
16 July 2024 Leave a comment QA
When conducting automated tests with Selenium WebDriver, capturing network traffic can be crucial for debugging and performance analysis. Although Selenium does not provide a native solution for this, several alternatives exist that can be integrated seamlessly with your WebDriver setup. This guide will outline the most effective method to capture network traffic using a proxy, specifically BrowserMob Proxy.
Using BrowserMob Proxy
BrowserMob Proxy is a popular tool for capturing network traffic. It acts as a proxy server between your test scripts and the web application you are testing. This allows you to intercept and analyze HTTP requests and responses.
Configuration Steps
- Download and set up BrowserMob Proxy from here.
- Start the BrowserMob Proxy server.
- Configure your WebDriver to use the proxy.
Code Example
Below is a Java code snippet to configure Selenium WebDriver to use BrowserMob Proxy:
import org.openqa.selenium.Proxy;
import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.firefox.FirefoxDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.remote.DesiredCapabilities;
public class NetworkTrafficCapture {
public static void main(String[] args) {
// Start the BrowserMob Proxy
Proxy proxy = new Proxy();
proxy.setHttpProxy("localhost:9100");
// Configure WebDriver to use the proxy
DesiredCapabilities capabilities = DesiredCapabilities.firefox();
capabilities.setCapability("proxy", proxy);
WebDriver driver = new FirefoxDriver(capabilities);
// Your test script goes here
// Stop the BrowserMob Proxy and extract network data
}
}
Once the test is finished, you can extract the data from the BrowserMob Proxy using the mechanisms it provides. This method is flexible, allowing you to use any proxy you prefer.
Additional Methods
Other methods include using Charles Proxy alongside JavaScript to capture performance data. However, this approach may require more complex setup and integration efforts.
Using Charles Proxy and window.performance
Charles Proxy can be combined with JavaScript’s window.performance.getEntriesByType('resource')
to capture network traffic:
let getPerformance = () => {
return (window.performance.getEntriesByType('resource').filter(function(entry){
return /b\\/ss/i.test(entry.name);
})).map(entry => {
return decodeURIComponent(entry.name);
}).join("\\n");
}
driver.executeScript(getPerformance).then(windowPerformance => {
// Process window.performance data
});
This method captures performance data and exports it as a .har file, which can be merged using a Node.js script for further analysis.
Conclusion
Capturing network traffic in Selenium WebDriver tests is feasible using proxies like BrowserMob Proxy. This method provides a robust and flexible solution for intercepting and analyzing HTTP requests and responses during your automated tests.
For those looking for a no-code solution to automate testing and capture network traffic, Repeato offers a streamlined approach. Repeato is a no-code test automation tool for iOS and Android that leverages computer vision and AI to create, run, and maintain automated tests quickly and efficiently. It simplifies the setup and execution of tests, making it an excellent choice for quality assurance professionals.
For more detailed guides and documentation on test automation, visit our documentation page.