What Selenium Programming Language You Should Learn
So what selenium programming language for automated tests should you learn? I recently received the following email in my inbox:
Hi Joe,
I am interested in learning Selenium under your guidance. So will you please guide me from where I will start my learning? What language should I learn to program Selenium in?
Subash
I get this type of email request at least once every few weeks, so in this video, I’m going to reveal the selenium programming language every beginner should use to learn Selenium.
- the selenium programming language every beginner should use to learn Selenium
- how to create automated Selenium test scripts using Python
INDEX
The Selenium Programming Language everyone should learn is…
Why what language you choose doesn’t it matter?
But … which one would you recommend?
My final answer/recommendation
Discover how easy it is to learn Python
The Selenium Programming Language everyone should learn is…
Ok. Are you ready? The secret is – honestly, it doesn’t matter. 89.2% of the concepts you learn in one language can be applied to any other language.
The real key to learning Selenium is just to select any language that you are drawn to, roll up your sleeves, and jump in.
Why what language you choose doesn’t it matter?
In Dima Kovalenko’s book Selenium Design Patterns and Best Practices, he discusses how the common Selenium command sendkeys translate in most of the other major Selenium WebDriver Language bindings.
Check out the example below:
(*Also, be sure to check out my interview with Dima for more Selenium automation testing awesomeness)
This uniformity between the different Selenium language bindings applies to most of the commands in the Selenium API.
So, the process of porting test knowledge of one programming language to another becomes simplified using Selenium.
Also — the general programming concepts you learn in one language can easily be applied to another. Once you learn things like program design, control structures, software testing, data structures, and basic operation, learning other programming languages becomes simply a matter of learning its particular syntax.
But … which one would you recommend?
If you were to force me to name the language you should use, I would have to give you the famous (and annoying) reply, “It depends.” Some factors that might help you decide are:
- What programming language does your company currently use for its development? If you work in a Microsoft shop and everyone uses Visual Studio with C#, then maybe that’s the language you should start with; if your developers are open to helping you out.
- Java holds an advantage because it is widely used, and easily finding examples on Google to help you out when you’re stuck is a plus.
- If you were to do a search for Selenium automation jobs near where you live, what is the most popular language requirement that comes up? That might be a good place to start.
- The cons of starting with an object-oriented programming language like Java is that it can be overly complicated since the syntax tends to be verbose.
All programming languages have their pros and cons. One is not better or worse than any other. It really does depend on your situation and what you are trying to accomplish.
If I was forced to choose
I personally feel that if you have never programmed before, it would be best to start by using Python or Ruby language as they are script-friendly.
Using a scripting language allows you to learn to write Selenium tests and automation scripts with the least amount of code in the shortest amount of time.
For example, Python has always been my go-to language for absolute beginners because it has a really gentle learning curve. It works on Windows, Linux, and MAC and is still considered a serious programming language that many professional developers and test engineers use.
My final answer/recommendation
So, to recap: What language should you use to learn Selenium? The answer is that there is no definitive answer — but hopefully, this has helped you narrow down which language for Selenium is right for your personal situation.
Discover how easy it is to learn Python
I recently interviewed Al Sweigart, author of the book Automate the Boring Stuff with Python: Practical Programming for Total Beginners. I highly recommend that you listen in to get an idea of how easy it is to get started creating automated Selenium test scripts using Python.
Get started programming today! To get up to speed faster, go to my The Best Resources for Learning Selenium Quickly guide.
Joe Colantonio is the founder of TestGuild, an industry-leading platform for automation testing and software testing tools. With over 25 years of hands-on experience, he has worked with top enterprise companies, helped develop early test automation tools and frameworks, and runs the largest online automation testing conference, Automation Guild.
Joe is also the author of Automation Awesomeness: 260 Actionable Affirmations To Improve Your QA & Automation Testing Skills and the host of the TestGuild podcast, which he has released weekly since 2014, making it the longest-running podcast dedicated to automation testing. Over the years, he has interviewed top thought leaders in DevOps, AI-driven test automation, and software quality, shaping the conversation in the industry.
With a reach of over 400,000 across his YouTube channel, LinkedIn, email list, and other social channels, Joe’s insights impact thousands of testers and engineers worldwide.
He has worked with some of the top companies in software testing and automation, including Tricentis, Keysight, Applitools, and BrowserStack, as sponsors and partners, helping them connect with the right audience in the automation testing space.
Follow him on LinkedIn or check out more at TestGuild.com.
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