Trends and Features of Selenium 4 IDE and SIDE Runner for No‑Code Browser Test Automation

Selenium 4 IDE Trends

Selenium 4 IDE is not a perfect replacement for Selenium WebDriver, but it adds significant value as a powerful record‑and‑playback tool for browser test automation, prompting further exploration of its new features.

No‑Code Automation Testing Tools

Tools like Selenium 4 IDE accelerate test case creation, lowering the entry barrier for automation testing by eliminating the need for extensive coding knowledge and reducing time spent on repetitive test cases.

With Selenium 4 IDE, users can generate test cases directly from recorded actions in the IDE, making no‑code testing increasingly popular and clarifying its development roadmap.

Active Development

The original Selenium IDE was discontinued in 2017 and limited to Firefox, but Selenium 4 IDE rebuilds the project using modern APIs, adding features such as parallel testing, cross‑browser support, and resilient testing.

The project is open‑source on GitHub and managed by the Selenium community.

SIDE Runner

Cross‑browser testing is essential for web applications. SIDE Runner enables command‑line execution of Selenium 4 IDE test cases across multiple browsers without writing code.

To install SIDE Runner, first install Node.js and npm, then run:

npm install -g selenium-side-runner

Install browser drivers:

# Install Chrome driver
npm install -g chromedriver
# Install Edge driver
npm install -g edgedriver
# Install Geckodriver
npm install -g geckodriver
# Install IE driver
npm install -g iedriver

Test cases recorded with Selenium 4 IDE must be saved with a .side extension. Execute them with commands such as:

selenium-side-runner -c "browserName=chrome"
selenium-side-runner -c "browserName='internet explorer'"
selenium-side-runner -c "browserName=edge"
selenium-side-runner -c "browserName=firefox"
selenium-side-runner -c "browserName=safari"

Parallel Execution with SIDE Runner

The older Selenium IDE executed tests serially, but parallel execution in Selenium 4 IDE speeds up testing. SIDE Runner allows users to control the number of parallel processes with the -w option.

FunTester Highlights

Additional resources and articles are listed, including topics on API testing, open‑source testing services, performance testing, HTTP fundamentals, programming mindset, self‑improvement for testers, and upcoming tools like Fiddler Everywhere.