When you write a Selenium test, every interaction depends on one crucial step: identifying the right element. Whether it's a button, input field, dropdown, or link, Selenium must find it before it can click, type, or select.
This is where element locators come in. These strategies help your Python scripts pinpoint specific pieces of the page, just like a user would. In this guide, you'll learn exactly how to find element in Selenium with Python confidently and consistently.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
Let’s get started!
Web elements are the pieces that make up a webpage. Each button, image, link, input field, or dropdown is an element. Selenium works by finding these elements and interacting with them in the same way a user would.
To find element in Selenium with Python, your script needs to know exactly which part of the page it should touch. That could mean clicking a link, filling a form, or verifying a label. Every action begins with the right element.
Think of a webpage like a LEGO model. Each block has a shape and position, and every Selenium test script needs to know which block to work with. This understanding allows your Python code to act with precision and purpose.
Once you know how to target an element, the rest of the automation becomes much easier to manage.
To find element in Selenium with Python, your script needs a clear strategy. That strategy is called a locator. A locator helps Selenium identify the exact element it should interact with, even when there are hundreds of similar elements on the page.
Accurate locators lead to stable tests. They reduce flakiness and improve reliability. That’s why choosing the right locator from the beginning makes a big difference in test performance.
Here are the most common locator strategies used in Selenium:
Each locator gives you a different angle to approach the page structure. Before jumping into code, it helps to know which method fits your test case best.
Before you can find element in Selenium with Python, you need to prepare your environment. The setup is simple and ensures your tests run smoothly.
Follow these steps to get started:
After completing these steps, run a basic “Hello World” test to confirm everything works. You can now start locating elements and interacting with them in your Python Selenium scripts.
Once your environment is ready, you can start locating elements in Selenium with Python. Each locator strategy has its own use case, and combining them correctly ensures stable and efficient tests.
Find element by ID: Use when the element has a unique identifier.
element = driver.find_element(By.ID, "submit_button")
Find element by Name: Targets elements with a name attribute.
element = driver.find_element(By.NAME, "username")
Find element by Class Name: Use when a class is unique for the element.
element = driver.find_element(By.CLASS_NAME, "login-field")
Find element by Tag Name: Useful for groups like all input or button elements.
element = driver.find_element(By.TAG_NAME, "button")
Find element by Link Text / Partial Link Text: Targets links by exact or partial text.
element = driver.find_element(By.LINK_TEXT, "Contact Us")
partial_element = driver.find_element(By.PARTIAL_LINK_TEXT, "Contact")
Find element by CSS Selector: Flexible and precise targeting.
element = driver.find_element(By.CSS_SELECTOR, "div.login input#username")Find element by XPath: Useful when other attributes are not reliable.
element = driver.find_element(By.XPATH, "//input[@id='username']")You can also use find_elements() to locate multiple elements at once. For example:
buttons = driver.find_elements(By.TAG_NAME, "button")Choosing the right locator ensures your Selenium Python tests remain stable, fast, and maintainable. Using unique identifiers and robust strategies reduces flakiness and increases test reliability.
Finding elements effectively is more than writing code. Following best practices ensures your Selenium Python tests remain stable, fast, and maintainable over time.
By applying these practices, you make your tests more readable, maintainable, and resilient to UI changes, improving long-term test quality.
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With Katalon, your Selenium Python scripts gain additional features that improve scalability, maintainability, and speed. It removes complexity while maintaining full control over your test workflows.
Katalon enhances Selenium with a complete, enterprise-ready platform, making automation faster to set up, easier to scale, and more maintainable. For hands-on guidance, explore the Katalon Docs and structured training at Katalon Academy.