Implicit Wait vs Explicit Wait: Which is Best for Handling Loading Times in Selenium-WebDriver?

How to Effectively Handle Waiting Intervals in Selenium-WebDriver for Java

In Java Selenium-WebDriver, handling waiting intervals is essential to ensure stable test execution and avoid timeouts. There are two main approaches: implicit wait and explicit wait.

Implicit Wait

Implicit wait sets a default timeout for all WebDriver operations, such as element discovery and page loading. The following code sets an implicit wait of 2 seconds:

<code class="java">driver.manage().timeouts().implicitlyWait(2, TimeUnit.SECONDS);</code>

While implicit wait simplifies test code, it can lead to unnecessary waits and unstable tests if the specified timeout is shorter than the actual loading time.

Explicit Wait

Explicit wait specifies a custom timeout for specific operations. This allows for more precise and efficient waiting. The syntax for explicit wait is:

<code class="java">WebDriverWait.until(condition-that-finds-the-element);</code>

Recommended Approach

In scenarios like the one described in the question, where the application takes several seconds to load the UI, explicit wait, particularly the FluentWait approach, is recommended.

• FluentWait: FluentWait provides fine-grained control over wait intervals and exception handling. It can be configured to periodically poll for the presence of an element until the timeout is reached or the condition is met.

<code class="java">public WebElement fluentWait(final By locator) {
    Wait<WebDriver> wait = new FluentWait<WebDriver>(driver)
            .withTimeout(30, TimeUnit.SECONDS)
            .pollingEvery(5, TimeUnit.SECONDS)
            .ignoring(NoSuchElementException.class);

    WebElement foo = wait.until(new Function<WebDriver, WebElement>() {
        public WebElement apply(WebDriver driver) {
            return driver.findElement(locator);
        }
    });

    return  foo;
};</code>

Usage:

<code class="java">WebElement textbox = fluentWait(By.id("textbox"));</code>

Conclusion

While both implicit wait and explicit wait have their advantages, explicit wait offers greater control, precision, and efficiency in scenarios where the application loading time is unpredictable or lengthy. FluentWait is particularly useful in such cases, providing a customizable and robust waiting strategy.

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