XPath with contains and starts-with in Selenium Python - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What does the XPath function contains() do?

The contains() function checks if an element's attribute or text contains a specific substring. It helps find elements partially matching a value.

beginner

How does starts-with() differ from contains() in XPath?

starts-with() checks if an attribute or text begins with a specific substring, while contains() checks if the substring appears anywhere.

beginner

Write an XPath using <code>contains()</code> to find a button with class containing 'submit'.

<code>//button[contains(@class, 'submit')]</code> finds any <code>&lt;button&gt;</code> element whose class attribute includes 'submit' anywhere.

beginner

Write an XPath using starts-with() to find an input with id starting with 'user'.

//input[starts-with(@id, 'user')] finds any <input> element whose id attribute starts exactly with 'user'.

intermediate

Why use contains() or starts-with() instead of exact matches in XPath?

They help locate elements when attribute values change slightly or have dynamic parts, making tests more flexible and less brittle.

Which XPath function finds elements whose attribute contains a substring anywhere?

A contains()

B starts-with()

C ends-with()

D equals()

contains() checks if the attribute or text includes the substring anywhere.

What does starts-with(@id, 'btn') select?

A Elements with id exactly 'btn'

B Elements with id starting with 'btn'

C Elements with id containing 'btn' anywhere

D Elements with id ending with 'btn'

starts-with() matches attributes that begin with the given substring.

Which XPath is correct to find a div with class containing 'active'?

A //div[contains(text(), 'active')]

B //div[starts-with(@class, 'active')]

C //div[@class='active']

D //div[contains(@class, 'active')]

contains(@class, 'active') finds any div whose class includes 'active' anywhere.

Why prefer contains() over exact match in dynamic web pages?

A Because attribute values may change slightly

B Because exact matches find more elements

C Because contains() is deprecated

D Because exact matches are faster

Dynamic pages may change attribute values, so partial matching with contains() is more reliable.

Which is NOT a valid XPath function?

A contains()

B starts-with()

C ends-with()

D text()

ends-with() is not a standard XPath function; use other methods to simulate it.

Explain how to use contains() and starts-with() in XPath to locate web elements.

Think about partial matching of attribute values.

Describe why using contains() or starts-with() can make Selenium tests more robust.

Consider how web pages change over time.