Alert accept and dismiss in Selenium Java - Test Execution Trace

Test Overview

This test opens a web page with a JavaScript alert, then it accepts the alert and verifies the confirmation message. Next, it triggers a confirm alert, dismisses it, and verifies the cancellation message.

Test Code - JUnit with Selenium WebDriver

Selenium Java

import org.openqa.selenium.Alert;
import org.openqa.selenium.By;
import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver;
import org.junit.jupiter.api.AfterEach;
import org.junit.jupiter.api.BeforeEach;
import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertEquals;

public class AlertAcceptDismissTest {
    WebDriver driver;

    @BeforeEach
    public void setUp() {
        driver = new ChromeDriver();
        driver.get("https://the-internet.herokuapp.com/javascript_alerts");
    }

    @Test
    public void testAlertAcceptAndDismiss() {
        // Click button to trigger alert
        driver.findElement(By.xpath("//button[text()='Click for JS Alert']")).click();

        // Switch to alert and accept it
        Alert alert = driver.switchTo().alert();
        alert.accept();

        // Verify result text after accepting alert
        String resultText = driver.findElement(By.id("result")).getText();
        assertEquals("You successfully clicked an alert", resultText);

        // Click button to trigger confirm alert
        driver.findElement(By.xpath("//button[text()='Click for JS Confirm']")).click();

        // Switch to alert and dismiss it
        Alert confirmAlert = driver.switchTo().alert();
        confirmAlert.dismiss();

        // Verify result text after dismissing confirm alert
        String confirmResult = driver.findElement(By.id("result")).getText();
        assertEquals("You clicked: Cancel", confirmResult);
    }

    @AfterEach
    public void tearDown() {
        driver.quit();
    }
}

Execution Trace - 6 Steps

Step	Action	System State	Assertion	Result
1	Test starts and Chrome browser opens	Browser is open at https://the-internet.herokuapp.com/javascript_alerts	—	PASS
2	Finds and clicks the 'Click for JS Alert' button	JavaScript alert popup appears	—	PASS
3	Switches to alert and accepts it	Alert is closed, page shows result message	Verify result text is 'You successfully clicked an alert'	PASS
4	Finds and clicks the 'Click for JS Confirm' button	JavaScript confirm alert popup appears	—	PASS
5	Switches to confirm alert and dismisses it	Confirm alert is closed, page shows result message	Verify result text is 'You clicked: Cancel'	PASS
6	Test ends and browser closes	Browser closed	—	PASS

Failure Scenario

Failing Condition: Alert does not appear or alert text is different than expected

Execution Trace Quiz - 3 Questions

What does the test do after clicking the 'Click for JS Alert' button?

A Switches to alert and dismisses it

B Switches to alert and accepts it

C Ignores the alert and continues

D Closes the browser immediately

Key Result

Always switch to the alert before interacting with it, and verify the page shows the expected message after accepting or dismissing alerts.

Practice

1. What does the accept() method do when called on a JavaScript alert in Selenium?

easy

A. Clicks the OK button on the alert

B. Clicks the Cancel button on the alert

C. Closes the browser window

D. Throws an exception without interacting

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand alert interaction methods

   The accept() method is used to click the OK button on an alert popup.

2. Step 2: Differentiate from dismiss()

   The dismiss() method clicks Cancel, so accept() must click OK.

3. Final Answer:

   Clicks the OK button on the alert -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   accept() = OK click [OK]

Hint: accept() clicks OK, dismiss() clicks Cancel [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing accept() with dismiss()
• Thinking accept() closes the browser
• Assuming accept() throws an exception

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to switch to an alert and dismiss it in Selenium Java?

easy

A. driver.switchTo().alert().dismiss();

B. driver.switchTo().alert().cancel();

C. driver.switchTo().alert().close();

D. driver.switchTo().alert().accept();

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the method to dismiss alert

   The method to click Cancel on an alert is dismiss().

2. Step 2: Confirm correct syntax for switching and dismissing

   The correct chain is driver.switchTo().alert().dismiss(); to dismiss the alert.

3. Final Answer:

   driver.switchTo().alert().dismiss(); -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   dismiss() = Cancel click [OK]

Hint: Use dismiss() to cancel alerts, accept() to confirm [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using accept() instead of dismiss() to cancel
• Using non-existent methods like close() or cancel()
• Missing switchTo().alert() before calling dismiss()

3. Given the following code snippet, what will be printed if the alert is accepted?

driver.switchTo().alert().accept();
System.out.println("Alert handled successfully");

medium

A. UnhandledAlertException

B. Alert handled successfully

C. No output

D. Alert not found error

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand alert acceptance effect

   Calling accept() closes the alert, allowing the next line to execute.

2. Step 2: Check output after alert handling

   Since alert is accepted, System.out.println runs and prints the message.

3. Final Answer:

   Alert handled successfully -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   accept() closes alert, next line prints [OK]

Hint: accept() lets code continue, so print runs [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Expecting exception after accept()
• Thinking alert blocks print statement
• Confusing accept() with dismiss() effect

4. Identify the error in this Selenium Java code snippet that tries to dismiss an alert:

Alert alert = driver.switchTo().alert();
alert.accept();
alert.dismiss();

medium

A. alert.dismiss() should be alert.cancel()

B. Calling accept() before dismiss() causes an exception

C. Missing driver.switchTo() before alert()

D. Cannot call dismiss() after accept() on the same alert instance

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand alert lifecycle after accept()

   Once accept() is called, the alert is closed and no longer available.

2. Step 2: Calling dismiss() after accept() is invalid

   Trying to dismiss the same alert after accepting it causes an error because alert is gone.

3. Final Answer:

   Cannot call dismiss() after accept() on the same alert instance -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   accept() closes alert, no dismiss() after [OK]

Hint: Alert closes after accept(), can't dismiss same alert [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Calling dismiss() after accept() on same alert
• Assuming alert stays open after accept()
• Using non-existent cancel() method

5. You want to write a Selenium Java test that clicks Cancel on a confirmation alert only if the alert text contains the word "Delete". Which code snippet correctly implements this?

hard

A. Alert alert = driver.switchTo().alert();
if (alert.getText() == "Delete") {
alert.accept();
} else {
alert.dismiss();
}

B. Alert alert = driver.switchTo().alert();
alert.dismiss();
if (alert.getText().contains("Delete")) {
alert.accept();
}

C. Alert alert = driver.switchTo().alert();
if (alert.getText().contains("Delete")) {
alert.dismiss();
} else {
alert.accept();
}

D. Alert alert = driver.switchTo().alert();
alert.accept();
alert.dismiss();

Solution

1. Step 1: Check alert text for "Delete" substring

   Use alert.getText().contains("Delete") to detect if alert text includes "Delete".

2. Step 2: Dismiss alert if condition true, else accept

   If text contains "Delete", call dismiss() to click Cancel; otherwise, call accept().

3. Final Answer:

   Alert alert = driver.switchTo().alert(); if (alert.getText().contains("Delete")) { alert.dismiss(); } else { alert.accept(); } -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Use contains() and dismiss() for conditional cancel [OK]

Hint: Use getText().contains() before dismiss() or accept() [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using == instead of contains() for string check
• Calling dismiss() before checking alert text
• Calling accept() and dismiss() both without condition