Exploring Selenium Web Element Methods in Python

Exploring Selenium WebElement Methods in Python


Introduction

Selenium is a popular tool for automating web browsers using code.
In Selenium, every element on a web page — like buttons, links, and text boxes — is treated as a WebElement.

To interact with these elements, Selenium provides many helpful WebElement methods.

This blog will help you explore and understand the most important Selenium WebElement methods using Python.

What Is a WebElement?

A WebElement is an object that represents a single element on a webpage.
Before you can use any method, you first need to find the element using a locator:

from selenium import webdriver

driver = webdriver.Chrome()
driver.get("https://example.com")

element = driver.find_element("id", "username")

Now you can use methods like .click(), .send_keys(), .text, and more on the element.

1. click()

Used to click on a button, link, checkbox, etc.

login_button = driver.find_element("id", "login")
login_button.click()

2. send_keys()

Used to type text into input fields.

username = driver.find_element("id", "username")
username.send_keys("my_user_name")

3. clear()

Used to clear the input field before typing new text.

username.clear()
username.send_keys("new_user")

4. text

Returns the visible text of an element.

message = driver.find_element("id", "welcome").text
print("Message:", message)

5. get_attribute("attribute_name")

Gets the value of an attribute like href, value, or class.

link = driver.find_element("tag name", "a")
href = link.get_attribute("href")
print("Link goes to:", href)

6. is_displayed()

Checks if the element is visible on the page.

element = driver.find_element("id", "popup")
if element.is_displayed():
    print("Popup is visible")

7. is_enabled()

Checks if the element is enabled (can be clicked or typed into).

submit_button = driver.find_element("id", "submit")
if submit_button.is_enabled():
    submit_button.click()

8. is_selected()

Used mainly for checkboxes and radio buttons.

checkbox = driver.find_element("id", "agree")
if not checkbox.is_selected():
    checkbox.click()

9. submit()

Submits a form element.

form = driver.find_element("id", "loginForm")
form.submit()

10. location

Returns the x and y coordinates of the element on the screen.

button = driver.find_element("id", "submit")
print(button.location)

11. size

Returns the height and width of the element.

logo = driver.find_element("id", "logo")
print(logo.size)

12. tag_name

Gives the tag name of the element (e.g., div, input, button).

element = driver.find_element("id", "email")
print(element.tag_name)

13. value_of_css_property("property")

Returns the value of a CSS property, like color, font-size, etc.

button = driver.find_element("id", "submit")
color = button.value_of_css_property("color")
print("Button color:", color)

14. screenshot(filename)

Takes a screenshot of the element and saves it to a file.

element = driver.find_element("id", "captcha")
element.screenshot("captcha.png")

Example: Login Form Automation

from selenium import webdriver
from selenium.webdriver.common.by import By

driver = webdriver.Chrome()
driver.get("https://example.com/login")

username = driver.find_element(By.ID, "username")
password = driver.find_element(By.ID, "password")
login_btn = driver.find_element(By.ID, "loginBtn")

username.send_keys("admin")
password.send_keys("1234")
login_btn.click()

print("Logged in:", driver.find_element(By.ID, "welcome").text)

WebElement Best Practices

✅ Always wait for elements using WebDriverWait
✅ Use clear locators (id, name, CSS, XPath)
✅ Use .clear() before .send_keys()
✅ Check .is_displayed() before interacting
✅ Take screenshots for debugging

Debugging Tip: Element Not Found

If you get:

NoSuchElementException

✅ Check:

  • Correct locator (id/class/XPath)

  • If the element is inside an iframe

  • If the page has fully loaded

Use WebDriverWait like:

from selenium.webdriver.support.ui import WebDriverWait
from selenium.webdriver.support import expected_conditions as EC

element = WebDriverWait(driver, 10).until(
    EC.presence_of_element_located((By.ID, "username"))
)

Advanced Methods (Bonus)

1. find_elements()

Returns a list of WebElements

links = driver.find_elements(By.TAG_NAME, "a")
print("Number of links:", len(links))

2. shadow_root

Used to access elements inside Shadow DOM (in newer web apps)

shadow_host = driver.find_element(By.CSS_SELECTOR, "#host")
shadow_root = shadow_host.shadow_root
element = shadow_root.find_element(By.CSS_SELECTOR, "button")
element.click()

Conclusion

Selenium WebElement methods are the backbone of browser automation in Python.
By learning and using these methods, you can:

  • Fill forms

  • Click buttons

  • Extract data

  • Test complete user flows

  • Automate websites with confidence

Whether you're a beginner or advanced tester, mastering these WebElement methods will help you build powerful and reliable test scripts.



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