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Evaluating Selenium 4 Features and Their Impact on Web Automation Testing with JavaScript

Elavarasi Kesavan, Full Stack QA Architect, Cognizant,

elavarasikmk@gmail.com , ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3844-0286

Abstract
The release of Selenium 4 represents a paradigmatic advancement in web automation testing frameworks for JavaScript developers and quality assurance professionals. This paper critically examines Selenium 4's transformative features and their implications for modern web automation practices within the context of software testing maturity models. The most significant enhancement involves complete adherence to the W3C WebDriver standard, eliminating the JSON Wire Protocol dependency and ensuring more robust cross-browser compatibility and test stability. The redesigned Selenium Grid architecture incorporates native Docker and Kubernetes support, HTTPS communication protocols, and TOML configuration files, substantially improving scalability and resource management for distributed testing environments. (Kesavan, E. (2023)). Developer-centric innovations include Relative Locators, which enable element identification based on spatial relationships using methods such as above(), below (), and near (), thereby simplifying test script maintenance and reducing code redundancy. Advanced user interaction capabilities, including native Chrome DevTools Protocol integration and enhanced gesture handling, facilitate more realistic user behavior simulation and comprehensive application validation. These improvements align with established software testing maturity frameworks that emphasize controlled, measured, monitored, and efficient testing processes as fundamental characteristics of mature testing organizations. The framework's evolution demonstrates measurable efficiency gains in test creation, execution, and maintenance workflows, supporting the principle that enhanced testing process maturity significantly improves software quality through systematic evaluation and improvement methodologies. Selenium 4's alignment with contemporary CI/CD methodologies, comprehensive documentation updates, and active community support foster collaborative development practices essential for agile software delivery. The testing process improvements inherent in Selenium 4 facilitate early defect detection and error prevention, contributing to enhanced client satisfaction and high-quality software delivery to end users.

In conclusion, Selenium 4's architectural improvements and feature enhancements address longstanding challenges in web automation testing while establishing a foundation for future innovation in quality assurance practices. The framework's capabilities support the systematic approach to testing process evaluation and improvement advocated by established maturity models, enabling organizations to identify inefficiencies, optimize resource allocation, and reduce development costs. Continued empirical research is warranted to assess the long-term impact of these advancements on automated testing strategies and software quality metrics in an increasingly complex technological ecosystem.