Django Selenium Functional Tests

Django Selenium Functional Tests

Use Selenium functional tests sparingly and deliberately: they prove that Django, templates, static assets, JavaScript, persistence, and browser behavior work together. Keep them user-facing, isolated, and stable enough to inspire confidence.

Source Traceability

Primary source: Harry Percival, Test-Driven Development with Python, 3rd ed. Guidance is transformed and paraphrased from chapters 1, 2, 4, 6, 13, 22, 23, 25, 26, and Appendix A, especially explicit waits, functional test isolation, page pattern, screenshots, and CI debugging.

Workflow

1. State the user journey in comments or helper names.

   • Keep test language at the user behavior level.
   • Avoid asserting implementation details unless the browser contract requires them.

2. Use the right server boundary.

   • Use StaticLiveServerTestCase when static files matter.
   • Use a staging URL or Docker URL when verifying deployed/container behavior.
   • Keep local and remote setup explicit.

3. Remove timing guesses.

   • Prefer explicit waits for a visible condition, DOM change, URL, or text.
   • Avoid time.sleep() except as a temporary debugging probe that is removed.

4. Isolate state.

   • Create per-test data through app APIs, fixtures, management commands, or direct setup helpers.
   • Avoid tests depending on order, prior browser state, or shared accounts.

5. Factor repeated journeys.

   • Start with helper methods.
   • Move to a page pattern when selectors and workflows are repeated enough to obscure intent.

Read selenium-patterns.md for wait helpers, page pattern guidance, and CI debugging tactics.

Debugging Order

1. Reproduce locally with the same browser/headless setting when possible.
2. Capture the current URL, page source, browser logs, and screenshot.
3. Decide whether the failure is timing, selector drift, server error, static asset issue, or data isolation.
4. Add the smallest stable wait or assertion that matches the real condition.
5. Run the single functional test, then the affected functional test file.