How to Effectively Use Selenium WebDriver with Two Tabs in Python

Discover how to seamlessly navigate between multiple tabs in your Selenium WebDriver tests using Python. Learn step-by-step how to switch between tabs effectively.
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How to Effectively Use Selenium WebDriver with Two Tabs in Python

When automating web browsers using Selenium WebDriver, you may encounter situations where interacting with a form or clicking a button opens a new tab. This can throw a wrench in your automation script if you aren't prepared to handle multiple tabs. If you've faced the issue where Selenium seems to get stuck after opening a second tab, you're not alone! This guide will guide you through the process of managing multiple tabs in Selenium using Python.

Understanding the Problem

When your automation script clicks a button and a new tab opens, Selenium does not automatically switch focus to the new tab. This means that any subsequent commands will continue to run on the original tab, which can result in failures or unexpected behaviors, as the elements on the first tab are not present in the new tab.

To ensure your script continues to execute seamlessly after triggering the new tab, you'll need to explicitly direct Selenium to switch its focus to the new tab.

Solution: Switching Between Tabs

Step-by-Step Solution

Identify the new tab: Each tab opened in the browser is assigned a unique handle. You can retrieve the list of open tabs using window_handles.

Switch back if needed: If your automation requires returning to the original tab, you can switch back to the first tab using its handle.

Sample Code

Here’s how you can implement this in your Selenium script:

Switching to New Tab

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Switching Back to the First Tab

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Additional Tips

Always Check: Before switching, you might want to confirm that the intended tab has opened successfully.

Close Unused Tabs: If you are done working with a tab, it’s a good practice to close it to avoid clutter.

Conclusion

Now that you have the solution, you should be able to handle new tab interactions without any hiccups. Happy testing!