Launching a Browser in Selenium WebDriver

Launching a browser is one of the first and most important steps in Selenium WebDriver automation. Before a Selenium test can interact with web elements, enter data, click buttons, navigate between pages, or validate application behavior, WebDriver must first create a browser session.

In Selenium WebDriver, browser launching is performed by creating an instance of the appropriate browser driver, such as ChromeDriver, FirefoxDriver, or EdgeDriver. Selenium WebDriver communicates with the selected browser through the browser-specific driver and the W3C WebDriver protocol.

Selenium officially describes WebDriver as an API and protocol for controlling browser behavior, with each supported browser backed by a specific WebDriver implementation.

1. What Does Launching a Browser Mean?

Launching a browser means starting a new browser session through Selenium WebDriver so that automated test commands can control the browser.

For example, when the following Java statement is executed:

WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();

Selenium starts a Chrome browser session and creates a WebDriver object that can be used to control that browser.

The browser can then be controlled using commands such as:

• driver.get()
• driver.navigate()
• driver.findElement()
• click()
• sendKeys()
• getTitle()
• getCurrentUrl()
• quit()

2. Why Do We Need to Launch a Browser?

A Selenium automation script needs a browser session to perform real browser interactions. Launching the browser creates the execution environment in which the automated test operates.

For example, an automated login test may need to:

1. Launch Chrome.
2. Open the application URL.
3. Locate the username field.
4. Enter the username.
5. Locate the password field.
6. Enter the password.
7. Click the Login button.
8. Verify the dashboard.
9. Close the browser.

The first step in this process is normally creating the WebDriver session.

3. Basic Browser Launch Flow

Java Test Script

       ↓
WebDriver Object
       ↓
ChromeDriver
       ↓
W3C WebDriver Communication
       ↓
Chrome Browser
       ↓
Browser Session Created
       ↓
Web Page Opened
       ↓
Automation Commands Executed

4. Main Components Involved in Browser Launching

5. Launching Google Chrome

The most common example of launching a browser in Selenium Java is launching Google Chrome using ChromeDriver.

import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;

import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver;
 
public class LaunchChrome {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();
        driver.get("https://www.google.com");
        driver.quit();
    }
}

In this example, new ChromeDriver() creates a new Chrome WebDriver session, driver.get() opens Google, and driver.quit() terminates the browser session.

6. Understanding WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver()

This statement is extremely important for Selenium beginners:

WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();

It contains two important concepts.

WebDriver

WebDriver is an interface that provides common browser automation methods.

ChromeDriver

ChromeDriver is the browser-specific implementation used to automate Google Chrome.

Because ChromeDriver implements the WebDriver interface, it can be assigned to a WebDriver reference.

WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();

This approach allows automation code to use the common WebDriver API while selecting a specific browser implementation.

7. What Happens Internally When ChromeDriver Is Created?

When Selenium executes:

WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();

The Selenium binding initiates the creation of a new WebDriver session. The browser-specific driver is responsible for communicating with Chrome, and the browser session becomes available to the automation script.

Selenium's documentation describes session creation as corresponding to the W3C New Session command, with the session created automatically when a Driver object is initialized.

The simplified process can be represented as:

new ChromeDriver()

       ↓
Selenium WebDriver API
       ↓
ChromeDriver Service
       ↓
WebDriver Commands
       ↓
Chrome Browser
       ↓
New Browser Session

8. Selenium Manager and Driver Management

Modern Selenium versions include Selenium Manager, which can automatically manage browser drivers and browsers in supported scenarios. Selenium bindings use Selenium Manager by default, reducing the need to manually download and configure drivers in many setups.

This means that a modern Selenium project can often use:

WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();

without manually specifying a ChromeDriver executable path.

9. Launching Firefox

Firefox can be launched using FirefoxDriver.

import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;

import org.openqa.selenium.firefox.FirefoxDriver;
 
public class LaunchFirefox {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        WebDriver driver = new FirefoxDriver();
        driver.get("https://www.google.com");
        driver.quit();
    }
}

The overall architecture remains similar:

Java Script

    ↓
WebDriver
    ↓
FirefoxDriver
    ↓
Firefox Browser

10. Launching Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge can be launched using EdgeDriver.

import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;

import org.openqa.selenium.edge.EdgeDriver;
 
public class LaunchEdge {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        WebDriver driver = new EdgeDriver();
        driver.get("https://www.google.com");
        driver.quit();
    }
}

11. Launching Safari

Safari automation is supported through SafariDriver on supported Apple environments.

import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;

import org.openqa.selenium.safari.SafariDriver;
 
public class LaunchSafari {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        WebDriver driver = new SafariDriver();
        driver.get("https://www.google.com");
        driver.quit();
    }
}

12. Browser Drivers

Each browser requires an appropriate WebDriver implementation.

Selenium's official documentation identifies browser-specific drivers as the implementations responsible for communicating between Selenium and the browser.

13. Opening a Website After Launching the Browser

Launching the browser and opening a website are two related but different operations.

Step 1: Launch the browser

WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();

Step 2: Open the website

driver.get("https://www.google.com");

Step 3: Close the session

driver.quit();

Complete example:

import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;

import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver;
 
public class BrowserLaunchExample {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();
        driver.get("https://www.google.com");
        System.out.println(driver.getTitle());
        driver.quit();
    }
}

14. driver.get() Method

The get() method is used to navigate the current browser session to a specified URL.

driver.get("https://www.google.com");

For example:

WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();

driver.get("https://www.google.com");

The browser will navigate to the specified web page.

15. driver.navigate().to()

Another way to navigate to a URL is:

driver.navigate().to("https://www.google.com");

Example:

WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();

driver.navigate().to("https://www.google.com");

The navigation API also provides methods such as:

driver.navigate().back();

driver.navigate().forward();
driver.navigate().refresh();

16. Difference Between get() and navigate().to()

17. Browser Launching with Chrome Options

Selenium allows browser configuration through browser-specific options.

For Chrome, the ChromeOptions class can be used.

import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;

import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeOptions;
 
public class ChromeOptionsExample {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        ChromeOptions options = new ChromeOptions();
        WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver(options);
        driver.get("https://www.google.com");
        driver.quit();
    }
}

18. Headless Browser Launch

A headless browser runs without displaying the normal graphical browser window. This is useful in CI/CD environments and automated execution environments where a visible browser may not be necessary.

import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;

import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeOptions;
 
public class HeadlessChrome {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        ChromeOptions options = new ChromeOptions();
        options.addArguments("--headless=new");
        WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver(options);
        driver.get("https://www.google.com");
        System.out.println(driver.getTitle());
        driver.quit();
    }
}

19. Maximizing the Browser Window

After launching a browser, Selenium can maximize the browser window.

WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();

driver.manage().window().maximize();
driver.get("https://www.google.com");
driver.quit();

20. Setting Browser Window Size

You can also specify a particular browser window size.

import org.openqa.selenium.Dimension;

 
WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();
driver.manage().window().setSize(new Dimension(1280, 720));
driver.get("https://www.google.com");
driver.quit();

21. Getting Browser Information

Once the browser is launched, WebDriver can retrieve information about the current page and browser session.

Get Page Title

String title = driver.getTitle();

System.out.println(title);

Get Current URL

String url = driver.getCurrentUrl();

System.out.println(url);

Get Page Source

String source = driver.getPageSource();

System.out.println(source);

22. Complete Browser Launch Example

import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;

import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver;
 
public class LaunchBrowser {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();
        driver.manage().window().maximize();
        driver.get("https://www.google.com");
        System.out.println("Page Title: " + driver.getTitle());
        System.out.println("Current URL: " + driver.getCurrentUrl());
        driver.quit();
    }
}

23. Understanding the Complete Execution Flow

Program Starts

      ↓
Create WebDriver Object
      ↓
Create ChromeDriver
      ↓
Start/Connect to Browser Driver
      ↓
Create WebDriver Session
      ↓
Launch Chrome
      ↓
driver.get(URL)
      ↓
Browser Loads Web Page
      ↓
Automation Commands
      ↓
Test Validation
      ↓
driver.quit()
      ↓
Session Terminated

24. Browser Session

A browser session represents the active automation relationship between Selenium and the browser.

When a new driver object is created, Selenium creates a new session. The session remains active while automation commands are executed.

WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();

Session activity may include:

• Opening URLs
• Finding elements
• Clicking buttons
• Entering text
• Reading page information
• Handling browser windows
• Taking screenshots
• Executing JavaScript

Calling quit() ends the WebDriver session. Selenium specifically distinguishes quit() from close() and recommends using quit() to end the complete session.

25. close() vs quit()

Typical cleanup code:

driver.quit();

26. Launching a Browser with a Specific Profile

Browser options can be used to configure browser startup behavior. For example, Chrome options can be used to provide browser arguments or capabilities.

ChromeOptions options = new ChromeOptions();

options.addArguments("--start-maximized");
WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver(options);
driver.get("https://www.google.com");

27. Browser Capabilities

Capabilities describe characteristics and configuration requirements for a browser session. Browser-specific options are commonly used to configure these settings.

Examples include:

• Browser-specific arguments
• Window configuration
• Headless execution
• Accepting insecure certificates
• Proxy configuration
• Browser preferences

28. Launching Chrome with Multiple Options

import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;

import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeOptions;
 
public class ChromeConfiguration {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        ChromeOptions options = new ChromeOptions();
        options.addArguments("--start-maximized");
        WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver(options);
        driver.get("https://www.google.com");
        System.out.println(driver.getTitle());
        driver.quit();
    }
}

29. Launching a Browser and Performing an Action

Launching a browser becomes useful when combined with actual automation operations.

import org.openqa.selenium.By;

import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver;
 
public class GoogleSearch {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();
        driver.get("https://www.google.com");
        driver.findElement(By.name("q"))
               .sendKeys("Selenium WebDriver");
        driver.findElement(By.name("q"))
               .submit();
        driver.quit();
    }
}

The general sequence is:

Launch Browser

      ↓
Open Website
      ↓
Locate Element
      ↓
Enter Data
      ↓
Submit Action
      ↓
Validate Result
      ↓
Close Session

30. Launching Browser in a Login Automation Test

import org.openqa.selenium.By;

import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver;
 
public class LoginTest {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();
        driver.manage().window().maximize();
        driver.get("https://example.com/login");
        driver.findElement(By.id("username"))
               .sendKeys("testuser");
        driver.findElement(By.id("password"))
               .sendKeys("password123");
        driver.findElement(By.id("loginButton"))
               .click();
        System.out.println("Login test executed");
        driver.quit();
    }
}

31. Local Browser Launching

When Selenium executes a browser on the same machine where the test code is running, it is considered local execution.

Test Machine

     |
     | Selenium WebDriver
     ↓
Browser Driver
     |
     ↓
Chrome Browser

This is the most common setup when learning Selenium and when executing tests directly from a developer's machine.

32. Remote Browser Launching

Selenium also supports remote browser execution. In remote execution, the test code can run on one machine while the browser session is created on another machine or execution environment.

Test Machine

     ↓
Remote WebDriver
     ↓
Selenium Server / Grid
     ↓
Remote Machine
     ↓
Browser

Selenium Grid is designed for running tests across different machines and platforms, including multiple browser and operating-system combinations.

33. Launching a Browser Through RemoteWebDriver

A remote browser session can be created using RemoteWebDriver with appropriate browser options.

import java.net.MalformedURLException;

import java.net.URL;
 
import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.remote.RemoteWebDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeOptions;
 
public class RemoteBrowser {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws MalformedURLException {
        ChromeOptions options = new ChromeOptions();
        WebDriver driver = new RemoteWebDriver(
            new URL("http://localhost:4444"),
            options
        );
        driver.get("https://www.google.com");
        System.out.println(driver.getTitle());
        driver.quit();
    }
}

34. Cross-Browser Launching

One of the major advantages of Selenium WebDriver is the ability to automate different browsers using browser-specific WebDriver implementations.

This enables the same general automation concepts to be applied across different browser environments.

35. Example of Cross-Browser Code

WebDriver driver;

 
String browser = "chrome";
 
if (browser.equalsIgnoreCase("chrome")) {
    driver = new ChromeDriver();
} else if (browser.equalsIgnoreCase("firefox")) {
    driver = new FirefoxDriver();
} else if (browser.equalsIgnoreCase("edge")) {
    driver = new EdgeDriver();
} else {
    throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unsupported browser");
}
 
driver.get("https://www.google.com");
driver.quit();

36. Browser Launching in a Maven Project

A Selenium Java project is commonly managed using Maven. Selenium dependencies are defined in the pom.xml file.

    org.seleniumhq.selenium
    selenium-java
    4.x.x

The exact dependency version should be selected according to the Selenium version being used by the project.

37. Browser Launching with TestNG

In a TestNG automation framework, browser launching is often placed inside a setup method.

import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;

import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver;
import org.testng.annotations.AfterMethod;
import org.testng.annotations.BeforeMethod;
import org.testng.annotations.Test;
 
public class BrowserTest {
    WebDriver driver;
 
    @BeforeMethod
    public void setUp() {
        driver = new ChromeDriver();
        driver.manage().window().maximize();
    }
 
    @Test
    public void openGoogle() {
        driver.get("https://www.google.com");
        System.out.println(driver.getTitle());
    }
 
    @AfterMethod
    public void tearDown() {
        driver.quit();
    }
}

This creates a clean lifecycle:

@BeforeMethod

      ↓
Launch Browser
      ↓
@Test
      ↓
Execute Test
      ↓
@AfterMethod
      ↓
Quit Browser

38. Browser Launching with Page Object Model

In a Page Object Model framework, browser creation is normally separated from page-specific classes.

For example:

BaseTest

   ↓
Browser Setup
   ↓
LoginPage
   ↓
DashboardPage
   ↓
Test Class

The test class focuses on test behavior while browser lifecycle management can be handled in a base or setup layer.

39. Common Browser Launching Errors

Error 1: Driver Initialization Failure

This can occur when the browser, driver, Selenium configuration, or environment setup is not correct.

Error 2: Browser Not Installed

If the required browser is unavailable on the execution environment, Selenium cannot create the expected browser session.

Error 3: Driver/Browser Compatibility Problems

Browser automation depends on compatible components. Modern Selenium Manager can reduce manual driver-management work, but environment-specific problems can still occur.

Error 4: Session Creation Failure

A session may fail to start because of incorrect capabilities, unavailable resources, browser configuration, or remote execution problems.

40. Common Beginner Mistakes

• Forgetting to create the WebDriver object.
• Using the wrong browser driver class.
• Trying to automate a browser that is not available in the environment.
• Not closing the browser after the test.
• Using close() when the complete session should be terminated.
• Hard-coding environment-specific configuration unnecessarily.
• Launching the browser repeatedly inside every test method without proper lifecycle management.
• Ignoring browser-specific options when a test requires special configuration.

41. Best Practices for Launching a Browser

1. Use the WebDriver interface wherever practical.
2. Keep browser initialization in a centralized setup layer for framework-based projects.
3. Use quit() to clean up the complete WebDriver session.
4. Use browser options when specific configuration is required.
5. Use Selenium Manager where appropriate for driver management.
6. Keep browser selection configurable for cross-browser testing.
7. Avoid duplicating browser initialization code across test classes.
8. Use headless execution where appropriate for CI/CD environments.
9. Keep environment-specific values outside the test logic when possible.

42. Real-World Browser Launch Architecture

TestNG / JUnit

       ↓
Test Class
       ↓
Base Test
       ↓
Browser Factory
       ↓
WebDriver
       ↓
ChromeDriver / FirefoxDriver / EdgeDriver
       ↓
Browser
       ↓
Web Application

This architecture is useful in larger automation frameworks because browser configuration can be reused across many test classes.

43. Browser Factory Example

public class BrowserFactory {

    public static WebDriver createDriver(String browser) {
        if (browser.equalsIgnoreCase("chrome")) {
            return new ChromeDriver();
        }
        if (browser.equalsIgnoreCase("firefox")) {
            return new FirefoxDriver();
        }
        if (browser.equalsIgnoreCase("edge")) {
            return new EdgeDriver();
        }
        throw new IllegalArgumentException(
            "Unsupported browser: " + browser
        );
    }
}

Test class:

public class LoginTest {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        WebDriver driver =
            BrowserFactory.createDriver("chrome");
 
        driver.get("https://example.com/login");
        driver.quit();
    }
}

44. Browser Launching in CI/CD

In CI/CD environments, Selenium tests may run without a visible desktop environment. Headless browser execution can therefore be useful.

ChromeOptions options = new ChromeOptions();

options.addArguments("--headless=new");
 
WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver(options);
 
driver.get("https://example.com");
driver.quit();

The same general WebDriver model can be used locally and in automated execution environments, with configuration adjusted for the execution environment.

45. Browser Launching and Selenium WebDriver Architecture

Launching a browser is directly connected to WebDriver architecture.

Automation Code

      ↓
Selenium Language Binding
      ↓
WebDriver API
      ↓
Browser Driver
      ↓
WebDriver Protocol
      ↓
Browser
      ↓
Web Application

The browser driver handles communication between Selenium and the browser. This separation allows Selenium to provide a common automation API while browser-specific implementations handle browser communication.

46. Launching Browser vs Opening Website

47. Complete Practical Example

The following example demonstrates the complete browser-launching lifecycle.

import org.openqa.selenium.By;

import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver;
 
public class CompleteBrowserAutomation {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();
        driver.manage().window().maximize();
        driver.get("https://www.google.com");
        System.out.println("Title: " + driver.getTitle());
        System.out.println("URL: " + driver.getCurrentUrl());
        driver.findElement(By.name("q"))
              .sendKeys("Selenium WebDriver");
        driver.findElement(By.name("q"))
              .submit();
        driver.quit();
    }
}

48. Practical Project: Browser Launch Utility

A useful beginner framework project is to create a reusable browser utility that can launch different browsers.

Project Structure

SeleniumProject

│
├── src
│   ├── test
│   │   └── BrowserTest.java
│   │
│   └── main
│       └── BrowserFactory.java
│
├── pom.xml
└── testng.xml

BrowserFactory.java

public class BrowserFactory {

    public static WebDriver launch(String browser) {
        switch (browser.toLowerCase()) {
            case "chrome":
                return new ChromeDriver();
            case "firefox":
                return new FirefoxDriver();
            case "edge":
                return new EdgeDriver();
            default:
                throw new IllegalArgumentException(
                    "Invalid browser: " + browser
                );
        }
    }
}

BrowserTest.java

public class BrowserTest {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        WebDriver driver =
            BrowserFactory.launch("chrome");
 
        driver.manage().window().maximize();
        driver.get("https://www.google.com");
        System.out.println(driver.getTitle());
        driver.quit();
    }
}

49. Interview Question: What is Browser Launching in Selenium?

Answer: Browser launching in Selenium means creating a WebDriver session with a supported browser so that Selenium can control the browser and perform automated web interactions.

50. Interview Question: How Do You Launch Chrome in Selenium?

Answer: Chrome can be launched using ChromeDriver.

WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();

51. Interview Question: What Happens When new ChromeDriver() Is Executed?

Answer: Selenium initiates the creation of a new WebDriver session for Chrome. The browser-specific driver handles communication between Selenium and Chrome, and the browser session becomes available for automation.

52. Interview Question: Why Do We Use WebDriver Instead of ChromeDriver Directly?

Answer: WebDriver is a common interface that allows automation code to work with different browser implementations while keeping the test code largely browser-independent.

WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();

Later, the browser implementation can be changed:

WebDriver driver = new FirefoxDriver();

53. Interview Question: What is Selenium Manager?

Answer: Selenium Manager is a Selenium-provided tool that helps manage browser drivers and browsers automatically in supported scenarios. Modern Selenium bindings use it by default.

54. Interview Question: What is the Difference Between close() and quit()?

Answer: close() closes the current browser window or tab, while quit() ends the complete WebDriver session and closes the associated browser windows.

55. Interview Question: Can Selenium Launch Multiple Browsers?

Answer: Yes. Selenium WebDriver supports automation across multiple major browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari, using their respective WebDriver implementations.

56. Interview Question: What is a WebDriver Session?

Answer: A WebDriver session is an active automation session created between the Selenium client and browser. It is created when the driver object is initialized and terminated when the session is quit.

57. Quick Revision

• WebDriver: Selenium API used to control browsers.
• ChromeDriver: Browser-specific implementation for Chrome.
• FirefoxDriver: Browser-specific implementation for Firefox.
• EdgeDriver: Browser-specific implementation for Edge.
• SafariDriver: Browser-specific implementation for Safari.
• driver.get(): Opens a specified URL.
• driver.navigate(): Provides browser navigation operations.
• driver.getTitle(): Returns the current page title.
• driver.getCurrentUrl(): Returns the current URL.
• driver.close(): Closes the current window or tab.
• driver.quit(): Terminates the complete WebDriver session.
• ChromeOptions: Configures Chrome startup behavior.
• Selenium Manager: Helps manage browser and driver setup.
• RemoteWebDriver: Supports remote browser execution.

58. Complete Browser Launch Flow

Start Selenium Program

        ↓
Import WebDriver
        ↓
Select Browser
        ↓
Create Browser Options
        ↓
Create WebDriver Object
        ↓
Browser Driver Starts
        ↓
WebDriver Session Created
        ↓
Browser Launches
        ↓
Open URL
        ↓
Interact with Web Page
        ↓
Validate Result
        ↓
Quit WebDriver
        ↓
Browser Session Ends

59. Learning Outcomes

After completing this topic, you should be able to:

• Understand what browser launching means in Selenium.
• Understand the role of WebDriver.
• Understand the role of browser-specific drivers.
• Launch Chrome using ChromeDriver.
• Launch Firefox using FirefoxDriver.
• Launch Edge using EdgeDriver.
• Understand SafariDriver basics.
• Open websites using driver.get().
• Use browser navigation methods.
• Configure browser options.
• Understand headless browser execution.
• Understand WebDriver sessions.
• Understand local and remote browser execution.
• Use driver.quit() for proper cleanup.
• Understand browser launching in a Selenium automation framework.

60. Recommended Selenium Training Resource

For structured learning of Selenium WebDriver, browser automation, locators, TestNG, Page Object Model, cross-browser testing, Selenium Grid, CI/CD, and practical automation projects, you can explore the following JustAcademy resource:

JustAcademy Selenium Automation Testing Course

You can also use the following link to register for a course demo:

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61. Final Summary

Launching a browser is the starting point of Selenium WebDriver automation. A WebDriver object is created using a browser-specific driver such as ChromeDriver, FirefoxDriver, EdgeDriver, or SafariDriver. Selenium then creates a browser session through the WebDriver architecture, allowing the automation script to control the browser.

A typical Selenium workflow is:

WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();

 
driver.manage().window().maximize();
 
driver.get("https://www.google.com");
 
// Perform automation
 
driver.quit();

Understanding browser launching is essential because almost every Selenium WebDriver automation scenario begins with establishing a browser session. Once the session is created, Selenium can navigate pages, locate elements, perform actions, validate application behavior, and finally terminate the session.

In simple terms:

Launch Browser

      ↓
Create WebDriver Session
      ↓
Open Web Application
      ↓
Perform Automation
      ↓
Validate Result
      ↓
Quit Browser