Selenium IDE is a free Firefox plugin that leverages javascript to record automated test scripts. In this first tutorial we will install Selenium IDE and create a basic test script. The next tutorial will cover more advanced topics.

I primarily use Selenium IDE in three areas:

• Defect – I ask testers to record their steps and attach the script to their defects. This is a simple way to communicate exactly how they found an issue.  This technique significantly cuts down on communication overhead.
• Acceptance Testing – While I prefer writing tests before I write the code, this is a simple way to record tests on existing web applications. In part II I will show you how to export these recordings into Java. By exporting these scripts you can easily add them to your existing automated test suite.
• Demo Setup – I’ve found it handy to run small Selenium test cases to setup a demo. For example you may want to demonstrate the functionality on the tenth page that requires a log-in and multiple data entry steps. This approach can reduce demo setup time and enable you to focus on demonstrating new functionality.

Setup

• Install the Selenium IDE Firefox plugin (http://seleniumhq.org/projects/ide/)
• Navigate to https://sites.google.com/site/example4selenium/ in Firefox
• Tools -> Selenium IDE



» Read more: Selenium IDE – Part I