Creating new windows/tabs in Selenium Java - Test Execution Walkthrough

Test Overview

This test opens a new browser tab, switches to it, navigates to a URL, and verifies the page title to confirm the new tab loaded correctly.

Test Code - JUnit

Selenium Java

import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.WindowType;
import org.junit.jupiter.api.*;
import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.*;

public class NewTabTest {
    WebDriver driver;

    @BeforeEach
    public void setUp() {
        driver = new ChromeDriver();
    }

    @Test
    public void testOpenNewTab() {
        driver.get("https://example.com");
        String originalHandle = driver.getWindowHandle();

        // Open new tab
        driver.switchTo().newWindow(WindowType.TAB);
        driver.get("https://www.wikipedia.org");

        // Verify new tab title
        String title = driver.getTitle();
        assertEquals("Wikipedia", title);

        // Switch back to original tab
        driver.switchTo().window(originalHandle);
        assertEquals("Example Domain", driver.getTitle());
    }

    @AfterEach
    public void tearDown() {
        if (driver != null) {
            driver.quit();
        }
    }
}

Execution Trace - 7 Steps

Step	Action	System State	Assertion	Result
1	Test starts and Chrome browser opens	Browser window is open with no page loaded	—	PASS
2	Navigate to https://example.com	Browser displays Example Domain page	Page title is 'Example Domain'	PASS
3	Store original window handle	Original tab handle saved for later	—	PASS
4	Open a new browser tab and switch to it	New tab is active, original tab still open	—	PASS
5	Navigate new tab to https://www.wikipedia.org	New tab displays Wikipedia homepage	Page title is 'Wikipedia'	PASS
6	Switch back to original tab	Original tab is active showing Example Domain	Page title is 'Example Domain'	PASS
7	Test ends and browser closes	All browser windows closed	—	PASS

Failure Scenario

Failing Condition: New tab fails to open or navigation to Wikipedia fails

Execution Trace Quiz - 3 Questions

What does the test do after opening a new tab?

A Switches back to the original tab without navigation

B Closes the new tab immediately

C Navigates the new tab to Wikipedia homepage

D Refreshes the original tab

Key Result

Always store the original window handle before opening new tabs or windows so you can switch back reliably during tests.

Practice

1. Which Selenium Java command is used to open a new browser tab?

easy

A. driver.switchTo().newWindow(WindowType.TAB)

B. driver.openNewTab()

C. driver.createTab()

D. driver.newWindow(Tab)

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand Selenium's new window/tab creation

   Selenium provides a method driver.switchTo().newWindow() to open new tabs or windows.

2. Step 2: Identify the correct WindowType for a tab

   Using WindowType.TAB opens a new tab, which matches driver.switchTo().newWindow(WindowType.TAB).

3. Final Answer:

   driver.switchTo().newWindow(WindowType.TAB) -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Open new tab = driver.switchTo().newWindow(WindowType.TAB) [OK]

Hint: Use driver.switchTo().newWindow(WindowType.TAB) for new tabs [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using non-existent methods like driver.openNewTab()
• Confusing WindowType.WINDOW with TAB
• Trying to create tabs without switchTo()

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to open a new browser window in Selenium Java?

easy

A. driver.newWindow(WindowType.WINDOW);

B. driver.switchTo().newWindow(WindowType.WINDOW);

C. driver.switchTo().openWindow(WindowType.WINDOW);

D. driver.openNewWindow(WindowType.WINDOW);

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall the correct method to open new windows

   The correct method is driver.switchTo().newWindow() with a WindowType argument.

2. Step 2: Match the exact syntax

   driver.switchTo().newWindow(WindowType.WINDOW); matches the correct syntax exactly with WindowType.WINDOW.

3. Final Answer:

   driver.switchTo().newWindow(WindowType.WINDOW); -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Open new window = driver.switchTo().newWindow(WindowType.WINDOW) [OK]

Hint: Use switchTo().newWindow(WindowType.WINDOW) to open new windows [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Omitting switchTo() before newWindow()
• Using incorrect method names like openWindow()
• Missing semicolon in Java syntax

3. What will be the output of the following Selenium Java code snippet?

driver.get("https://example.com");
String originalHandle = driver.getWindowHandle();
driver.switchTo().newWindow(WindowType.TAB);
driver.get("https://selenium.dev");
System.out.println(driver.getCurrentUrl());
driver.switchTo().window(originalHandle);
System.out.println(driver.getCurrentUrl());

medium

A. https://selenium.dev
https://selenium.dev

B. https://example.com
https://selenium.dev

C. https://selenium.dev
https://example.com

D. https://example.com
https://example.com

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand window handles and tab switching

   The code opens example.com, saves the original window handle, then opens a new tab and navigates to selenium.dev.

2. Step 2: Analyze the printed URLs

   First print shows the URL of the new tab (selenium.dev). Then it switches back to the original window and prints its URL (example.com).

3. Final Answer:

   https://selenium.dev https://example.com -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Switch tabs = different URLs printed [OK]

Hint: Switching tabs changes current URL output [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming URLs remain the same after switching tabs
• Not saving original window handle before opening new tab
• Confusing getWindowHandle() with getWindowHandles()

4. Identify the error in the following Selenium Java code snippet that tries to open a new tab:

driver.get("https://example.com");
driver.newWindow(WindowType.TAB);
driver.get("https://selenium.dev");

medium

A. No error, code is correct

B. WindowType.TAB is invalid

C. driver.get() cannot be used after newWindow()

D. Missing driver.switchTo() before newWindow()

Solution

1. Step 1: Check method usage for opening new tabs

   The method newWindow() must be called after driver.switchTo().

2. Step 2: Identify the missing part in the code

   The code calls driver.newWindow() directly, which is incorrect syntax.

3. Final Answer:

   Missing driver.switchTo() before newWindow() -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Always use switchTo().newWindow() [OK]

Hint: Always use driver.switchTo() before newWindow() [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Calling newWindow() directly on driver
• Confusing WindowType.TAB as invalid
• Thinking driver.get() is restricted after newWindow()

5. You want to open a new tab, navigate to a URL, then switch back to the original tab and verify its title. Which code snippet correctly does this in Selenium Java?

hard

A. String original = driver.getWindowHandle();
driver.switchTo().newWindow(WindowType.TAB);
driver.get("https://selenium.dev");
driver.switchTo().window(original);
assert driver.getTitle().contains("Example");

B. driver.switchTo().newWindow(WindowType.TAB);
driver.get("https://selenium.dev");
String original = driver.getWindowHandle();
driver.switchTo().window(original);
assert driver.getTitle().contains("Example");

C. String original = driver.getWindowHandle();
driver.newWindow(WindowType.TAB);
driver.get("https://selenium.dev");
driver.switchTo().window(original);
assert driver.getTitle().contains("Example");

D. driver.get("https://selenium.dev");
driver.switchTo().newWindow(WindowType.TAB);
driver.switchTo().window(original);
assert driver.getTitle().contains("Example");

Solution

1. Step 1: Save original window handle before opening new tab

   We must save the original window handle before opening a new tab to switch back later.

2. Step 2: Open new tab, navigate, then switch back and assert title

   String original = driver.getWindowHandle(); driver.switchTo().newWindow(WindowType.TAB); driver.get("https://selenium.dev"); driver.switchTo().window(original); assert driver.getTitle().contains("Example"); correctly calls switchTo().newWindow(WindowType.TAB), navigates, switches back using saved handle, and asserts title.

3. Final Answer:

   Option A code snippet correctly performs all steps -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Save handle, open tab, switch back, assert [OK]

Hint: Save handle before new tab, switch back to assert [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Saving window handle after opening new tab
• Calling newWindow() without switchTo()
• Not switching back before assertion