Automated Web Testing with Selenium 3

Overview

Selenium 3 is a widely used open-source automation framework for validating web applications across different browsers and operating systems. When integrated with Pcloudy, Selenium 3 enables teams to execute automated web tests on real browsers and real operating systems without maintaining any test infrastructure.

Pcloudy’s Selenium Cloud allows you to run Selenium 3 scripts in parallel across multiple browser and OS combinations, improving test coverage and reducing execution time.

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

A Pcloudy account
Selenium 3 automation scripts
Java development environment set up
Selenium WebDriver dependencies added
Pcloudy **username and access key--**Click on Quick Actions from the bottom-left corner
Copy the API Access Key(Optional)
To generate a new key:Go to Profile → API Keys

How Selenium 3 Works on Pcloudy

Selenium 3 uses DesiredCapabilities to define browser, OS, and execution details.

Pcloudy-specific configurations are passed using the pcloudy:options capability.

Step 1: Configure Selenium 3 Capabilities

Below is a sample Selenium 3 capability configuration for executing a Chrome test on Windows using Pcloudy.

Sample Capability Setup (Selenium 3)

Java
DesiredCapabilities capabilities = new DesiredCapabilities();
capabilities.setCapability("browserName", "chrome");

HashMap<String, Object> pcloudyOptions = new HashMap<String, Object>();
pcloudyOptions.put("userName", "your_email_id");
pcloudyOptions.put("accessKey", "your_access_key");
pcloudyOptions.put("os", "Windows");
pcloudyOptions.put("osVersion", "11");
pcloudyOptions.put("seleniumVersion", "3.141.59");
pcloudyOptions.put("project", "regression");
pcloudyOptions.put("build", "Amazon");
pcloudyOptions.put("name", "login");
pcloudyOptions.put("tag", "logindetail");
pcloudyOptions.put("local", true);
pcloudyOptions.put("Pcloudy_EnableVideo", true);

capabilities.setCapability("pcloudy:options", pcloudyOptions);

Step 2: Create the Remote WebDriver

Once capabilities are configured, create the Selenium RemoteWebDriver pointing to the Pcloudy Selenium Cloud endpoint.

Java
WebDriver driver = new RemoteWebDriver(
new URL("https://browser.device.pcloudy.com/seleniumcloud/wd/hub"),
capabilities
);

Step 3: Execute Your Test Script

Run your Selenium 3 test script locally or via CI
The test will execute on a real browser hosted on Pcloudy
You can view execution in Live View from the Pcloudy under Myactive session

Step 4: Monitor Execution

During execution, users can:

Track active sessions
View real-time browser activity

Review Session Report

After execution:
Navigate to Report->Automation Reports->open the particular report

Advantages of Using Selenium 3 with Pcloudy

No browser or OS maintenance required
Real browser testing on cloud infrastructure
Parallel execution support
Easy integration with existing Selenium 3 scripts
CI/CD friendly

When to Use Selenium 3

Selenium 3 is recommended when:

Existing automation frameworks are already built on Selenium 3
Minimal script changes are required
Legacy browser or driver compatibility is needed

Summary

Selenium 3 combined with Pcloudy provides a reliable and scalable solution for automated web testing. By using DesiredCapabilities and Pcloudy Selenium Cloud, teams can run cross-browser tests efficiently without infrastructure overhead, while continuing to use their existing Selenium 3 test suites.

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