Verify typing text into a search input field

Preconditions (2)

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

Step 2: Locate the search input field by its id 'search-input'

Step 3: Type the text 'Selenium testing' into the search input field

Step 4: Verify that the input field contains the text 'Selenium testing'

✅ Expected Result: The search input field should display the typed text 'Selenium testing'

Automation Requirements - Selenium with Python

Assertions Needed:

Verify the input field's value attribute equals 'Selenium testing'

Best Practices:

Use explicit waits to ensure the input field is visible and interactable before typing

Use By.ID locator for the search input field

Use clear() before send_keys() to avoid appending text

Use unittest or pytest assertions for validation

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
import unittest

class TestTypingText(unittest.TestCase):
    def setUp(self):
        self.driver = webdriver.Chrome()
        self.driver.get('https://example.com/search')
        self.wait = WebDriverWait(self.driver, 10)

    def test_typing_text(self):
        driver = self.driver
        wait = self.wait
        # Wait until the search input is visible
        search_input = wait.until(EC.visibility_of_element_located((By.ID, 'search-input')))
        # Clear any existing text
        search_input.clear()
        # Type the text
        search_input.send_keys('Selenium testing')
        # Assert the input's value is as expected
        self.assertEqual(search_input.get_attribute('value'), 'Selenium testing')

    def tearDown(self):
        self.driver.quit()

if __name__ == '__main__':
    unittest.main()

This test script uses Selenium WebDriver with Python's unittest framework.

In setUp, it opens the Chrome browser and navigates to the test page.

It waits explicitly for the search input field to be visible using WebDriverWait and expected_conditions.

Before typing, it clears the input field to avoid appending text.

Then it types 'Selenium testing' using send_keys.

Finally, it asserts that the input field's value matches the typed text.

The tearDown method closes the browser after the test.

Common Mistakes - 3 Pitfalls

Not waiting for the input field to be visible before typing

Using hardcoded XPath that is brittle

Not clearing the input field before send_keys

Bonus Challenge

Now add data-driven testing with 3 different input texts: 'Selenium testing', 'QA automation', 'Python scripting'

Show Hint