Selenium 1 and Selenium 2 are both legacy generations. Selenium 1’s Remote Control (RC) model ran JavaScript in the browser; Selenium 2 brought in WebDriver, which controls the browser through browser-specific implementations. Selenium 2 was a merger of the Selenium and WebDriver projects—not simply an unrelated replacement. For new work, use current Selenium WebDriver documentation and check the release for your language binding.
What is the difference between Selenium 1 and Selenium 2?
| Area | Selenium 1 / Selenium RC | Selenium 2 / WebDriver |
|---|---|---|
| How it interacted with browsers | RC ran automation as JavaScript inside the browser. | WebDriver controlled the browser through browser-specific implementations. |
| Architectural trade-off | In-browser JavaScript faced browser restrictions, including the same-origin problem. | WebDriver could use native platform facilities and did not rely on browser JavaScript for the heavy lifting. |
| Relationship to the project | Part of Selenium’s original API and code lineage. | A merger of Selenium and WebDriver. The early Selenium 2 series combined their code; it was not wholly separate from Selenium 1. |
| Status today | Legacy. | Legacy; the project has since moved on to Selenium 4. |
The Selenium project’s legacy FAQ describes the central difference this way: “Rather than running as a Javascript application within the browser (with the limitations this brings, such as the ‘same origin’ problem), WebDriver controls the browser itself.” Selenium 2 FAQ
What is Selenium RC, and how does it relate to Selenium 1?
Selenium RC, or Remote Control, is the browser-automation model most closely associated with Selenium 1. It used JavaScript running within the browser, which meant browser security rules could constrain what automation could do. “Selenium 1” refers to the generation and its API/code lineage; RC describes its characteristic interaction model. They are closely related terms, but not interchangeable descriptions of the whole Selenium project.
Is Selenium 2 the same as WebDriver?
Not exactly. WebDriver was a core part of Selenium 2, but Selenium 2 arose from merging the Selenium and WebDriver projects. The Selenium project’s legacy page describes Selenium 2 as a rewrite of Selenium 1 implemented with WebDriver code. A 2010 project update adds historical nuance: the early 2.x release included Selenium 1.x code, and the project described it as backward compatible at that point. That is a statement about early Selenium 2, not a guarantee for every later release, language binding, or current Selenium version. Selenium 2 legacy documentation · 2010 project update
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Is Selenium 2 still supported?
Selenium 2 is a historical, legacy generation, not the version to choose for a new project. Selenium 3 and then Selenium 4 followed it. Selenium 3 supported both W3C WebDriver and the older JSON Wire Protocol; Selenium’s current upgrade guide explains changes involved in moving from Selenium 3 to Selenium 4. Check the official downloads page for current releases and the relevant language binding rather than treating a Selenium 2 version as current. The page listed Selenium 4.49.0, dated September 9, 2026, for Java, Python, JavaScript, Ruby, .NET, and Selenium Server/Grid when checked for this article; release listings can change.
How did Selenium move from versions 1 and 2 to Selenium 4?
- Selenium 1 and RC: Browser automation used JavaScript running inside the browser and was subject to restrictions such as the same-origin problem.
- Selenium 2: Selenium and WebDriver codebases merged, bringing WebDriver’s browser-control approach into Selenium. The project said in 2010 that version 1.0.4 was planned as the final 1.x release; that was the plan stated at the time, not a current release announcement. The project’s 2010 account
- Selenium 3: Selenium supported both W3C WebDriver and the legacy JSON Wire Protocol.
- Selenium 4: The current generation, with official upgrade guidance for teams moving from Selenium 3. Upgrade to Selenium 4
For broader project context, see Selenium’s history page.
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How do you migrate from Selenium RC to WebDriver?
There is no single safe code edit that migrates every RC project. First identify the language binding and the old Selenium APIs your tests use; then use the project’s legacy guidance for moving from Selenium 1 to Selenium 2 and its current, language-specific guidance for the version you intend to run. If your project is already on Selenium 3, the Selenium 4 upgrade guide is the relevant current starting point. Its changes are organized by language and API behavior, so do not assume one binding’s migration instructions apply unchanged to another.
- Inventory the language binding, Selenium version, RC client usage, and test code that depends on legacy behavior.
- Choose the target Selenium release and confirm its supported binding on the official downloads page.
- Follow the migration guidance for that language and address changes in the affected APIs rather than assuming early Selenium 2 backward compatibility applies today.
- Run the affected tests against the browser and driver versions used by your project, and resolve compatibility errors before removing legacy code.
The Selenium 2 legacy documentation links to historical Selenium 1 and RC migration material. For teams upgrading from Selenium 3, consult the Selenium 4 upgrade guide.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Selenium RC the same thing as Selenium 1?
RC is the browser-automation model most associated with Selenium 1; Selenium 1 refers more broadly to that generation and its API/code lineage.
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The project described early Selenium 2 as backward compatible in its 2010 account. That historical statement is not a guarantee for later or current releases.
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