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The current quick start is to download the versioned Selenium Server JAR and run it with the standalone subcommand. By default, clients connect to http://localhost:4444.
What Selenium Server and Standalone mean
Selenium Server is the distribution
Selenium’s downloads page describes Selenium Server as the distribution needed to run Remote Selenium WebDriver. It is the JAR you download.
Standalone is a Grid mode
Grid Standalone combines the Grid components into one process on one machine. It is a straightforward choice for local RemoteWebDriver development and debugging, quick test suites, or a simple CI setup. The Selenium Grid guide describes it as: “Standalone combines all Grid components seamlessly into one.”
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In short, “Server” names the distribution; “Standalone” names a way to run Grid.
What the old filename means
If a tutorial tells you to download selenium-server-standalone.jar, it is using a legacy package name associated with Selenium 2 and Selenium 3. Current instructions use a versioned filename such as selenium-server-<version>.jar, followed by a mode command. Check older guides against the current documentation rather than copying their filenames or flags as-is.
Choose a Grid mode
The main decision is not “Standalone Server or Selenium Server”; it is which Grid topology fits your machines and scaling needs.
| Mode | How it runs | Suitable use | Client URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standalone | All Grid components run together in one process on one machine. | Local development and debugging, quick suites, or simple CI. | Standalone server address; default http://localhost:4444. |
| Hub-Node | A Hub provides a central entry point; one or more Nodes provide browser capacity and may run on different machines. | Adding browser capacity or combining environments without tearing down the Grid. | Hub address; default http://localhost:4444. |
| Fully distributed | Grid components run separately, ideally on different machines. | Deployments that need independently run components and infrastructure control. | Router address; default http://localhost:4444. |
Use Standalone when keeping the Grid simple matters more than separating components or distributing capacity. Move to Hub-Node or a fully distributed setup when you need multiple nodes, machines, or independently managed components. Selenium’s CLI provides the standalone, hub, and node commands; run a component command with --help to see its options.
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Start a current Standalone server
Prerequisites
The Selenium setup guide lists Java 11 or higher, browsers, and browser drivers as prerequisites. Selenium Manager can configure drivers automatically when enabled with --selenium-manager true.
Run the server
- Download the Selenium Server JAR from the official downloads page.
- In a terminal, change to the directory containing the JAR and start Standalone. Replace the version text with the filename you downloaded:
java -jar selenium-server-<version>.jar standalone - Leave the process running. The default Grid endpoint is
http://localhost:4444. Configure your RemoteWebDriver client to use the server address reachable from that client.
For example, to set a session limit of four and explicitly use port 4444, run:
java -jar selenium-server-<version>.jar standalone --max-sessions 4 --port 4444
That is a configuration example, not a claim that four sessions is optimal for every machine. Session capacity should reflect the resources available to the browser processes.
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Keep configuration readable
The Selenium CLI guide supports TOML configuration and combining TOML settings with command-line arguments. A configuration file can be easier to review and keep in source control than a long command; consult the current CLI guide for the exact settings supported by your installed release.
Connect a RemoteWebDriver client
Point the client at the Grid endpoint for the mode you started: the Standalone address for Standalone, the Hub address for Hub-Node, or the Router address for a fully distributed Grid. The default port is 4444, but the relevant host must be reachable from the client. A service running on localhost is reachable only from the same machine unless you deliberately expose or forward it.
For Hub-Node and fully distributed deployments, do not assume every component has the same address: use the address of the central entry point specified by that topology. The Grid guide’s component-specific command help is the place to check flags for your selected mode.
Release and version checks
The Selenium downloads page listed stable release 4.49.0, dated September 9, 2026, when checked on October 3, 2026. Release numbers change; check the downloads page when installing rather than relying on that dated figure. Match commands and configuration guidance to the Selenium Server release you actually use.
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Troubleshooting
The JAR filename is not found
Confirm that your terminal is in the directory containing the downloaded file and that the command uses its exact name. Current releases use a versioned selenium-server-*.jar filename; a command copied from a legacy guide may refer to selenium-server-standalone.jar.
Java is missing or too old
Check the Java installation and version, then install or select Java 11 or higher as required by the current setup guide. Ensure the java executable is available in the terminal environment running the server.
The client cannot connect
- Check that the server process is still running and started without an error.
- Confirm the client URL matches the mode and address you started; Standalone defaults to
http://localhost:4444. - If client and server are on different machines, replace
localhostwith an address reachable from the client and check network or firewall rules. - If you changed the port, use that port in the client URL.
Browser sessions do not start
Verify that a supported browser is installed and that a compatible browser driver is available. The setup guide says Selenium Manager can configure drivers when enabled using --selenium-manager true; check that option and the server output if driver setup is the failure point.
A legacy tutorial’s options do not work
Older Selenium 2/3 tutorials may use a different JAR name or flags. Check the current Selenium CLI guide and the component’s --help output for the installed release instead of assuming historical commands still apply.
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ScreenshotNeo is an alternative for screenshot capture
Selenium Server is for browser automation through Remote WebDriver and Grid. If your task is simply to obtain a website screenshot or PDF, ScreenshotNeo is an alternative to try first: it provides a screenshot API and MCP server, and bills only clean shots.
For screenshot-specific details, see ScreenshotNeo and its API documentation. Selenium and ScreenshotNeo serve different jobs: use Selenium when you need browser automation and Grid; use the screenshot API when you need a captured page without setting up that browser workflow.
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