What is a relative XPath? Please elaborate.
Hey Helen
A relative XPath offers flexibility by allowing you to locate elements from any starting point within the HTML document. This flexibility is especially valuable when dealing with dynamic web applications where the structure of the page may change over time.
In the example “//input[@id=‘username’],” we can see a relative XPath that targets an input element with the attribute “id” set to “username.” This XPath, unlike absolute XPaths, does not rely on the entire path from the root node but rather focuses on the unique attribute of the element, making it more resilient to changes in the page’s structure.
To create robust relative XPaths, it’s essential to use attributes that are stable and unlikely to change, such as IDs, names, or unique classes. Additionally, leveraging other attributes like “name,” “value,” or “text” in combination with operators like “contains” or “starts-with” can further enhance the XPath’s reliability in dynamic environments.
By using relative XPaths with stable attributes, testers, and developers can build automation scripts that are less prone to breaking when UI changes occur, reducing maintenance efforts and ensuring the longevity of their test suites.