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Selenium IDE lets you record browser interactions, refine them into test steps, and replay them without first writing a WebDriver script. Start by creating a project and recording a user flow; then save the project as a .side file and choose whether to replay it in the IDE, run it with the command-line runner, or export code for a WebDriver project.
One version detail matters before you begin: older Selenium instructions describe IDE as a browser extension, but the Selenium IDE v4 project wiki says the latest version is no longer a web extension, and the current repository describes it as an Electron application. Check the current release and installation instructions for your browser and version rather than assuming an older extension guide applies. Selenium IDE v4 project notes · Selenium IDE repository
What Selenium IDE does
Selenium IDE records and plays back user actions as Selenium commands. Selenium’s overview lists Chrome, Firefox, and Edge availability, but its detailed setup guide is older; use the current release information for the installation path that matches your browser and IDE version. Selenium IDE overview · Getting Started guide
Think of recording as a way to create a first draft, not a guarantee that every captured step will remain reliable as the application changes. Inspect the generated commands, adjust them for the test you actually intend to maintain, and use suites to group related checks.
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Install and open Selenium IDE
- Choose an installation route for your browser and current IDE release. The older Getting Started guide describes Chrome and Firefox web-store installation; Selenium’s overview also lists Edge, but the exact current installation path can vary by version.
- Open Selenium IDE from the browser toolbar or the installed application, as appropriate for your version. If you expected a toolbar icon and cannot see one, check whether the extension is enabled and whether the browser has hidden its icon. These checks apply to extension-based installations; an Electron release is launched as an application.
The detailed setup and playback instructions on Selenium’s Getting Started page were last updated February 19, 2019, so treat its screenshots and extension-specific directions as version-dependent. Getting Started · Selenium IDE
Record your first browser test
- Create a project and test. Choose the option to create or record a new project, give it a useful name, and enter the application’s base URL. The Getting Started guide says the base URL is shared by the project’s tests and can be changed later.
- Perform the scenario in the application. Interact with the page as a user would: navigate, enter values, click controls, and complete the path you want to exercise. Selenium IDE records those interactions as commands.
- Stop recording. Return to the IDE and stop the recording when the intended scenario is complete.
- Review and refine the steps. Inspect the recorded commands and parameters. Edit steps or add commands manually where that expresses the intended test more clearly than the raw recording.
- Replay the test. Select the test and use the play control. According to the Getting Started guide, playback reuses the recording window if it is still open; otherwise, the IDE opens a new window.
The recorded element context can help you understand what a command targets, but the available sources do not promise that captured locators will survive application changes. Review the steps when the page structure or workflow changes. Selenium IDE overview
Organize, save, and replay tests
Group tests into suites
Use the Tests view to create tests and organize them into suites. A new project starts with a Default Suite containing the first test. A suite is useful for a coherent group, such as smoke checks or a user journey, rather than an undifferentiated collection of recordings.
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Save the project
Use the IDE’s save control to save your changes. The project is stored as one .side file. Keep that file with the project materials your team uses so it can be reopened and run later.
Run a test or suite in the IDE
Select the test or suite and press play. IDE playback is the quickest route for checking a new recording or debugging a small scenario interactively. It is distinct from repeatable command-line execution, which is generally the next step when you need runner options or automation outside the IDE.
These project and playback details come from the official Getting Started guide, last updated February 19, 2019. Getting Started · Selenium IDE
Rank #3
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Choose how to run the project
| Route | Where it runs | Best fit | What to account for |
|---|---|---|---|
| IDE playback | In the browser window managed by the IDE | Quick feedback while authoring or debugging a small test | Interactive playback is not the same as a configured repeatable runner workflow. |
| Command-line runner | Locally with configured browser capabilities, or remotely through Selenium Grid | Repeatable runs, selecting tests, changing the base URL, parallel workers, or writing result files | Requires a Node-based runner plus suitable browser or Grid setup; verify current prerequisites and syntax against current documentation. |
| Code export | In a WebDriver codebase after exporting and adapting generated code | Bridging a recorded flow into an existing framework or maintainable test project | Review generated code and confirm the current export target and dependency requirements. |
The CLI and export documentation pages include older instructions and examples. The CLI guide was last updated July 29, 2019, and old dependency versions should not be treated as current installation requirements. Command-line Runner · Selenium IDE · Code Export · Selenium IDE
Run Selenium IDE tests from the command line
The command-line runner is the documented option for running a saved .side project outside the IDE. Its guide shows passing the project file to selenium-side-runner, selecting browsers through capabilities, and connecting to a Selenium Grid server for remote execution.
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selenium-side-runner path/to/project.sideUse the current runner documentation for the exact options and configuration format supported by the version you install. The older guide covers these workflow controls:
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- Browser capabilities: choose the browser configuration used for a run.
- Grid execution: point execution at a Selenium Grid server when browsers should run remotely rather than on the local machine.
- Workers and parallelism: configure workers; the guide says suites run in parallel by default, while tests within a suite run sequentially unless suite parallelization is enabled.
- Alternate environment: override the project base URL to run against a different environment.
- Test filtering: select a subset of tests, such as a smoke subset, rather than running the whole project.
- Result files: write results as Jest JSON or JUnit XML.
- Configuration and proxy: the guide also documents configuration files and proxy options.
For a local-versus-remote decision, consider where the browsers should run and how many browser and platform combinations your team needs to manage. The official runner guide documents local browser drivers and remote Grid execution, but its Node prerequisite details are dated; check current runner documentation before installing a particular Node or driver version. Command-line Runner · Selenium IDE
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Export a test to WebDriver code
To move a recorded flow toward a coded test, right-click a test or suite, choose Export, select a target, and save the generated code. The export page lists C# NUnit, Java JUnit, JavaScript Mocha, and Python pytest as targets in its documented snapshot. It also describes an optional origin-tracing setting that adds comments identifying the IDE step behind generated code.
Export is a starting point for adaptation, not a substitute for code review. Check the generated test’s assumptions and confirm that the target and dependencies are supported by the IDE release and framework versions your team uses. The export documentation contains legacy dependency examples. Code Export · Selenium IDE
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Limits to account for
The Selenium IDE v4 wiki says local record-and-playback cannot properly handle browser-level features such as alerts or cookie clearing. Treat this as a specific limitation noted by the maintainers, not a complete feature matrix for every current release. If a test depends on browser-level behavior, confirm the current version’s support and choose an execution approach that handles the requirement. Selenium IDE v4
Troubleshooting common problems
- The IDE icon is missing. For an extension installation, confirm the extension is enabled and that the browser has not hidden its toolbar icon. If you installed the v4 Electron application, launch the application rather than looking for an extension icon.
- Playback opens a new window. The Getting Started guide says IDE reuses the recording window if it remains open; otherwise it opens a new one. Start playback with the intended window open if you expect it to be reused.
- A recorded test does not match the intended behavior. Reopen the test, inspect its commands, and edit or add steps manually. Recording captures an interaction sequence; review is part of turning it into a useful test.
- The runner command or setup instructions do not match your installation. The detailed CLI guide dates to 2019. Check the current release’s runner documentation for supported prerequisites, flags, and configuration instead of applying old Node or driver versions blindly.
- A browser-level action does not work in local playback. The v4 wiki specifically warns about local record/playback handling of alerts and cookie clearing. Verify support for your installed version and whether a different execution path is needed.
- Exported code needs unfamiliar packages or syntax. The export page includes legacy examples. Confirm the current target support and dependency instructions, then review the generated code in the context of your own framework.
Or skip the browser setup
Selenium IDE is for browser test automation; ScreenshotNeo is a separate option when the job is to capture a website image or PDF through an API, not to validate an interactive test flow. One GET request can return a PNG, JPEG, WebP, or PDF. The API can accept cookie-consent banners and remove more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; those steps can be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, and response headers report the page verdict and billing status. An MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf tools for AI agents.
cURL example, adapted to capture a page:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for setup and options. The free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000. ScreenshotNeo is a screenshot API, not a Selenium replacement. Sign up for 1,000 free screenshots a month with no card.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Selenium IDE run tests in more than one browser?
Selenium’s overview lists Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. The runner guide also describes browser selection through capabilities; confirm the available setup for your current IDE and runner versions.
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The project base URL is shared across its tests and can be changed after project creation. The CLI guide also documents overriding it for a run against another environment.
Does Selenium IDE require programming knowledge?
You can record and replay interactions without first writing WebDriver code. Editing commands, using the CLI, and adapting exported code can require progressively more technical work.
Quick Recap
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