What are the best practices for executing parallel tests in Selenium?

Can anyone please suggest me some of the best practices for executing parallel tests in Selenium.

Running automated browser testing in parallel is not that easy, even with Selenium Grid, and it happens due to the unstructured automation framework that you use for parallel test execution in Selenium. Here are some best practices that can help you execute Selenium test automation in parallel successfully. 1. Generate Independent Test Cases

If you generate independent tests that can run on their own, then it will be easier for you to execute them in parallel. In simple words, the tests need to be self-contained. So, when you run any test, you don’t have to worry about the order in which you run your test suite.

Sometimes, tests in parallel execution exhibit invalid behavior like failing when it shouldn’t or failing when it shouldn’t, which is known as flakiness. Independent tests can reduce the flakiness in the automated browser testing process by decreasing the number of possible breaking points in a test. Another significant advantage of using independent tests is that if one fails, it won’t stop you from testing other testing functionality.

2. Parallel Testing Using Cloud-Based Selenium Grid

Perform Automated browser testing on your local Selenium Grid can be exhausting, as not only you have to manage and maintain all the machines, but also to set them as well. Parallel testing on a local Selenium grid will have some scalability issues as you won’t be able to cover all the major browsers, their different versions, and OS.

With a cloud-based Selenium Grid, you don’t have to worry about setup anymore. With LambdaTest Selenium Grid, you can run parallel tests on 2000+ real browsers and their different versions. You’d not only save a lot of money on setting up the infrastructure but also you’d get ample time to do tasks that matter.

3. Avoid Hard Code values

Most testers have to run their tests in a particular order due to hard code embedded directly in the source code. This approach doesn’t allow you to run tests in parallel efficiently, as it creates dependencies between test cases.

So, avoid hard code values in your Selenium test automation scripts to ensure that each of the tests is independent and can be executed whenever necessary. You can even opt for a data-driven approach in the testing framework to configure the test cases.

4. Prevent Dependencies Between Selenium test automation Cases

Many testers often find it challenging to execute tests in parallel due to dependencies between various test cases. When tests are dependent on each other, they need to be run in a particular order, which often affects the parallel testing strategy. So, you should focus on creating independent and atomic tests that can be executed independently.

5. You Need To Manage Your Test Data Efficiently

The primary key to successful parallel Selenium test automation is handling the test data efficiently. But to achieve this, you need an effective strategy that can create test data when required, as well as clean it up when necessary. Below are some basic data management strategies that can be very effective.

  • Refreshing data continuously – this approach allow you to reset your source code during test executions.
  • Using RESTful API – it is a great way to create and destroy data during runtime.
  • Selfish data generation – this approach has a creational strategy but doesn’t offer anything for data cleanup. These are just a few approaches that can be used to manage test data effectively. You can even combine two approaches in order to attain the desired output.