Find element by partial link text in Selenium Python - Build an Automation Script

Verify navigation by clicking a link using partial link text

Preconditions (2)

Step 1: Locate the link using partial link text 'Selenium'

Step 2: Click on the located link

Step 3: Wait for the new page to load

Step 4: Verify that the current URL contains 'selenium-automation'

✅ Expected Result: The user is navigated to the Selenium Automation page and the URL contains 'selenium-automation'

Automation Requirements - Selenium with Python

Assertions Needed:

Verify the link is found using partial link text

Verify the click action navigates to the correct URL containing 'selenium-automation'

Best Practices:

Use explicit waits to wait for elements and page load

Use By.PARTIAL_LINK_TEXT locator strategy

Handle exceptions if element is not found

Keep code readable and maintainable

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
from selenium.common.exceptions import TimeoutException

# Setup WebDriver (Assuming chromedriver is in PATH)
driver = webdriver.Chrome()

try:
    # Open homepage
    driver.get('https://example.com')

    # Wait until link with partial text 'Selenium' is present
    wait = WebDriverWait(driver, 10)
    link = wait.until(EC.element_to_be_clickable((By.PARTIAL_LINK_TEXT, 'Selenium')))

    # Click the link
    link.click()

    # Wait until URL contains 'selenium-automation'
    wait.until(EC.url_contains('selenium-automation'))

    # Assertion: Check current URL
    current_url = driver.current_url
    assert 'selenium-automation' in current_url, f"URL does not contain 'selenium-automation', got {current_url}"

finally:
    driver.quit()

This script uses Selenium WebDriver with Python to automate the manual test case.

First, it opens the homepage URL.

Then it waits explicitly for the link containing the partial text 'Selenium' to be clickable. This ensures the element is ready for interaction.

After clicking the link, it waits until the URL contains the expected substring 'selenium-automation' to confirm navigation.

Finally, it asserts that the current URL contains the expected text, which verifies the navigation succeeded.

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

Common Mistakes - 3 Pitfalls

Using time.sleep() instead of explicit waits

{'mistake': 'Using By.LINK_TEXT instead of By.PARTIAL_LINK_TEXT when partial text is needed', 'why_bad': "By.LINK_TEXT requires exact match, so the element won't be found if only partial text is provided.", 'correct_approach': 'Use By.PARTIAL_LINK_TEXT to locate links by a substring of their text.'}

Not handling exceptions when element is not found

Bonus Challenge

Now add data-driven testing with 3 different partial link texts to verify navigation for each.

Show Hint

Practice

1. What does the Selenium method find_element_by_partial_link_text do?

easy

A. Finds a link element containing the specified partial text.

B. Finds any element with the exact text match.

C. Finds elements by their HTML tag name.

D. Finds elements by their CSS class name.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the method purpose

   The method find_element_by_partial_link_text searches for <a> elements that contain the given text partially.

2. Step 2: Compare with other locator methods

   Unlike exact text match or tag name search, this method matches any link containing the partial text.

3. Final Answer:

   Finds a link element containing the specified partial text. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Partial link text = Finds links with partial text [OK]

Hint: Partial link text finds links by part of their visible text [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing partial link text with exact text match
• Using it on non-link elements
• Expecting it to find by attribute instead of visible text

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to find a link containing the text "Login" using Selenium in Python?

easy

A. driver.find_element_by_partial_link_text['Login']

B. driver.find_element_by_partial_link_text(Login)

C. driver.find_element_by_partial_link_text("Login")

D. driver.find_element_by_partial_link_text{Login}

Solution

1. Step 1: Check method usage and argument format

   The method requires a string argument inside parentheses and quotes, like "Login".

2. Step 2: Validate Python syntax

   driver.find_element_by_partial_link_text("Login") uses correct parentheses and quotes. Options A, B, and D have syntax errors or wrong brackets.

3. Final Answer:

   driver.find_element_by_partial_link_text("Login") -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Correct method call uses parentheses and quotes [OK]

Hint: Use parentheses and quotes for string argument in method call [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Omitting quotes around the string
• Using square or curly brackets instead of parentheses
• Passing variable without quotes

3. What will the following code print if the page has a link with text "Click here to Login"?

element = driver.find_element_by_partial_link_text("Login")
print(element.text)

medium

A. NoSuchElementException

B. Login

C. Click here

D. Click here to Login

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand partial link text matching

   The method finds the first link containing "Login" anywhere in its visible text.

2. Step 2: Check what element.text returns

   It returns the full visible text of the found link, which is "Click here to Login".

3. Final Answer:

   Click here to Login -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Partial match finds full link text [OK]

Hint: Partial link text finds full link text, not just the partial part [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Expecting only the partial text to print
• Assuming it throws exception if partial matches
• Confusing element.text with attribute values

4. Given this code snippet, what is the error and how to fix it?

element = driver.find_element_by_partial_link_text(Login)
print(element.text)

medium

A. SyntaxError due to missing parentheses; fix by adding parentheses

B. NameError because Login is not quoted; fix by adding quotes: "Login"

C. NoSuchElementException because partial link text is incorrect

D. TypeError because find_element_by_partial_link_text expects int

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the error in argument usage

   The argument Login is not in quotes, so Python treats it as a variable, causing NameError.

2. Step 2: Correct the argument to a string

   Wrap Login in quotes like "Login" to pass a string literal.

3. Final Answer:

   NameError because Login is not quoted; fix by adding quotes: "Login" -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   String arguments need quotes [OK]

Hint: Always quote string arguments in Selenium locators [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Forgetting quotes around string literals
• Assuming partial link text accepts variables without quotes
• Misreading error type as syntax error

5. You want to click a link that contains either "Sign" or "Register" in its text. Which approach correctly finds and clicks the link using Selenium in Python?

hard

A. Try finding by partial link text "Sign" first, if not found, then try "Register".

B. Use find_element_by_partial_link_text("Sign or Register") to find either.

C. Use CSS selector to find links containing "Sign" or "Register" text.

D. Use find_element_by_link_text("Sign Register") to find combined text.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand partial link text limitation

   The method matches only one partial string at a time; it cannot match multiple alternatives in one call.

2. Step 2: Implement fallback logic

   Try finding link with "Sign" first; if not found, catch exception and try "Register" next.

3. Final Answer:

   Try finding by partial link text "Sign" first, if not found, then try "Register". -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Partial link text matches one string; use fallback for multiple options [OK]

Hint: Try partial link texts one by one for multiple options [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using 'or' inside partial link text string
• Expecting one call to match multiple partial texts
• Using link_text instead of partial_link_text for partial matches