Watir vs Selenium IDE

Struggling to choose between Watir and Selenium IDE? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Watir is a Development solution with tags like automation, testing, ruby.

It boasts features such as Automates web browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc, Enables writing tests to validate web applications, Supports multiple programming languages like Ruby, Python, Java, etc, Integrates with testing frameworks like RSpec, Test::Unit, etc, Provides API for interacting with web pages like clicking links, filling forms, Executes JavaScript embedded in web pages and pros including Open source and free to use, Cross-browser testing capability, Large community support, Integration with popular test frameworks, Supports multiple languages for writing tests.

On the other hand, Selenium IDE is a Development product tagged with automation, testing, selenium, webdriver, browser.

Its standout features include Record and playback test scripts, Export tests to multiple languages/frameworks, Debugging tools, Element locator builders, Support for locators like XPath, CSS Selector, Integration with Selenium Grid, and it shines with pros like Easy to learn and use, Open source and free, Support for multiple browsers, Large user community and documentation.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

Watir

Watir

Watir is an open-source Ruby library for automating web browsers. It drives browsers the same way people do, enabling testing and scripting of web applications. Watir supports IE, Firefox, Chrome, Safari and Opera.

Categories:
Development Web Testing
automation testing ruby

Watir Features

  1. Automates web browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc
  2. Enables writing tests to validate web applications
  3. Supports multiple programming languages like Ruby, Python, Java, etc
  4. Integrates with testing frameworks like RSpec, Test::Unit, etc
  5. Provides API for interacting with web pages like clicking links, filling forms
  6. Executes JavaScript embedded in web pages

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Open source and free to use

Cross-browser testing capability

Large community support

Integration with popular test frameworks

Supports multiple languages for writing tests

Cons

Only works for web application testing

Requires knowledge of scripting and test frameworks

Not ideal for complex AJAX-heavy sites

Limited support for mobile browsers

Selenium IDE

Selenium IDE

Selenium IDE is an open-source Chrome and Firefox browser extension for creating and running automated web application UI tests. It allows users to record interactions with web apps to generate test scripts that can be exported and used with Selenium WebDriver.

Categories:
Development Web Testing
automation testing selenium webdriver browser

Selenium IDE Features

  1. Record and playback test scripts
  2. Export tests to multiple languages/frameworks
  3. Debugging tools
  4. Element locator builders
  5. Support for locators like XPath, CSS Selector
  6. Integration with Selenium Grid

Pricing

  • Open Source
  • Free

Pros

Easy to learn and use

Open source and free

Support for multiple browsers

Large user community and documentation

Cons

Only supports browser testing

Limited to record and playback style tests

Not designed for complex tests

No native support for CI/CD pipelines