Jest Vs. Selenium: Which One to Choose?

In recent years, the advancement of technology has massively emphasized the proper execution of application testing processes. This is because, with the help of efficient app test cases, the developers can ensure that the application is functioning as intended by the development team and is ready to be forwarded to the production phase. In the modern age, there are various app testing frameworks and tools like Selenium and Jest that help developers to initiate and execute efficient test cases on their apps.

With this article, we are going to take a detailed look into the basics of Jest and Selenium. Finally, we'll try to decide on the best choice depending on the requirements of the developers and testers. We will also take a brief look into some of the best tools and frameworks that assist developers during the execution of automated testing.

Understanding the Influence of Automation Testing

Modern complex apps consist of thousands of different elements that require efficient test cases. Now it becomes impossible to verify the functioning of all these elements individually with the help of manual test cases. So, all of these requirements gave rise to automated testing practices. With this advanced form of testing, the developers can eliminate the requirement of human developers in the application testing process. This is because the system will use a text file consisting of all the required data, parameters, and inputs that will allow it to communicate with the application like a normal user. Based on these communications, the system can generate a detailed report showing the simplicity, usability, and user interactivity of all the applications. Later, the developers and testers can go through this report to understand whether the app is ready to be released to the market.

In this context, we would like to mention that the developers have the freedom to make significant changes in the automation text file to ensure that the reports are customized according to the requirements of the app undergoing the development project. There is also a possibility to store, reuse and maintain the automation test files for future projects. Lastly, the developers must be cautious of the initial investment that comes with test automation. So, the app development companies must have enough resources to justify this investment.

Defining Jest

For the basic introduction, we can say that Jest is a modern JavaScript-based testing framework that is mostly used for the execution of integration testing and unit testing on JavaScript apps. With the help of this framework, the developers can access a simple and intuitive API for writing and running various forms of test cases. Jest also provides various unique features like test assertion, built-in mocking, and code coverage facilities. Although it is useful for testing all the apps based on the JavaScript programming language, it is mostly used for verifying the proper performance of React apps. The ability to run the test on node.JS provides all the developers with a reliable and fast testing experience. However, the app developers must remember that Jest would not be the ideal choice for running end-to-end test cases and browser automation testing instances.

Reasons to Choose Jest

On the other hand, Jest can be the primary choice of certain developers that have the following requirements:

• In this case, the testers need to initiate and run efficient unit test cases and integration test cases on the application.
• The developers are currently working on an app development project that actively requires the use of React or any other JavaScript frameworks.
• The developers are actively searching for an intuitive and simple testing framework that has all the building capabilities for test mocking and test assertion.
• Jest can be also a great choice in case the developers are looking for a fast and reliable test execution process that primarily runs on a node.JS environment.

Defining Selenium

Selenium, on the other hand, is one of the most popular names in the world of automated web browser testing. It has managed to maintain one of the top positions in this market for over 10 years now. Since this tool is highly dependent on the popular JavaScript programming language, it was known as the JavaScriptTestRunner at an early stage. In this context, we would like to mention that all the tools present in the Selenium test suite aim to help the developers at different stages of the application testing process. Selenium is useful only when the developers are working with web apps. This means that while working with other alternatives like native apps, cross-platform apps, and hybrid apps, the developers will be forced to look for an alternative.

Now let us take a brief look at all the component tools of the Selenium test suite:

• The Selenium WebDriver is a primary component of this suit as it is responsible for starting and finishing all the important test cases. WebDriver also allocates the test cases to the respective elements of a web app and can natively communicate with all browsers without requiring a dedicated engine. This is one of the primary reasons why multiple market experts consider the Selenium WebDriver as an updated version of the remote controller that was previously present in the test suite.
• With the help of the Selenium Grid, the developers can run and execute all the important automation test cases in a parallel format. The major benefit of this process is that it allows the developers to run all the test cases on multiple configurations and different machines at the same time. This grid will act as a hub and redirect all the important test cases to the respective nodes or elements present in the web application.
• The Selenium integrated development environment is the most useful tool for running test cases in a codeless format. This is because it can analyze user interactions and create test cases in real time. This means to generate the test cases with this tool, the application developers simply have to interact with the app like a normal user. Moreover, since the test cases are based on real user interaction, they are highly accurate in judging the behavior of the app based on human behavior.
• Finally, the Selenium client API provides the liberty to the application testers to write the test cases in any of their preferred languages. Some of the most popular programming languages that are supported by the client API include JavaScript, Python, Ruby, and many others.

Reasons to Choose Selenium

Now that we have finished the basic introduction of Selenium and jest, it is time to make the final decision. The developers must choose Selenium for running automation testing if they fall under the following factors:

• In this case, the developers need to focus on end-to-end test cases and efficient browser automation primarily.
• The developers need to interact with all the elements of the web browser and analyze the web app behavior based on multiple platforms and browsers. It is also a great choice when the developers are understanding the impact of various user inputs on web applications.
• The application developers and testers have a specific preference for a versatile framework that supports multiple programming languages for the test case creation process.
• The developers need to capture screenshots and handle popups during the test execution process. These are some of the important parameters that are useful for the web app debugging process.

Influence of Tools and Platforms over Selenium and Jest Test Automation

There are thousands of tools available in the market that can benefit developers using both Selenium and Jest-based automation testing process. This is because, with these platforms and tools, the developers can not only improve the efficiency of the application testing process but can also elevate the quality of the app undergoing the development process. A great example to understand this process is the reference to cloud platforms. The contemporary practice of application testing was the maintenance of a physical test bench consisting of real devices. However, with cloud platforms, the developers can achieve similar test reports while initiating and running all the test cases over remote servers. Moreover, with these platforms, developers can access old devices that are no longer available in the market.

Cloud platforms also remove the geolocation barrier in the application testing process. This means that the app developers can run and execute the test cases from anywhere in the world. We can learn more about the influence of cloud-based testing in the modern app development environment by bringing in LambdaTest as our benchmark point:

For new developers, LambdaTest is a unified digital experience testing cloud that empowers businesses to accelerate their time to market by executing tests faster. It guarantees superior-quality releases and accelerates digital transformation. It performs real-time and automation testing across 3000+ environments and mobile devices. LambdaTest supports other alternatives, such as Cypress and Playwright.

LambdaTest will also be an ideal choice when the developers are working on web pages that have local host servers. In the general world, these web pages are used by a company for multiple internal operations and other tasks. Finally, the integration of hundreds of real devices with thousands of emulation software ensures the accuracy of test reports.

Conclusion

With this article, we aimed to make sure the best choice between Selenium and Jest is clear. We also spread basic awareness regarding the importance of automation testing in the modern application development process. The final choice between the best suit, tool, or any other parameter will rest on the individual preferences of the developers and the requirements of the application undergoing the development process. In this regard, app developers should also continue updating their information regarding all the innovations and additions in the test automation segment. The app development companies can also conduct awareness campaigns and seminars to distribute the required knowledge regarding healthy automation testing practices. Lastly, app developers need to focus on the importance of the tool selection process.