Environment Setup for Selenium WebDriver with Java

Selenium WebDriver is not a GUI tool, with Java programming language you have to download JAR (Java archive resource) files. This tutorial is a step by step guide where we will learn to setup environment for Selenium WebDriver with Java. Steps include downloading and installing Java, downloading and installing Eclipse IDE, downloading Selenium Jar files and configuring them in Eclipse.

Configuring Java:

Step1: Download and install the latest version of JDK (Java development kit) with JRE (Java runtime environment) (32 bit or 64 bit ) depending upon your operating system(Mac, Windows or Linux) operating system.

Download Link

a) Select JDK download from the below options (it includes JRE).

Download JDK

b) Accept the License Agreement and Select the JDK version depending upon your Operating System. Download the JDK.

Install and configure JDK

c) Install JDK by clicking next multiple times.

Configuring Java Home path:

Step2: Create environment variable by name “JAVA_HOME” and set this variable value to JDK installation location.

Right Click “This PC”–> Properties –>Advanced system settings –> Environment variables –> System Variables –> Add a variable “JAVA_HOME” and update it with path of JDK installation directory.

Step 3: Update “path” environment variable to the bin folder of JDK location.

In path variable of the System variables –> add a value %JAVA_HOME%\bin.

Importing Selenium WebDriver Java Bindings:

Step 4: Download latest version of webDriver Java language bindings ( file 1 – selenium-server-2.xx.x.zip file and file 2 – Selenium-standalone-2.xx.x.jar).

Download Link

a) To download file 1 go to Selenium Client & WebDriver Language Bindings section and choose Java option.

b) To download file 2 go to Selenium Standalone Server section.

Step 5: Extract the above zip file, copy the srcs and standalone file to libs folder (Create a libs folder in your workspace).

Note: To download some older version of Selenium follow this link

Configuring Eclipse IDE:

Step 6: Download latest version of Eclipse IDE for j2ee developers (32 or 64 bits depending upon your Operating System).

Download Link

eclipse j2ee download

Creating Java Project in Eclipse:

Step 7: Follow below steps to create a Selenium Project in Eclipse IDE:

a) File –> New –> Java Project. This will create a new project.

b) Enter Project name.

c) Keeping other configurations as default, Click Finish.

create a new project in Eclipse

d) Right click src –> New –> Package –> <name of package>. This will create a new package.

creating a new package in eclipse

Configuring Selenium Jar files in Java Project:

e) Right click project name –> Build Path –> Configure Build Path –> Libraries –> Add External Jar –> navigate to the path where jar files are kept (libs folder)  –> Select the jar file –> Click on Apply –> Click OK. This will import Selenium jar files.

Importing Selenium Jar files in Java Project

Now, we are ready to start coding. In the next tutorial, we will cover our first call flow using Selenium WebDriver – Working with Firefox

For any questions, queries or comments. Feel free to write us at saurabh@qatechhub.com or support@qatechhub.com 🙂

Saurabh Dhingra

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