Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteYour first browser test should do one useful thing from start to finish: open a page, find a control, interact with it, verify the result, and close the browser. This guide uses Selenium with Python to automate a small form submission, then explains how to run it, diagnose common failures, and choose a framework that fits your project.
What does a test automation script do?
A browser test carries out a defined user action and checks the outcome against an expectation. A click by itself proves only that the script attempted a click; an assertion makes the test meaningful by reporting whether the page showed the expected result.
A useful first test has six parts: setup, navigation, element selection, interaction, assertion, and cleanup. The example below submits Selenium’s demonstration form and checks its confirmation message.
What do you need to install?
For Selenium, the basic pieces are a language binding, a browser, and a browser-specific WebDriver implementation. Selenium’s current getting-started guide links to language-specific installation and first-script instructions. Use it to confirm current requirements for your operating system, browser, and Selenium version instead of relying on old, fixed setup commands.
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- Install Python using the official Python instructions for your operating system.
- Install Selenium in the Python environment where you plan to run the test.
- Install or select a supported browser, such as Chrome, and follow Selenium’s current driver setup guidance. Selenium’s documentation covers browser-specific WebDriver implementations.
This example assumes Python and Chrome are already available and that Selenium’s current setup requirements have been met. Selenium’s official example demonstrates the same general flow in several programming languages; see its first Selenium script guide for current language-specific variants.
Write and run a first Selenium test in Python
1. State the behavior and expected result
The test will enter “Selenium” in the form’s text box, submit the form, and verify that the page displays a confirmation containing that text. If the expected message never appears, the assertion should fail instead of silently treating the action as a success.
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2. Create the script
Save this as first_test.py:
from selenium import webdriver
from selenium.webdriver.common.by import By
from selenium.webdriver.support import expected_conditions as EC
from selenium.webdriver.support.ui import WebDriverWait
def test_form_submission():
driver = webdriver.Chrome()
try:
driver.get("https://www.selenium.dev/selenium/web/web-form.html")
text_box = driver.find_element(By.NAME, "my-text")
submit_button = driver.find_element(By.CSS_SELECTOR, "button")
text_box.send_keys("Selenium")
submit_button.click()
confirmation = WebDriverWait(driver, 10).until(
EC.visibility_of_element_located((By.ID, "message"))
)
assert confirmation.text == "Received!", (
f"Expected confirmation 'Received!', got {confirmation.text!r}"
)
finally:
driver.quit()
if __name__ == "__main__":
test_form_submission()
print("Test passed")The locators identify the text box by its name and the confirmation by its ID, rather than by where either element happens to appear on screen. The explicit wait allows the page time to display the confirmation after submission; it does not pause for a fixed duration when the element is already ready. The finally block closes the browser even if navigation, interaction, waiting, or the assertion raises an error.
3. Run it and interpret the result
From the directory containing the file, run:
python first_test.pyIf the test completes, the script prints Test passed. If the expected confirmation is missing or different, Python raises an assertion error and shows the observed text. Setup problems usually raise a Selenium or browser-driver error before the assertion; use the troubleshooting section below to narrow those down.
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How to choose a browser automation framework
There is no universally best first framework established for every beginner. Start with the language and test conventions already used by your application or team, then check the framework’s current official setup and browser coverage documentation.
| Consideration | Selenium | Playwright |
|---|---|---|
| Setup approach | Selenium documents language bindings, browsers, and browser-specific WebDriver implementations. Follow its getting-started guide for your chosen language. | Playwright has its own setup and browser guidance; follow its test-writing documentation and project setup materials. |
| Best fit to evaluate | Consider it when it fits the project’s existing language, browser needs, and team conventions. | Consider it when its integrated test tooling and setup align with the project and the learner’s preferences. |
| API and setup compatibility | Uses Selenium WebDriver APIs and setup requirements. | Uses Playwright APIs and setup requirements; they are not interchangeable with Selenium’s. |
Choose based on your language, application ecosystem, required browsers and operating systems, existing test runner, desired integrated tooling, and the current official setup burden. For Selenium, begin with the official getting-started material; for Playwright, use its official setup and test-writing guides.
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Make the first test more reliable
- Choose a clear locator. Prefer a meaningful name, ID, or other stable identifier over a selector tied to page layout or styling.
- Wait for the result you need. Browser pages update asynchronously. Use a framework-supported wait or assertion for the target state rather than inserting a long arbitrary sleep.
- Assert the behavior, not just the action. A successful click does not establish that submission worked. Check the visible outcome that represents success.
- Always clean up. Close the browser session when the test passes and when an earlier step fails.
- Keep the scope small. First get one linear test working. Page objects, parallel execution, CI configuration, and cross-browser matrices can come later.
Troubleshooting a first Selenium run
The browser does not start
Check that the chosen browser is installed and that your Selenium version and browser setup meet the current official requirements. A missing or incompatible WebDriver setup can prevent the session from starting; consult the Selenium getting-started guide for the relevant browser rather than copying a driver command intended for a different version or operating system.
The script cannot find the text box or button
Confirm that the page loaded and that the locator matches the element on that page. Names and IDs are often clearer than layout-dependent selectors, but they still must match the page’s actual markup. If a page loads content later, wait for the needed element using the framework’s supported wait mechanism.
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The confirmation wait times out
A timeout means the expected visible element did not become available within the wait period. Verify that the form was submitted, that the test page is reachable, and that the confirmation locator and expected page state are correct. Increasing the timeout without checking these causes can hide a broken test or a page that never completed the action.
The assertion fails
Read the assertion message, which includes the text Selenium observed. Compare that value with the behavior the test is meant to verify; if the page’s intended confirmation changed, update the expectation deliberately rather than removing the assertion.
The browser remains open after an error
Ensure the browser actions and assertions are inside a try block whose finally calls driver.quit(). This closes the session even when an earlier operation raises an exception.
Or skip the browser setup
If you need a screenshot or PDF rather than an interactive assertion, ScreenshotNeo can capture a page with one API request. It is a website screenshot API and MCP server for developers. The following cURL request saves a WebP screenshot of the example form page; create an API key and replace YOUR_API_KEY. See the ScreenshotNeo documentation for the request options.
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://www.selenium.dev/selenium/web/web-form.html -o shot.webpScreenshotNeo accepts cookie or consent banners like a visitor and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; each step can be turned off. Bot checks or CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, and response headers say which page verdict and billing status applied. Its MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf tools for Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients. The free plan includes 1,000 screenshots a month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 screenshots. Learn more at ScreenshotNeo, or sign up for the free plan.
What to learn after the first script
Once this test runs reliably, expand one requirement at a time: add another explicit assertion, cover a second user action, or run the test using the language and runner your project already uses. Keep each new check tied to an observable expected result, and use the selected framework’s official documentation for its current APIs and setup.
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