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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Use Selenium’s plural finder, then read the item at zero-based index 1. In Python, the direct solution is:
from selenium.webdriver.common.by import By
matches = driver.find_elements(By.CLASS_NAME, "item")
second = matches[1]find_element (singular) always returns the first matching element. find_elements returns every match, so it is the method you need when selecting the second, third, or another occurrence. Selenium documents this behavior in its element-finder guide.
The basic pattern
Assume the page contains several elements such as <div class="item">. Selenium’s result list is zero-based: the first element is index 0, and the second is index 1.
from selenium.webdriver.common.by import By
matches = driver.find_elements(By.CLASS_NAME, "item")
if len(matches) > 1:
second = matches[1]
second.click()If fewer than two elements match, indexing at [1] raises Python’s IndexError. The length check makes the failure explicit and lets you choose a fallback.
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What singular and plural finders return
driver.find_element(...)returns a reference to the first match.driver.find_elements(...)returns a list containing all matches.- If no elements match, the plural method returns an empty list; the singular method raises
NoSuchElementException.
These behaviors are described by the Selenium Project’s Finding web elements documentation.
Use the correct locator
A single class token
By.CLASS_NAME expects one class token, without a leading dot and without spaces:
matches = driver.find_elements(By.CLASS_NAME, "item")
second = matches[1]For the HTML <article class="item featured">, use "item" or "featured" separately. Do not pass "item featured" to By.CLASS_NAME; a space-separated value is not one class name.
Two or more class tokens with CSS
When the target must have both item and active, use a CSS selector. Each class token gets a dot:
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matches = driver.find_elements(By.CSS_SELECTOR, ".item.active")
if len(matches) > 1:
second = matches[1]CSS selectors also let you narrow by an attribute, element type, or relationship:
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# second matching button with both classes
buttons = driver.find_elements(By.CSS_SELECTOR, "button.item.active")
second_button = buttons[1]
# items with a data attribute
cards = driver.find_elements(By.CSS_SELECTOR, ".item[data-state='ready']")
second_ready = cards[1]Selenium’s locator strategies explain class-name and CSS-selector usage. The Java API also notes that className is for one class and that multiple classes should be matched with cssSelector (see the Java By API).
Complete Python example
This runnable example opens a page, waits for at least two matching elements, and clicks the second one. Replace the URL and selector with your own page.
from selenium import webdriver
from selenium.webdriver.common.by import By
from selenium.webdriver.support.ui import WebDriverWait
from selenium.webdriver.support import expected_conditions as EC
from selenium.common.exceptions import TimeoutException
options = webdriver.ChromeOptions()
# options.add_argument("--headless=new") # enable for a headless run
driver = webdriver.Chrome(options=options)
try:
driver.get("https://example.com/products")
def at_least_two(d):
elements = d.find_elements(By.CLASS_NAME, "item")
return elements if len(elements) >= 2 else False
try:
items = WebDriverWait(driver, 15).until(at_least_two)
except TimeoutException:
raise RuntimeError("The page did not contain two elements with class 'item' within 15 seconds")
second = items[1]
print(second.text)
second.click()
finally:
driver.quit()The custom wait is useful for pages that add cards after an AJAX request. A normal presence wait only guarantees one element, so it does not by itself prove that index 1 exists.
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Java equivalent
Java’s List is also zero-based. Selenium’s Java method is findElements, and the class-name locator is By.className:
import java.time.Duration;
import java.util.List;
import org.openqa.selenium.By;
import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.WebElement;
import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.support.ui.WebDriverWait;
WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();
try {
driver.get("https://example.com/products");
WebDriverWait wait = new WebDriverWait(driver, Duration.ofSeconds(15));
List<WebElement> items = wait.until(d -> {
List<WebElement> found = d.findElements(By.className("item"));
return found.size() >= 2 ? found : null;
});
WebElement second = items.get(1);
second.click();
} finally {
driver.quit();
}If the list has fewer than two entries, get(1) throws IndexOutOfBoundsException; check items.size() > 1 when the second item is optional.
Search inside a specific container
A page may contain unrelated elements with the same class in a navigation bar, sidebar, and main content. First locate the intended parent, then call the plural finder on that element. This prevents matches outside the component from changing which element is “second.”
panel = driver.find_element(By.ID, "results-panel")
items = panel.find_elements(By.CLASS_NAME, "item")
if len(items) > 1:
second = items[1]The same pattern works with CSS:
panel = driver.find_element(By.CSS_SELECTOR, "section.results")
second = panel.find_elements(By.CSS_SELECTOR, ".item.active")[1]Wait for the right state before indexing
Element order is the order returned in the current DOM, normally corresponding to document order. It can change when a page sorts, filters, paginates, virtualizes, or prepends content. Decide what “second” means for your test:
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find_elementsimmediately before interacting. - Second after loading: wait until at least two are present.
- Second with a property: include that property in the selector instead of relying on a broad class.
- Second visible match: filter the returned elements with
is_displayed(), understanding that visibility can change between the check and the click.
visible = [e for e in driver.find_elements(By.CLASS_NAME, "item")
if e.is_displayed()]
if len(visible) > 1:
visible[1].click()For a stable test, prefer a semantic attribute such as data-testid or a unique descendant over a positional assumption when the application provides one.
XPath alternatives
CSS is usually the clearest option, but XPath can express positional selection directly:
# second element in document order among elements with class token item
second = driver.find_element(
By.XPATH,
"(//*[contains(concat(' ', normalize-space(@class), ' '), ' item ')])[2]"
)The parentheses are important: they apply the position to the complete match set. A simpler XPath such as //*[@class='item'][2] only matches an exact class attribute and misses elements that have additional classes. For multiple class tokens:
second = driver.find_element(
By.XPATH,
"(//*[contains(concat(' ', normalize-space(@class), ' '), ' item ')][contains(concat(' ', normalize-space(@class), ' '), ' active ')])[2]"
)Using find_elements and indexing in your programming language is often easier to read and lets you handle an absent second match without an exception from the locator itself.
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Common errors and fixes
Only the first element is returned
Cause: the code uses find_element. Fix: switch to find_elements and select index 1.
IndexError or IndexOutOfBoundsException
Cause: fewer than two elements matched at the time of lookup. Fix: check the collection length, wait for the required count, or correct the selector.
Invalid selector or no matches with multiple classes
Cause: a space-separated string was passed to By.CLASS_NAME. Fix: use one token with By.CLASS_NAME, or use By.CSS_SELECTOR, ".first.second".
The test clicks the wrong “second” item
Cause: the selector spans multiple containers, hidden templates, ads, or dynamically reordered content. Fix: scope the search to a parent, require visibility or state in the selector, and inspect the returned elements’ text and attributes.
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StaleElementReferenceException
Cause: the framework re-rendered the list after you collected the elements. Fix: wait for the update to finish, locate the collection again immediately before the action, and avoid retaining old element references across a refresh.
The element exists but cannot be clicked
Cause: it is covered, outside the viewport, disabled, or not yet interactable. Fix: wait for clickability, scroll it into view, verify it is enabled, and investigate overlays rather than relying on JavaScript clicks that can hide real user-flow defects.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Performance and maintainability
A single plural lookup is normally inexpensive, but repeatedly scanning a large page in a loop can add remote WebDriver round trips. Locate the parent once, collect the matches once, and reuse the list for related assertions. If the list is dynamic, re-query only after a known DOM update.
Keep selectors tied to application contracts. Styling classes such as item are often changed by redesigns; a dedicated data-testid="product-card" or accessible role/name can make the test less brittle. Position is inherently fragile: inserting a promotional card before the target changes index 1.
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Practical checklist
- Use the plural finder when you need anything other than the first match.
- Select index
1for the second result. - Use one token with
By.CLASS_NAME; use CSS for compound classes. - Scope the search to the correct container.
- Wait until at least two intended elements exist when content loads asynchronously.
- Re-query after DOM re-renders and guard against stale references.
- Prefer stable test attributes when position is not the behavior under test.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Selenium count elements from zero or one?
Selenium returns a collection to your programming language; Python lists and Java lists are zero-based, so the second result is index 1.
Can I select the second class match without collecting all matches?
Yes. An XPath expression such as (//*[contains(concat(' ', normalize-space(@class), ' '), ' item ')])[2] selects it directly, but collecting with find_elements is often clearer and easier to guard.
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The DOM may be reordered, filtered, paginated, or re-rendered. Scope the locator, wait for the intended state, and use a stable attribute when order is not guaranteed.
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