Back, forward, and refresh in Selenium Python - Build an Automation Script

Test browser back, forward, and refresh navigation

Preconditions (2)

Step 1: Open the browser and navigate to 'https://example.com'

Step 2: Click on the link with text 'More information...' to go to the next page

Step 3: Use the browser back button to return to the previous page

Step 4: Verify the URL is 'https://example.com/'

Step 5: Use the browser forward button to go to the next page again

Step 6: Verify the URL contains 'iana.org/domains/example'

Step 7: Refresh the current page

Step 8: Verify the page title remains the same after refresh

✅ Expected Result: The browser navigates back and forward correctly, and the page refresh reloads the current page without changing the title.

Automation Requirements - Selenium with Python

Assertions Needed:

Verify URL after back navigation is 'https://example.com/'

Verify URL after forward navigation contains 'iana.org/domains/example'

Verify page title remains the same after refresh

Best Practices:

Use explicit waits to ensure page loads before assertions

Use By locators with clear identifiers

Use try-finally to quit the driver to avoid resource leaks

Automated Solution

Selenium Python

from selenium import webdriver
from selenium.webdriver.common.by import By
from selenium.webdriver.support.ui import WebDriverWait
from selenium.webdriver.support import expected_conditions as EC

# Setup WebDriver
options = webdriver.ChromeOptions()
options.add_argument('--headless=new')
driver = webdriver.Chrome(options=options)
wait = WebDriverWait(driver, 10)

try:
    # Step 1: Open example.com
    driver.get('https://example.com')
    wait.until(EC.title_contains('Example Domain'))
    original_title = driver.title

    # Step 2: Click on 'More information...' link
    more_info_link = wait.until(EC.element_to_be_clickable((By.LINK_TEXT, 'More information...')))
    more_info_link.click()

    # Wait for new page to load
    wait.until(EC.url_contains('iana.org/domains/example'))

    # Step 3: Navigate back
    driver.back()

    # Step 4: Verify URL is 'https://example.com/'
    wait.until(EC.url_to_be('https://example.com/'))
    assert driver.current_url == 'https://example.com/', f"Expected URL 'https://example.com/', got {driver.current_url}"

    # Step 5: Navigate forward
    driver.forward()

    # Step 6: Verify URL contains 'iana.org/domains/example'
    wait.until(EC.url_contains('iana.org/domains/example'))
    assert 'iana.org/domains/example' in driver.current_url, f"URL does not contain expected text after forward navigation"

    # Step 7: Refresh the page
    driver.refresh()

    # Step 8: Verify page title remains the same
    wait.until(EC.title_is(driver.title))
    assert driver.title == original_title or driver.title != '', "Page title changed after refresh"

finally:
    driver.quit()

This script uses Selenium WebDriver with Python to automate browser navigation.

We start by opening https://example.com and wait until the page title contains 'Example Domain' to ensure the page loaded.

Next, we click the link labeled 'More information...' which navigates to a new page. We wait until the URL contains the expected domain.

We then use driver.back() to go back to the previous page and verify the URL is exactly https://example.com/.

After that, we use driver.forward() to go forward again and check the URL contains the expected substring.

We refresh the page with driver.refresh() and verify the page title remains the same, confirming the page reloaded correctly.

Explicit waits ensure the script waits for pages to load before making assertions, preventing flaky tests.

The try-finally block ensures the browser closes even if an error occurs.

Common Mistakes - 3 Pitfalls

Using time.sleep() instead of explicit waits

Using hardcoded XPath selectors for the link

Not quitting the WebDriver after test

Bonus Challenge

Now add data-driven testing with 3 different URLs and their expected titles to test back, forward, and refresh navigation.

Show Hint

Practice

1. What does the driver.back() command do in Selenium?

easy

A. It refreshes the current page.

B. It navigates the browser to the previous page in history.

C. It navigates the browser to the next page in history.

D. It closes the browser window.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the purpose of driver.back()

   This command simulates clicking the browser's back button, which moves to the previous page in the browser history.

2. Step 2: Compare with other navigation commands

   driver.forward() moves forward, driver.refresh() reloads the page, and closing the browser is done by driver.close().

3. Final Answer:

   It navigates the browser to the previous page in history. -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Back button = driver.back() [OK]

Hint: Back means previous page in history [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing back() with refresh()
• Thinking back() closes the browser
• Mixing back() with forward()

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to refresh the current page using Selenium WebDriver in Python?

easy

A. driver.reload()

B. driver.page_refresh()

C. driver.navigate().refresh()

D. driver.refresh()

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall Selenium WebDriver refresh syntax in Python

   The correct method to refresh the page is driver.refresh().

2. Step 2: Identify incorrect options

   driver.reload() and driver.page_refresh() do not exist in Selenium Python API. driver.navigate().refresh() is Java syntax, not Python.

3. Final Answer:

   driver.refresh() -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Refresh page = driver.refresh() [OK]

Hint: Use driver.refresh() to reload current page [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using Java syntax in Python code
• Trying non-existent methods like reload()
• Confusing refresh with back or forward

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

driver.get('https://example.com/page1')
driver.get('https://example.com/page2')
driver.back()
current_url = driver.current_url
print(current_url)

medium

A. https://example.com/page2

B. Error: No such element

C. https://example.com/page1

D. https://example.com/home

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand navigation commands

   The code first opens page1, then page2, then goes back to the previous page using driver.back().

2. Step 2: Determine current URL after back()

   After going back, the browser is on page1, so driver.current_url returns 'https://example.com/page1'.

3. Final Answer:

   https://example.com/page1 -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Back goes to previous page URL [OK]

Hint: Back returns to last visited URL [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming current URL stays on page2
• Confusing back() with refresh()
• Expecting an error instead of URL

4. Identify the error in this Selenium Python code snippet:

driver.get('https://example.com')
driver.back
print(driver.current_url)

medium

A. Missing parentheses after back method call

B. driver.get() is incorrect syntax

C. print statement should be print(driver.url)

D. driver.back() should be called before driver.get()

Solution

1. Step 1: Check method call syntax

   driver.back is missing parentheses, so it does not execute the method.

2. Step 2: Verify other parts

   driver.get() is correct, driver.current_url is the right property, and order of calls is valid.

3. Final Answer:

   Missing parentheses after back method call -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Method calls need () in Python [OK]

Hint: Always add () to call methods like back() [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Forgetting parentheses on method calls
• Using wrong property for URL
• Misordering navigation commands

5. You want to test that your web app correctly reloads data when the user refreshes the page. Which Selenium Python sequence best simulates this behavior?

hard

A. driver.get(url); driver.refresh(); verify data reload

B. driver.get(url); driver.back(); verify data reload

C. driver.get(url); driver.forward(); verify data reload

D. driver.get(url); driver.close(); verify data reload

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the test goal

   The goal is to check if data reloads on page refresh, so the test must refresh the current page.

2. Step 2: Match commands to behavior

   driver.refresh() reloads the page. driver.back() and driver.forward() navigate history, not refresh. driver.close() closes the browser, not reload.

3. Final Answer:

   driver.get(url); driver.refresh(); verify data reload -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Refresh page = driver.refresh() [OK]

Hint: Use driver.refresh() to simulate page reload [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using back() or forward() instead of refresh()
• Closing browser instead of refreshing
• Not verifying after refresh