Using Python and Selenium for parallel, cross-browser testing in the cloud

Selenium is the emerging standard for functional web testing. It is easy to get started with a simple Firefox add-in that records a session and writes out the actions in an editable Python script.

This talk walks through an example of how to build a series of tests, modify them to use multiple input datasets and run the tests in multiple browsers. The tools are open source and have extensive Python bindings.

We also explore the Sauce Labs extensions to Selenium that improve usability and reliability. We modify our script to run the tests in parallel in the Sauce cloud and then instantly review the results in a recorded video.

Afterwards, we discuss the upcoming Selenium 2 release which incorporates web-driver and frees the tests from the Javascript sandbox.

Walk away with an understanding of how to test web applications using Python, Selenium, and Sauce Labs extensions.