5 Best Selenium Online Courses for Automation Testing in 2024

Now you must be wondering why automation testers are so important in the software development process. We have already gone over automation testing in the previous section. It is a process where software tests are automated using special tools and software and automation testers are the people who develop and implement these tests. But why is there a need for them?

Well, the field of software development is quite complex, and because of that it is naturally prone to errors. Manual testing can be time-consuming, tedious, and sometimes even unreliable. This is where automation testing comes in. It helps save time and effort and in the process, also helps us to reduce human errors.

Moreover, automation testing is more efficient in detecting bugs and errors than manual testing. It can run tests faster and more frequently than manual testing, which allows for quicker identification and resolution of issues. This means that automation testing can help to improve the overall quality of the software.

But that is not all. Automation testing can also save money in the long run. While the initial investment in automation testing may be high, it is recovered when there is no need to do any further manual testing. This then helps save time and money.

So, to sum up, there is a need for automation testers because they can help:

• Save time and effort in the testing process
• Reduce the likelihood of human error
• Improve the overall quality of the software
• Save money in the long run

In conclusion, automation testing is an essential part of software development, and automation testers play a vital role in ensuring the quality and efficiency of the testing process. If you want to enter the field of automation testing, you can start by learning about the different tools and software available, and by gaining experience in programming and software development. But among these tools, there is one tool that stands out among automation testers, which is Selenium. Let us now understand why exactly learning Selenium is such a big deal for automation testers.

Here's why learning Selenium is a great idea:

• Tech giants like Google, Facebook, and Amazon test their web applications using Selenium. Learning Selenium can give you more leverage in the job market and open up a world of possibilities in software testing and web automation.
   
• One of the most significant advantages of Selenium is that it allows testers to test web applications across different platforms and browsers. This means that they can ensure that the application works seamlessly across various platforms and browsers, and provide users with a consistent experience. Moreover, Selenium is free to use, which makes it the best choice for startups and small businesses which tend to have limited budgets.
   
• This open-source tool allows you to automate web browsers, which makes it a breeze to test web applications and perform repetitive tasks with minimal effort. By learning Selenium, you can quickly build robust and reliable automated tests that can help you catch bugs and errors in your web applications before they reach your users.
   
• Selenium offers various testing approaches, such as functional testing, regression testing, and load testing. Functional testing checks if the application functions as expected, while regression testing checks if any changes made to the software have caused any unintended side effects. Load testing checks how the application performs under heavy traffic, ensuring that it can handle a large number of users without crashing.
   
• But that's not all! Selenium can also help you save time and increase productivity. With Selenium, you can automate tasks such as data entry, form filling, and website navigation, freeing up valuable time that you can use to focus on more important tasks.

If you are a fresher in the field of software testing or web automation, learning Selenium is a must. Recruiters are always on the hunt for testers who have expertise in Selenium, and mastering this tool can help you stand out from the crowd and land your dream job. So, whether you are a software developer, a tester, or someone who wants to automate repetitive web tasks, learning Selenium is definitely worth your time and effort!

When it comes to the salary structure of Selenium testers, factors such as experience, location, and company size come in play. Here we compare the average salaries in the USA, India, and the UK for Selenium testers as per job sites like Glassdoor, Payscale, and Totaljobs.

In the USA, a Selenium tester with 0-5 years of experience can expect to earn an average salary of around $62,000- $105,000 per year. For those with 5-10 years of experience, the average salary jumps to around $90,000-$125,000 per year. And for those with over 10 years of experience, the average salary can go up to $140,000 per year. 

In India, the average salary for a Selenium tester with 0-5 years of experience is around 
₹2-8 lakhs per year. For those with 5-10 years of experience, the average salary goes up to around ₹8-16 lakhs per year. And for those with over 10 years of experience, the average salary can go up to around ₹30 lakhs per year. 

In the UK, a Selenium tester with 0-5 years of experience can expect to earn an average salary of around £24,000-£50,000 per year. For those with 5-10 years of experience, the average salary jumps to around £40,000-£70,000 per year. And for those with over 10 years of experience, the average salary can go up to £85,000 per year. 

Of course, these are just estimates based on educated guesses. Salaries can vary depending on a variety of factors. I recommend you to research and consult with other Selenium testers in your area to get a better idea of what you can expect to earn.

Before learning Selenium, aspirants must have:

• A basic understanding of programming. Do you know any programming languages like Python, Java, or C#? If not, it is okay! There are a huge number of amazing resources available online which teach programming from scratch. But it is essential to have a solid foundation in programming before starting with Selenium. You should know the basics of at least one language.
   
• Knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Have you ever worked with web development languages? If not, it is good to have a basic understanding of these languages as they are the building blocks of web pages. Understanding these useful web development languages will help you identify web elements that you want to interact with using Selenium.
   
• Work experience with any Integrated Development Environment (IDE), software applications that provide comprehensive facilities for software development. Some examples are Eclipse, Visual Studio Code, and PyCharm. Knowing how to work with an IDE will help you write code more efficiently and debug issues easily.

So, these are the prerequisites you should have before learning Selenium. If you are new to any of these, do not worry! You can start learning these as they will always prove helpful in any  programming task.

• Beginning Selenium WebDriver Testing in Java by O’Reilly
  This course from O’Reilly is a 5-star rated course, and it is only 2 hours long. Perfect for beginners, it provides a solid foundation in the basics of Selenium WebDriver testing and covers everything from setting up your environment to writing and executing test cases in Java.
  
  The course is designed to be fully hands-on. You will work on real-world examples and projects, because of which you will get a better understanding of how Selenium WebDriver works in practice. This will help you apply the newly learned skills and knowledge to your own projects and work.
   
• Create Your First Automation Script Using Selenium and Java by Coursera
  This is another great self-paced course from Coursera. All of 2 hours, it is very suitable for beginners. It is also quite pocket-friendly and a very practical course, supported by virtual labs (What?!). In this course you will learn Selenium by building a complete automation framework from scratch.
   
• Selenium Certification Training Course by Edureka
  This 5-star rated Selenium certification course from Edureka is best for beginners. Although this one is of 18 days, and instructor-paced, you will get the time necessary to fully internalize the concepts of Selenium. This course covers advanced topics as well such as Selenium Grid, Page Object Model (POM), TestNG, and more. These topics will help you develop more efficient and effective automation testing scripts. Most important of all, the certification is quite useful while looking for a job as recruiters tend to value candidates who are certified.
   
• Continuous Testing in DevOps by Edureka
  This Selenium course delves into “continuous testing” in great detail. Continuous testing is critical in ensuring that software releases are of high quality. This course can help you understand why continuous testing is important and how it can benefit your team.
  
  And as a Selenium developer, you may already be familiar with automated testing, but this course will also help you understand how to integrate testing into the DevOps process, which can improve efficiency and reduce the risk of defects. Additionally, you will get exposure of some other tools and techniques can be used for continuous testing in DevOps.
   
• Browser Automation with Python and Selenium by O’Reilly
  This is one of the very few good courses for intermediate automation testers. This Selenium automation course is quite long, containing 7.5 hours worth of content. It teaches much more advanced concepts regarding automating browser based tests, such as creating a really cool browser automation framework. And if you are someone who has basic foundations of testing, or you are a self-taught tester, then the contents will greatly complement your expertise.

So if you are considering building a career in Selenium testing or software testing, it is a wise choice as the future of Selenium testing is quite bright. Selenium testing is a crucial part of software development, and with the rise of automation, it is only set to rise in demand. As companies continue to prioritize digital transformation and software development, the need for skilled testers is only going to increase. 

But what exactly does the future of Selenium testing look like? Well, for starters, there's a growing demand for Selenium testers who can not only test code but also write it. Test automation engineers who can write Selenium scripts are highly sought after and will continue to be in the future.

Another exciting trend is the shift towards continuous testing. This means that testing is no longer a separate phase of software development but is integrated throughout the entire process. Selenium testers who are familiar with DevOps methodologies and tools will be in high demand.

But that is not all. As Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning become more prevalent, Selenium testers will need to adapt and develop new skills. AI-powered testing tools are already on the rise, and testers who can work with these tools will be highly valued.

Also, we should not forget about the importance of mobile testing. As more and more users access software through their smartphones and tablets, mobile testing is becoming increasingly critical. Selenium testers who have experience with mobile testing frameworks like Appium will be in high demand.

Overall, the future of Selenium testing is full of exciting opportunities. The demand for skilled testers is only going to increase as software development continues to grow and evolve. So if you are passionate about testing and want to join the ongoing digital revolution, a career in Selenium testing could be just what you are looking for! 

And we hope this article has motivated you to learn about testing using Selenium. If so, choose any of the above mentioned courses and learn away! Build your skills with Selenium testing courses, and make a difference to the world by helping deliver quality products.