What is Selenium?

The Selenium framework is utilised for performing automated testing services on online web applications. Selenium framework is compatible with various web browsers like Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and others. Also, Selenium test automation tool has support for different programming languages, including Python and JavaScript. And when it is combined with Appium testing tool, Selenium offers good suppport for mobile devices.

What Are The Features of Selenium?

We summarized Selenium’s features below;

• Parallelism is available using Selenium Grid.
• Multi-language Support.
• The combination of Selenium and Appium enables mobile automation.
• Support for automation across several browsers
• The combination of Selenium with TestNG provides additional functionalities.

What is Puppeteer?

Puppeteer is a node.js library which can be utilised for test automation. It is compatible with Chrome and freely available to the public. Plus, it has a high level API from Chrome. Puppeteer is a script-running application created by Google and powered by Chromium. It is possible to change how Chromium operates in Puppeteer from its default headless mode to its headed mode.

What Are The Features of Puppeteer?

• It has Control over Chrome.

•  It is quite quick and enables web scraping.

• It captures images of pages and creates PDFs for use in user interface testing

• It is a tool for analyzing performance.

• Puppeteer uses Chromium to execute scripts. 

• The Puppeteer project is a library for Node.js, whereas The Selenium web framework tests different kinds of online applications.

• It supports PDFs and pictures 

What is Chai Mocha?

Chai Mocha is a framework for JavaScript. It’s a basic testing framework that lets you run a series of functions in order and display the results on the terminal window. You may validate the test case outcomes by using the assertion library. Chai Mocha allows consumers to receive findings in their chosen format.

Developers typically use the Chai Mocha framework for unit testing to conduct tests and report results.

What are the Features of Chai Mocha?

Mocha Functions and Features include:

• Mocha Configuration

Mocha may be configured using configuration files in different formats:

• Mocha Hooks

Mocha allows you to construct code that specifies test preconditions and automatically cleans up after your tests. 

• Mocha Test 

Mocha allows you to declare under what conditions tests should or should not be run.

• Mocha Parallel Tests

The -parallel parameter in Mocha enables you to run tests in parallel to enhance speed.

Puppeteer vs Selenium vs Chai Mocha

Let us take a look at their differences under different features and advantages.

Testing Automation

Selenium offers web automation in addition to mobile automation, in contrast to Puppeteer, which only supports web automation. In addition, Mocha allows asynchronous testing, test coverage reports, and the use of any assertion library.

Browser Support

When it comes to offering browser support, there are some key differences between Puppeteer and Selenium.

Puppeteer easily works with Chrome or Chromium browsers. So if you try to use Puppeteer with other web browsers, it may not work properly. On the other hand, Selenium offers support for a wide range of browsers, including Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, and more. It provides flexibility for testing across different platforms and browser choices.

When it comes to Chai Mocha, you can enjoy support for testing on Firefox and Chrome browsers. While it is possible to use Chai Mocha with other browsers, it usually require some additional effort and might not be as straightforward compared to using it with Firefox and Chrome.

In summary, Puppeteer is focused on Chrome or Chromium browser support, while Selenium provides broader compatibility with multiple browsers. Chai Mocha is primarily supported on Firefox and Chrome, but with some challenges, it can be used with other browsers as well.

Support for Languages

While Puppeteer only supports Node.js, Selenium is compatible with various languages, including Python, Ruby, Javascript, Java, and more. For Chai Mocha, JavaScript is used.

Installations

Selenium may seem complicated to someone unfamiliar with tool setups. However, several support materials and videos are accessible to assist you if you get stuck somewhere. Puppeteer installation is rather straightforward and can be completed by most people. It is a one-command installation via NPM, unlike Chai Mocha which has numerous stages in the installation beginning with Node.js and NPM. 

Selenium vs Puppeteer vs Chai Mocha: Which is more preferable?

Considering the fact that cross-browser testing needs to be performed on several platforms and utilizing different sets of programming languages, Selenium is apparently the best tool for automated testing. Selenium comes with driver and library support for various browsers, as well as other features for several different programming languages.

Testing online apps is about more than just supporting many browsers or platforms; sometimes, additional features, like record and playback, matter a lot more. That is something that can be done using Selenium. In addition to being able to be repurposed, the code comes pre-packaged with test suites and packages. Ahead of Mocha and Puppeteer, Selenium is often regarded as the tool that offers the most significant degree of compatibility with automation testing. 

It is optional to download Selenium as a piece of software since the simplicity of access and setup is very straightforward. However, you may need some of its components to perform tests on automated browser instances on your device successfully.

Puppeteer’s Architecture vs Selenium’s Architectural Framework

Both of these programs have excellent automation capabilities, but their underlying architectures are quite different, which is how they facilitate their respective features. So let us take a look.

Selenium Architecture

Selenium testing tool leverages its own WebDriver to provide a range of APIs for easier communication with web browsers. With the move from the JSON Wire interface to the WebDriver W3C standard in Selenium 4, the process becomes more efficient and conforms to the protocols defined by the W3C, enabling direct interaction with web browsers.

Puppeteer Architecture 

Puppeteer uses the DevTools protocol, standard for browsers based on Chromium, Chrome, and blink. Because of this, it is possible to interface with the supported browsers directly.

Selenium vs Puppeteer vs Chai Mocha: When to use which?

Puppeteer is an excellent choice for Chrome-based browser testing and automation, leveraging native integrations and providing direct access to powerful browser features. Selenium, on the other hand, offers broader browser compatibility and is widely used for web application testing. Chai Mocha complements both Selenium and Puppeteer as a testing framework, providing expressive assertions. Consider your specific requirements and browser compatibility needs to determine which tool or combination of tools best suits your testing goals.

On the other hand, in comparison to Puppeteer, Selenium offers wider coverage of browsers and a more extensive feature set. Because the WebDriver protocol supports a wide variety of browsers, and because the WebDriver protocol has been standardized as a W3C standard, you can interface directly with whatever browser you want. Because of this, the test scope may be substantially expanded with the assistance of Selenium without the need to depend on multiple tools for various platforms.

Selenium offers very useful tools including Selenium IDE and Grid to cater to the needs of recording test cases and scaling test environments for parallel testing. Its versatility and compatibility with multiple programming languages allows for seamless integration into various development environments. Selenium also has a wide-ranging support and feature-rich nature. Selenium framework is a highly recommended solution for any automation requirement.

On the other hand, if you are looking for a framework that offers asynchronous testing, test coverage reports, and the flexibility to work with any assertion library, Chai Mocha is a great choice. Chai Mocha excels in providing a smooth testing experience, whether you prefer Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) or Test-Driven Development (TDD) assertion libraries for Node.js. It seamlessly integrates with browsers and pairs well with any JavaScript testing framework.

So, Should You Choose Selenium or Puppeteer?

Selenium and Puppeteer are sophisticated technologies capable of automating tests and scraping websites. If you are using Google Chrome, you should consider utilizing Puppeteer instead since it offers unmatched access and performance and incorporates native integrations. In addition, rather than just being a testing tool, it is more of an automation tool. Because of this, it is appropriate for carrying out automated activities such as crawling and scraping websites.

On the other hand, Selenium is an excellent choice for you if you often switch between different browsers and are fluent in several different languages. When compared to Puppeteer, it offers a more significant number of features. This entails that you can engage in direct interaction with numerous browsers. The scope of data scraping may be expanded with the aid of Selenium without the need to depend on various solutions developed for multiple platforms.

The Advantages of Automated Testing Tools

1. A Shorter and Quicker Feedback Loop

It may take some time to get feedback on freshly built features if the testing process needs to be automated. However, the feedback loop may be cut down, and speedier validation can be brought to each step of the product development process when you use test automation.

It is beneficial to automate tests since doing so enables you to identify issues or flaws earlier in the development process, which boosts the team’s productivity.

2. The Time Saved by the Group

Your team will have to spend less time validating newly produced features if your testing technique can be automated. Additionally, it enhances communication with other departments, such as marketing, design, and product owners, all of whom depend on the findings of these tests. These departments can quickly review the logs of the automated testing to determine what is going on.

3. Decreases in the Costs of Doing Business

When your organization uses an automated test environment, it will save money since it will need fewer resources to test the product, resulting in fewer errors. The general recommendation is that you should not engage in any manual testing. This has the potential to have a significant impact throughout a whole project.

Installing and configuring an automated testing environment requires significant time and resources, as is evident. Additionally, there is a reasonable probability that you will have to pay for a professional test automation tool to get assistance in developing a reliable test automation environment.

4. An Increased Number of Tests

Manual testing places restrictions on the number of verifications that may be performed. You’ll be able to spend more time developing new tests and adding them to the automated test suite when you use automation. This enhances the test coverage for your product, which ultimately leads to a better quality application since more features are adequately evaluated.

Additionally, automated testing enables developers to compose more comprehensive tests that cover more complicated use cases. Unattended testing allows for the execution of lengthy tests, often skipped over in manual testing.

5. The Capability of Reusing the Test Suite

Setting up an automated test suite may seem daunting initially, but once you have it established, reusing tests for different use cases or projects becomes quite simple. The beauty lies in the ease of test reuse, which allows you to quickly connect new tasks to your existing automated test suite, saving a significant amount of time.

Once you have gained a thorough understanding of the process involved in creating an automated test suite and familiarized yourself with the associated tools, such as a continuous integration (CI) pipeline, you possess valuable knowledge that can be applied to configure test automation for future projects.

The advantage of having an established automated test suite is that you have already overcome the initial challenges and hurdles. You have a solid foundation to build upon, making it easier to adapt and expand your testing efforts for new projects. This accumulated experience and knowledge become invaluable assets that streamline the setup and configuration of test automation for future endeavors.

6. A Quicker Time to Market

Test automation allows for newly built features to be regularly evaluated and verified, as I said previously in this paragraph. This shortens the feedback and testing cycle, making it easier for businesses to bring their goods to market more quickly.

7. Better Insights

Visibility into various internal states, such as the contents of the RAM, data tables, file contents, and more.

By capturing and displaying this detailed information, automated testing enables developers to gain a deeper understanding of what might have caused the test failure. These insights can be invaluable in troubleshooting and identifying the root cause of the issue.

Compared to manual testing, where the tester may only observe the external behavior of the application, automated testing goes a step further by revealing internal program states and data. This comprehensive view allows developers to analyze the failure in greater detail and make more informed decisions regarding potential fixes or optimizations.

8. An increase in preciseness

Even the most skilled testing engineer will always make some errors during manual testing. Faults are possible anytime, especially while evaluating a complicated use case. On the other hand, automated tests may carry out tests with an accuracy rate of one hundred percent since the results are consistent no matter how many times you run them.

9. The use of automated testing offers an increased number of features

You may test additional features with an automated test suite, such as simulating the actions of thousands of virtual users interacting with your web application to determine how the program responds to these actions. Manual testing cannot manufacture this behaviour in any way, shape, or form. The amount of time developers save because of features like these is significant.

10. Decreased Anxiety among the QA Staff

Your quality assurance staff will be able to devote more time to activities outside manual testing once you have implemented an automated testing method. In addition, the job description of a quality assurance engineer becomes more exciting if the monotonous component of manual testing is eliminated.

Many quality assurance engineers see testing automation as a chance to construct new tools that better optimize the existing testing suite or expand it with additional capabilities. This is because testing automation frees up their time.

11. Easily ascertain whether or not your construction is stable.

Test automation plays a crucial role in efficiently and accurately verifying the reliability of a build. By automating tests, you can streamline the process and achieve quicker and more accurate results. For instance, when it comes to validating stability, smoke tests are often performed. However, manual smoke testing can be time-consuming and requires direct involvement from testing engineers, including setting up databases with test results.

With test automation, smoke testing can be automated as well. The necessary databases can be built and prepared automatically, eliminating the need for manual intervention. This automation significantly reduces the time and effort required to determine the stability of the system.

By automating smoke tests, you can rapidly execute them and assess the stability of the system in a much shorter time frame. This quick feedback allows you to identify any potential issues or instabilities early on, enabling prompt corrective actions.

12. Eliminate Human Error

Manual testing carries the inherent risk of human errors, making test automation a logical choice, particularly in complex scenarios. Test automation helps mitigate the possibility of mistakes and ensures more accurate and reliable testing. However, it’s important to note that even with test automation, there is still a possibility of overlooking certain aspects.

The primary advantage of test automation is the reduction in the occurrence of errors. By automating tests, you can minimize human-induced errors that may occur during manual testing. Test automation follows predefined scripts and executes them consistently, eliminating the inconsistencies and oversight that can arise from manual testing.

Automated testing ensures that test cases are executed precisely as designed, reducing the likelihood of errors caused by human factors such as fatigue or oversight. It also enables the execution of a large number of tests in a shorter time frame, increasing the coverage and effectiveness of the testing process.

However, it’s important to recognize that test automation is not foolproof. It relies on the accuracy and completeness of the test scripts created by testers. If important scenarios or edge cases are overlooked during the script creation phase, the automated tests may still miss potential issues.

The Wrap Up

A puppeteer is an intriguing tool that might pique the interest of Selenium WebDriver users. Puppeteer should be explored, especially when cross-browser testing is not required and teams have expertise working with Node.js. Similarly, if we wish to read load numbers and web performance as part of the metrics to be assessed in a test, it is a powerful library. However, the constraint of cross-browser testing and the availability of Puppeteer in a single language will always keep Selenium as the most preferred tool for web testing.

Prometteur Solutions is the best software development company in Pune, and we have all the experts, good enough for your Selenium, Puppeteer, and Chai Mocha testing. Need one to take care of app testing? We can help. Reach out to us now!

FAQs

Selenium vs Puppeteer vs Chai Mocha: Which is better?

All frameworks are good and serve different purposes and use cases. For example, Selenium is the best for test automation. Puppeteer is suitable for testing AngularJS web apps, while Chai Mocha works well with JavaScript frameworks and allows you to run a series of test functions and use the assertion library.

Selenium vs Puppeteer vs Chai Mocha: When to use which?

If you are seeking a versatile and user-friendly tool that supports multiple programming languages and delivers optimal test automation results, Selenium will be an excellent choice. Selenium testing tool provides extensive language support which makes it easier for developers to work with their preferred programming language. With its wide adoption and extensive community support, Selenium is known for its reliability and effectiveness in automating tests.

For specific scenarios like AngularJS web app testing, Puppeteer is a great option. Puppeteer is designed specifically for Chrome-based browsers, offering native integrations and exceptional performance. It provides seamless support for AngularJS web apps and enables efficient testing of such applications.

When it comes to running parallel tests and incorporating powerful assertion libraries, Chai Mocha comes into play. Chai Mocha is a versatile framework that allows asynchronous testing, generates test coverage reports, and seamlessly integrates with any assertion library. It is particularly useful when you want to implement parallel testing, enabling faster execution and comprehensive test coverage.

What are the Features of Chai Mocha

Chai Mocha has four main features:

• Mocha Configuration
• Mocha Hooks
• Mocha Test 
• Mocha Parallel Tests

What is Puppeteer 

Puppeteer is a popular library in the Node.js ecosystem. It enables the automation of tasks involving the Chrome browser. Developed and maintained by the Chrome team at Google, Puppeteer offers a user-friendly and powerful API for controlling Chrome programmatically.

What is Chai Mocha?

On the other hand, is a JavaScript framework primarily designed for testing purposes. It provides a straightforward and flexible testing environment where you can execute a series of functions or tests and observe the results on the terminal. Chai Mocha also incorporates an assertion library, which allows you to validate the expected outcomes of your test cases.

What is Selenium?

Selenium, another widely-used framework, is specifically designed for automated testing of web applications. It provides a range of tools and libraries that facilitate the testing process, allowing developers to write automated scripts that interact with web browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and more. Selenium supports various programming languages, including Java, Python, C#, and JavaScript, making it a versatile choice for web application testing across different platforms.