SeleniumInteractive lesson · 28 min

How Selenium works

Trace an instruction from your test code through WebDriver to the browser and back as observable test evidence.

Mental model

Follow the automation command

Selenium does not control the page directly. Your test calls the WebDriver API, which sends a standardized browser automation command to a compatible driver. The browser performs the action against the web page and returns a result your test can assert.

driver.findElement(By.id("login")).click();

Selenium WebDriverBrowser driverChrome browserWeb page

Mini challenge

Map the return path

Explain what happens after the browser clicks the element and how the assertion receives evidence.

Up next

Web elements and locator strategies

Choose stable, semantic targets and understand how element references become stale.