Selenium Webdriver submit() vs click() - GeeksforGeeks (2024)

Last Updated : 28 Aug, 2024

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When working with Selenium WebDriver for web automation, you often need to interact with web elements like forms and buttons. Two commonly used methods for triggering actions in Selenium are submit() and click(). Understanding the differences between submit() and click() is crucial for effective test automation. The submit() method is typically used to submit forms, while click() simulates a mouse click on various clickable elements.

In this article, we’ll explore the key distinctions between these methods, helping you choose the right one for your testing scenarios

Table of Content

  • What is submit() in Selenium WebDriver?
  • What is click() in Selenium WebDriver?
  • Key Differences Between submit() and click()
  • Examples of Selenium Webdriver submit() and click().
  • Conclusion
  • Frequently Asked Questions on Selenium Webdriver submit() vs click().

What is submit() in Selenium WebDriver?

The submit() method in Selenium WebDriver is used to submit a form. It is typically invoked on a form element and triggers the form submission, which generally leads to navigation to a new page or a response from the server.

How submit() Works:

  • It submits the form associated with the web element (typically an <input type=”submit”> or <button type=”submit”>).
  • It is equivalent to pressing the “Submit” button in a form.

Example:

// Locate the form element and submit it
WebElement form = driver.findElement(By.id("loginForm"));
form.submit();

In the example above, the form with the ID loginForm is submitted, triggering the form’s action.

What is click() in Selenium WebDriver?

The click() method in Selenium WebDriver is used to simulate a mouse click on a web element. This method is versatile and can be used to interact with various elements, including buttons, links, and other clickable elements.

How click() Works:

  • It triggers the click event on the element, which may lead to form submission, navigation, or any other action defined by the element’s event handler.

Example:

// Locate the submit button and click it
WebElement submitButton = driver.findElement(By.id("submitButton"));
submitButton.click();

In this example, the button with the ID submitButton is clicked, which might submit the form or perform other actions.

Key Differences Between submit() and click()

Here are the Key Differences Between submit() and click():

Aspectsubmit() Methodclick() Method
Primary UseUsed to submit forms in which the element is located.Used to simulate a mouse click on any clickable element.
Element TypeTypically used on form elements such as input fields (e.g., <input>, <textarea>) within a form.Can be used on a variety of elements like buttons, links, checkboxes, etc.
Form SubmissionAutomatically submits the form associated with the element.Does not necessarily submit a form unless the clicked element is a submit button.
Triggering EventsCan trigger the form’s onSubmit event handler.Triggers the onClick event handler of the element.
Form AssociationRequires the element to be inside a form.Does not require the element to be inside a form.
Action SimulatedSimulates pressing the Enter key on a form field.Simulates a mouse click action.
Common UsageCommonly used when the form needs to be submitted without explicitly clicking a submit button.Commonly used to click buttons, links, or checkboxes.
Form ContextAutomatically submits the parent form of the element.Clicks the specific element, with no effect on form submission unless it is a submit button.
Example UsagesearchBox.submit();searchButton.click();
Error HandlingMay throw an error if the element is not inside a form.Typically safer, with broader applicability across various elements.

Examples of Selenium Webdriver submit() and click()

Using submit()

Java
package com.example.tests;import org.openqa.selenium.By;import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;import org.openqa.selenium.WebElement;import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver;import io.github.bonigarcia.wdm.WebDriverManager;public class SubmitExample { public static void main(String[] args) { WebDriverManager.chromedriver().setup(); // Initialize ChromeDriver instance WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver(); // Maximize the browser window driver.manage().window().maximize(); try { // Navigate to Google driver.get("https://www.google.com"); // Locate the Google search box WebElement searchBox = driver.findElement(By.name("q")); // Type a query in the search box searchBox.sendKeys("Selenium WebDriver submit() example"); // Use submit() method to submit the form searchBox.submit(); // Pause to observe the results Thread.sleep(3000); // Sleep for 3 seconds System.out.println("Search completed using submit()."); } catch (Exception e) { System.out.println("An error occurred: " + e.getMessage()); } finally { driver.quit(); } }}

Output:

Selenium Webdriver submit() vs click() - GeeksforGeeks (1)

Output of submit button

Using click()

Java
package com.example.tests;import org.openqa.selenium.By;import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;import org.openqa.selenium.WebElement;import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver;import io.github.bonigarcia.wdm.WebDriverManager;public class ClickExample { public static void main(String[] args) { WebDriverManager.chromedriver().setup(); // Initialize ChromeDriver instance WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver(); // Maximize the browser window driver.manage().window().maximize(); try { // Navigate to Google driver.get("https://www.google.com"); // Locate the Google search box WebElement searchBox = driver.findElement(By.name("q")); // Type a query in the search box searchBox.sendKeys("Selenium WebDriver click() example"); // Locate the Google Search button WebElement searchButton = driver.findElement(By.name("btnK")); // Pause briefly to ensure the search button is interactable Thread.sleep(1000); // Sleep for 1 second // Use click() method to submit the search searchButton.click(); // Pause to observe the results Thread.sleep(3000); // Sleep for 3 seconds System.out.println("Search completed using click()."); } catch (Exception e) { System.out.println("An error occurred: " + e.getMessage()); } finally { driver.quit(); } }}


Output:

Selenium Webdriver submit() vs click() - GeeksforGeeks (2)

click function output

Conclusion

In summary, both submit() and click() methods are essential tools in Selenium WebDriver for interacting with web elements. Submit() is specifically designed for submitting forms, making it ideal when dealing with input fields within a form context. On the other hand, click() offers more versatility, allowing you to simulate mouse clicks on a wide range of elements, including buttons and links.

By understanding when to use submit() vs click() in Selenium WebDriver, you can ensure more accurate and efficient automation scripts, enhancing your overall testing strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions on Selenium Webdriver submit() vs click().

Can click() also trigger form submission?

Yes, if the clicked element is a submit button, it will trigger form submission.

Is submit() always preferable over click() for form submission?

Not necessarily. Use submit() for straightforward form submissions, but click() may be needed if you are interacting with elements other than form submission buttons.

What if a form has multiple submit buttons?

If you need to test different submit buttons, you can use click() on the specific button. If the form’s default submit button is sufficient, use submit().



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Selenium Webdriver submit() vs click() - GeeksforGeeks (2024)

FAQs

Selenium Webdriver submit() vs click() - GeeksforGeeks? ›

The submit() method is typically used to submit forms, while click() simulates a mouse click on various clickable elements.

What is the difference between submit and click in Selenium? ›

Here's a quick decision guide: Preference for submit() : If you are dealing with a standard form and want to ensure client-side validation is triggered, the submit() method is generally the recommended choice. Choose click() when: The button you need to interact with is not a form's designated submit button.

What is the alternative to click method in Selenium? ›

Alternatives to click() in Selenium
  1. Using sendKeys() One simple alternative is using the sendKeys() method to simulate pressing the “Enter” key, which can act as a click in many cases. ...
  2. Using JavaScript Executor. ...
  3. Using Actions Class. ...
  4. Using Keyboard Events.
Aug 23, 2024

What is click () method in Selenium? ›

Selenium click button method can be used to click on a button. First, we need to locate the WebElement of the button on which we need to perform the left mouse click operation. Then, using the click() method, we can interact with the WebElement and perform a click on it.

What are the disadvantages of Selenium WebDriver? ›

One of the primary drawbacks of Selenium is its inability to support image testing natively, often requiring integration with tools like Sikuli. As WebDriver doesn't fully capture the visual aspects of web applications, it falls short in areas like cross-browser testing where subtle UI differences matter.

What is the difference between on click and on submit? ›

Differences Between onClick and onSubmit

While both events involve user interactions, their application and use cases differ. The onClick event is versatile and applicable to a wide range of interactive elements, whereas the onSubmit event is specifically tailored for form submissions.

What does submit () do? ›

submit() method submits a given <form> . This method is similar, but not identical to, activating a form's submit <button> .

How to make Selenium click faster? ›

The Selenium scripts can be faster with the help of the following changes:
  1. Use fast selectors.
  2. Use fewer locators.
  3. Create atomic tests.
  4. Don't test the same functionality twice.
  5. Write good tests.
  6. Use only explicit waits.
  7. Use the chrome driver.
  8. Use drivers for headless browsers.
Oct 12, 2023

How to click an element without using the click method in Selenium? ›

You can use JavaScriptExecutor to execute a click on the element directly in the DOM, bypassing the visibility check. WebElement element = driver. findElement(By.id(“elementId”)); JavascriptExecutor js = (JavascriptExecutor) driver; js. executeScript(“arguments[0].

How to click 2 times in Selenium? ›

Double Click Action in Selenium
  1. Open the browser.
  2. Navigate to the targeted website for which the testing continues.
  3. Locate an element and initialize the Action class.
  4. Then perform the double click on that particular element.
Mar 1, 2023

What does click () do? ›

click() method simulates a mouse click on an element. When called on an element, the element's click event is fired (unless its disabled attribute is set).

How many types of click are there in Selenium? ›

Selenium click() command is used to emulate the click operation on elements like buttons, links, etc. Using the Selenium click command can save a lot of time spent on manual testing and identify bugs in the app. However, multiple subsets of the click action exist – left-click, right-click, double-click, drag-drop, etc.

How to trigger a click event in Selenium WebDriver? ›

Using the click() method

This is the most common way to perform a click action in Selenium. Once you have located the element you want to interact with, you can use the click() method to trigger a click event.

Which WebDriver is faster in Selenium? ›

According to this article on Medium: "Which locator is faster in identifying elements in Selenium?", the order of Selenium Locators (fast to slow) is "ID, Name, CSS, XPath".

What is better than Selenium WebDriver? ›

Performance. Playwright has auto-waiting mechanisms, which reduce the need for manual waits and make tests more reliable. And it's significantly faster and offers better performance than Selenium. Selenium's performance varies depending on how you configure your browser and WebDriver.

Can Selenium run without WebDriver? ›

To run Selenium tests on chrome in headless mode, you must have the Selenium WebDriver, ChromeDriver, and Chrome browser installed in your system.

What is the difference between submit and button? ›

<input type="button" /> buttons will not submit a form - they don't do anything by default. They're generally used in conjunction with JavaScript as part of an AJAX application. <input type="submit"> buttons will submit the form they are in when the user clicks on them, unless you specify otherwise with JavaScript.

What is the difference between SendKeys and click in Selenium? ›

Use this method to simulate typing into an element, which may set its value. Both simulate user action on the web element. But while SendKeys() tries to perform the action without consideration to anything else Click() has some safe guards, like "stopping" the code from continue until page load event is received.

What happens when submit button is clicked? ›

Most HTML forms have a submit button at the bottom of the form. Once all of the fields in the form have been filled in, the user clicks on the submit button to record the form data. The standard behaviour is to gather all of the data that were entered into the form and send it to another program to be processed.

What is the difference between submit and execute method? ›

The execute() method accepts a Runnable task, while the submit() method accepts both Runnable and Callable tasks. The execute() method does not have a return value, whereas the submit() method returns a Future object. The Future object can be used to get the task result or to check if the task has finished executing.

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