6/15/24, 11:53 AM What is Synchronization in Selenium?

- GeeksforGeeks

What is Synchronization in Selenium?

Last Updated : 16 Apr, 2024

To coordinate the timing of script execution with the application, it’s necessary to pause after
completing relevant actions. Let’s explore the methods to accomplish this synchronization.

Table of Content
What is Synchronization in Selenium?
How to achieve synchronization in the Selenium Web driver?
Types of Synchronizations in Selenium
Thread.Sleep
Explicit Waits
Implicit Wait
Fluent Wait
Synchronization issue in Selenium
Conclusion
FAQs on Synchronization in Selenium

What is Synchronization in Selenium?

When an action is to occur, it is expected that all components involved work together seamlessly.
This collaborative process among components is referred to as synchronization. In
Selenium, synchronization ensures that the code and applications execute in more efficiently to
carry out the desired operation.

How to achieve synchronization in the Selenium Web driver?

Managing synchronization in Selenium is vital to ensure alignment between our driver and the
browser when engaging with web elements that might load at varying intervals. There exist

https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/what-is-synchronization-in-selenium/ 1/5
6/15/24, 11:53 AM What is Synchronization in Selenium? - GeeksforGeeks

multiple methods to adeptly address synchronization.

Types of Synchronizations in Selenium

1. Thread.Sleep
2. Explicit Waits
3. Implicit Wait
4. Fluent Wait

Thread.Sleep
The Java Thread.sleep() function lets you temporarily pause the current thread’s execution for a
specified duration in milliseconds. You can’t use a negative value as the argument for
milliseconds; if you do, it will result in an IllegalArgumentException being thrown.

Java

Thread.sleep(3000); // Sleep for 3 seconds

Explicit Waits
An explicit wait provides greater flexibility by enabling us to pause test execution until a
particular condition is satisfied. This condition, such as the existence or non-existence of an
element, can be defined using the ExpectedConditions class. If the condition isn’t met within the
designated timeframe, an exception will be raised. Implicit waits are convenient for basic
scenarios, instructing the WebDriver to wait for a certain duration when locating elements.
However, they may lead to unnecessary waiting if elements appear sooner than expected. In
contrast, explicit waits offer better control by pausing the script until specific conditions are met.

Java

// Initialize ChromeDriver
WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();
driver.get("Enter an URL"S);
WebElement DynamicElement =
(new WebDriverWait(driver,
10)).until(ExpectedConditions.presenceOfElementLocated(By.id("DynamicElement"))
);

Implicit Wait
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/what-is-synchronization-in-selenium/ 2/5
6/15/24, 11:53 AM What is Synchronization in Selenium? - GeeksforGeeks

An implicit wait instructs the Web Driver to patiently search the DOM for a specified duration
when attempting to locate an element or elements if they’re not readily accessible. By default, this
duration is set to 0. Once configured, the implicit wait remains effective throughout the lifespan of
the Web Driver object instance until it’s modified again.

Java

// Initialize ChromeDriver
WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();
driver.manage().timeouts().implicitlyWait(10, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
driver.get("Enter an URL");
WebElement DynamicElement = driver.findElement(By.id("DynamicElement"));

Fluent Wait
Fluent Wait in Selenium sets the maximum duration for the Selenium WebDriver to wait until a
specific condition (such as a web element) becomes visible. It also specifies how often WebDriver
will check for the condition before raising an ‘ElementNotVisibleException‘.

Java

Wait wait =
new FluentWait(driver).withTimeout(60, SECONDS).pollingEvery(10,
SECONDS).ignoring(NoSuchElementException.class);
WebElement dynamicelement = wait.until(new Function<webdriver,webElement>()
{
public WebElement apply(WebDriver driver) {
return driver.findElement(By.id("dynamicelement"));
}
});

Synchronization issue in Selenium

Here are some common challenges we face with synchronization in Selenium:

Selenium WebDriver blocks APIs, resulting in real-time DOM tracking limitations.

Synchronization problems arise when operations are not reflected in the DOM or when it fails
to process instructions.
The Selenium WebDriver script may behave inconsistently, even in scenarios where events are
triggered asynchronously, without any pausing or waiting.

Conclusion
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/what-is-synchronization-in-selenium/ 3/5
6/15/24, 11:53 AM What is Synchronization in Selenium? - GeeksforGeeks

In Selenium, making sure that the timing of script execution aligns with how the application
behaves is important. It’s like ensuring that all the different parts of your script work together
smoothly to do what you want them to do. Through various synchronization methods like
Thread.sleep(), explicit waits, implicit waits, and Fluent Wait, testers can manage the coordination
between the WebDriver and the browser, particularly when dealing with dynamically loading web
elements. By prioritizing synchronization management, testers can enhance the reliability and
robustness of their Selenium test suites, ultimately ensuring accurate and dependable results in
automated testing endeavors.

FAQs on Synchronization in Selenium

Why should we avoid using Thread. sleep() for synchronization in Selenium?

Ans: Thread.sleep() introduces static waits, which halt script execution regardless of
whether the web elements are ready. This can lead to inefficient test scripts and longer
execution times.

How does an explicit wait differ from an implicit wait in Selenium?

Ans: Explicit waits allow the script to pause until a specific condition is met, offering more
precise control. Implicit waits, on the other hand, instruct the WebDriver to wait for a
certain amount of time when trying to locate elements, applied globally throughout the
script.

When should we use Fluent Wait in Selenium?

Ans: Fluent Wait is recommended when you need more control over waiting conditions,
such as defining the maximum wait time and polling frequency for specific elements. It’s
useful for handling dynamic web pages where elements may take varying amounts of time to
load.

How can synchronization issues impact Selenium test scripts?

https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/what-is-synchronization-in-selenium/ 4/5
6/15/24, 11:53 AM What is Synchronization in Selenium? - GeeksforGeeks

Ans: Synchronization issues can cause test scripts to fail unexpectedly, leading to unreliable
test results. These issues may manifest as element-n-found errors, timeouts, or incorrect
interactions with web elements.

What are some best practices for managing synchronization in Selenium?

Ans: Some best practices include using explicit waits over implicit waits, and avoiding
excessive use of Thread. sleep(), leveraging Fluent Wait for complex synchronization
scenarios, and regularly reviewing and updating synchronization strategies based on
application changes.

https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/what-is-synchronization-in-selenium/ 5/5