Selenium WebDriver Vs Selenium RC

Selenium WebDriver Vs Selenium RC

Selenium RC had many limitations which eventually led to selenium WebDriver being created.

See the major differences between Selenium RC and WebDriver:

1. Architecture

Selenium RC architecture is difficult because it requires an intermediate RC Server to connect with the browser. The RC Server is initially enabled until the test scripts start operating and serves as a mediator between your Selenium commands and your browsers.

In Selenium RC, when we run a check script, the following operations are executed internally.

Selenium WebDriver architecture is simpler than selenium RC.

The browser is managed directly from level of OS (Operating System). The main specifications for running a WebDriver test script are:

• A JavaScript software known as Selenium Core is loaded into the browser by the server.
• The Selenium Core would then start receiving commands (Selenium Commands) from the RC Server.
• After receiving all the orders, Selenium Core can execute them as JavaScript commands.
• Such commands on JavaScript serve as instructions for the browser.
• The browser must perform all of the Selenium Core commands and send an aggregate description to the Server. This overall summary acts as the end result that appears on the user screen.
• An IDE (Integrated Development Environment) for some of the programming languages that are supported such as Java, C# etc.
• A Browser for the execution of test script generated instructions.

2. Speed

Selenium WebDriver runs better than Selenium RC as it connects directly with the user without any external proxy service being used. In the other side Selenium RC requires an intermediate RC Server to connect with the browser.

It takes more time to run test scripts in Selenium RC than in WebDriver, as it uses JavaScript commands as user instructions.

3. Object Oriented

Selenium WebDriver is an object-oriented API, whereas Selenium RC is an object-oriented API less.

WebDriver focuses entirely on object-oriented programming languages such as Java, C# etc.

4. Testing Mobile Applications

Selenium WebDriver supports operating system (OS) for smartphone apps such as iOS, ios and android, mobile. Conversely, Selenium RC does not support mobile application monitoring.

5. Browser Support

Selenium WebDriver also embraces the HTMLUnit (Invisible Browser) headless browser.