Automate browser tasks with Selenium
Business development on the Internet – rather complex and multifaceted task. It requires the manager not only to be creative, but also to use specialized tools that can bring this process to a new level and increase its efficiency. And browser automation – one of those solutions that can be safely used in practice. About what it is, what application scenarios are possible, and how to organize efficient and safe work, you can read here.
Now let's take a closer look at Selenium – a tool that is widely used in automating browser management. Consider its main varieties, functions and features. We will tell you who will benefit from such a solution and how to organize efficient and safe work using mobile proxies.
Introducing Selenium
Selenium is a set of open source tools that support data parsing, scraping, browser application testing, and more, among other things. This library was launched back in 2004 by Thoughtworks. Its uniqueness – cross-platform. It can simultaneously work with different browsers, be it Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari Opera, as well as operating systems: Windows, Linux and Mac OS. Selenium also supports the most common programming languages today: JavaScript, Python, Ruby, Java, C#.
This means you can use the product to test new applications across multiple browsers and platforms, test site performance, and more. Today, more than 600 developers continue to work on the development of the product, and the Selenium community has over 150 thousand users. Among its other features, we highlight support for writing scripts, which is designed to significantly increase the productivity of testers. But, along with this, you need to understand that working with it will require quite complex, professional solutions.
Today, a whole series of open source software products has been implemented within Selenium. Here are the most common solutions:
- Selenium Server. An application whose action is aimed at controlling the browser using drivers. Feature of using – placement of software directly on the device as the search engine with which to work. In the future, using special protocols written over HTTP, it will be possible to organize remote browser control.
- Selenium Grid. This application must be installed on one device. But it will be able to work with all other computers where there is Selenium Server. However, they can use different browsers and operating systems. To start the session, you will need to go to the main PC. And then the system will check which device is least loaded at a given time. This is where the team will go. That is, Selenium Grid is necessary to ensure the interaction of all those machines where Selenium Server is installed.
- Selenium IDE. This is a special plugin for Firefox for recording and playback custom actions. It can work exclusively with a local browser (with the one installed on the same computer as it). Has nothing to do with either Selenium Server or Selenium Grid.
- Selenide. One of the many frameworks that perform automatic testing of Internet applications. Allows you to quickly and with minimal complexity write codes for generating and sending HTTP commands to a PC with Selenium Server and/or Selenium Grid. Everything that will allow you to write scripts for checking software is already provided here, from finding the necessary elements to interacting with the UI. Developed by another team of specialists. Selenide – this is the choice of those who specialize in web testing.
- Selenoid. An application whose action is aimed at managing Android emulators and browsers using drivers. In particular, it is able to run each of them in a separate Docker container, that is, isolated from others. Selenoid, albeit with a stretch, can be called an alternative to Selenium Server. Here, each container is launched separately for each session. But after closing it, it automatically stops. Selenoid is able to provide support for increased load with minimal resource costs.
- Selendroid. It is a framework for automated testing of mobile applications for Android OS devices. Due to the fact that its action applies to rather outdated versions of Android (not higher than 4.2), it is already rarely used in practice.
As you can see, there are many tools. But most of them are tailored to solve a specific problem. And it's up to you to decide which option or combination of them to use in your work.
Automating data collection with Selenium
Web Scraping – one of those solutions that browser automation provides users. It allows you to automatically or manually collect various data from the Internet based on the specified parameters, structure them, which will greatly speed up and simplify subsequent processing. Most often, this tool is used when performing the following production tasks:
- SEO-optimization: collecting data for compiling a semantic core, selecting queries for which the corresponding pages of the Internet resource will be promoted;
- Checking news channels: the system automatically checks huge volumes of recently published articles from various media in order to identify those events that are of interest to you;
- price monitoring: the system itself will find products that are identical or similar to yours on different resources and provide you with a detailed report on their cost from competitors;
- lead generation: collection of contact data left by the user on the network with the possibility of attracting him to your resource as a potential client.
Selenium handles Web Scraping effectively. His work is aimed at checking Internet sites, including in different browsers. You won't find a better option for cross-platform use. But even its advanced features will not be enough to ensure multi-threaded work. If you launch automated software into work, then anti-fraud systems will immediately notice this and simply pick you up. The same is true when trying to use multi-accounting. How to prevent this and ensure the most efficient and stable work? The simplest solution – additional connection of mobile proxies.
Mobile proxies for Selenium
Mobile proxies – a tool that will replace the real technical parameters of your device with your own. It will pass all traffic through itself, thereby hiding your IP-address, geolocation. Moreover, these parameters will be changed in the workflow: by timer, at a specified interval, or forcibly, by reference. That is, the system will see multiple visits, but it will not be able to connect them all with you, which means no sanctions and no ban. You will be able to enjoy all the benefits that browser automation based on Selenium provides you without restrictions.
It remains only to correctly navigate the market offers and choose those mobile proxies that will fully satisfy your requests in terms of functionality and price. But here you do not have to waste time looking for a solution, because we are immediately ready to offer one of the best options for today – MobileProxy.Space service. Using these mobile proxies at work, you will get:
- a dedicated personal channel with unlimited high-speed traffic and access to almost a million pool of IP-addresses and more than 200,000 geolocations from different parts of the world;
- organization of work simultaneously on the HTTP(S) and Socks5 protocols (connection via parallel ports is implemented), which guarantees not only high work efficiency, but also safety of actions, protection from any unauthorized access;
- Effective bypassing regional blocks, gaining access to any site, including the one that is blocked in your region;
- efficient work in multi-threaded mode, including using automated tools;
- competent technical support service, which works 24/7 and is ready to help you at the first request in case of difficulties or problems in the operation of mobile proxies.
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