Window handles in Selenium Python - Test Execution Trace

Test Overview

This test opens a new browser window, switches control to it, verifies the new window's title, then switches back to the original window and verifies its title.

Test Code - Selenium

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 TestWindowHandles(unittest.TestCase):
    def setUp(self):
        self.driver = webdriver.Chrome()
        self.driver.get('https://example.com')

    def test_window_handles(self):
        driver = self.driver
        original_window = driver.current_window_handle

        # Click link that opens a new window
        link = WebDriverWait(driver, 10).until(
            EC.element_to_be_clickable((By.LINK_TEXT, 'More information...'))
        )
        link.click()

        # Wait for new window
        WebDriverWait(driver, 10).until(EC.new_window_is_opened([original_window]))

        # Switch to new window
        windows = driver.window_handles
        for window in windows:
            if window != original_window:
                driver.switch_to.window(window)
                break

        # Verify new window title
        self.assertIn('IANA', driver.title)

        # Switch back to original window
        driver.switch_to.window(original_window)

        # Verify original window title
        self.assertIn('Example Domain', driver.title)

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

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

Execution Trace - 9 Steps

Step	Action	System State	Assertion	Result
1	Test starts and opens browser to 'https://example.com'	Browser shows 'Example Domain' page	-	PASS
2	Stores current window handle as original_window	One browser window open with handle stored	-	PASS
3	Waits for and clicks link with text 'More information...' that opens new window	User clicks link, new window opening	-	PASS
4	Waits until new window is opened	Two browser windows open	-	PASS
5	Switches control to the new window	Driver controls new window	-	PASS
6	Checks that new window title contains 'IANA'	New window title visible	Assert 'IANA' in driver.title	PASS
7	Switches back to original window	Driver controls original window	-	PASS
8	Checks that original window title contains 'Example Domain'	Original window title visible	Assert 'Example Domain' in driver.title	PASS
9	Test ends and browser closes	No browser windows open	-	PASS

Failure Scenario

Failing Condition: The link with text 'More information...' is not found or clickable

Execution Trace Quiz - 3 Questions

What does the test do after clicking the link that opens a new window?

A Waits for the new window to open and switches to it

B Closes the original window immediately

C Refreshes the current page

D Clicks the link again

Key Result

Always store the original window handle before opening new windows, so you can switch back reliably after testing the new window.