium IDE is a reliable testing tool for your project. With the advantage of being free and open-source software, it can be easily integrated into the quality management and change processes to suit the nature of each project. It provides a more visually intuitive approach for users, reducing the cost of training testing personnel. Selenium IDE helps shorten the testing process and minimizes risks during testing execution. Use Selenium IDE because I believe that automation testing is a trend in the field of information technology, and you wouldn't want to be left behind in this trend.

References: 

https://www.selenium.dev/selenium-ide/

https://chromewebstore.google.com/u/2/detail/mooikfkahbdckldjjndioackbalphokd  

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