XPath (XML Path Language) is used in Selenium to navigate through elements in an XML document. It helps locate UI elements (buttons, text fields, links, etc.) on a web page when other locators (ID, Name, Class) are not available or reliable.

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1. Types of XPath

XPath can be broadly classified into:

1. Absolute XPath

2. Relative XPath

1.1 Absolute XPath

• Starts from the root element (/html) and goes down step by step.

• Uses a direct path.

• Not recommended because even a small UI change can break the XPath.

✅ Example:

/html/body/div[1]/div[2]/div[3]/button

🚨 Disadvantages:

• If the UI structure changes, the XPath will break.

• It is lengthy and difficult to maintain.

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1.2 Relative XPath

• Starts from anywhere in the document.

• Uses // to find elements irrespective of their position.

• Recommended for Selenium testing because it is more flexible.

✅ Example:

//button[text()='Login']

✅ Advantage:

• Works even if the UI structure changes.

• More readable and maintainable.

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2. XPath Syntax and Functions

2.1 XPath Axes

Axes help locate elements based on their relationships in the HTML DOM.

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2.2 XPath Attributes and Conditions

XPath can use conditions to locate elements efficiently.

2.2.1 Basic Attribute Selection

✅ Syntax:

//tagname[@attribute='value']

✅ Example:

//input[@id='username']

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2.2.2 Using Multiple Attributes

✅ Syntax:

//tagname[@attribute1='value1' and @attribute2='value2']

✅ Example:

//input[@type='text' and @name='email']

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2.2.3 Contains() Function

Used when part of the attribute value is known.

✅ Syntax:

//tagname[contains(@attribute, 'partialValue')]

✅ Example:

//input[contains(@id, 'user')]

(Selects elements like id='username', id='user_input')

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2.2.4 Starts-with() Function

Used when the attribute value starts with a specific text.

✅ Syntax:

//tagname[starts-with(@attribute, 'startingText')]

✅ Example:

//input[starts-with(@id, 'pass')]

(Selects id='password', id='passcode')

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2.2.5 Text() Function

Used when selecting an element based on visible text.

✅ Syntax:

//tagname[text()='ExactText']

✅ Example:

//button[text()='Login']

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2.2.6 Using OR & AND in XPath

• OR selects an element if at least one condition is true.

• AND selects an element if all conditions are true.

✅ Example (OR Condition):

//input[@id='email' or @name='user_email']

✅ Example (AND Condition):

//input[@id='email' and @type='text']

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3. Advanced XPath Examples

3.1 Finding nth Element

If there are multiple matching elements, we can select a specific one using position() or indexing.

✅ Example (First element in a list):

//input[@type='text'])[1]

✅ Example (Last element in a list):

//input[@type='text'])[last()]

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3.2 Navigating Using XPath Axes

✅ Select the first sibling of a given element

//div[@class='menu']/following-sibling::div[1]

✅ Select the last child of a parent element

//ul[@id='nav']/child::li[last()]

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4. Best Practices for Writing XPath in Selenium

✅ Prefer Relative XPath over Absolute XPath.
✅ Use meaningful attributes (id, name, data-*).
✅ Use contains(), starts-with(), or text() instead of long attributes.
✅ Avoid using XPath that is too deep (//div/div/div[3]/button).
✅ Use indexing only when necessary ((//button[@type='submit'])[1]).

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5. Handling Dynamic Elements with XPath

Some elements have dynamically changing attributes. To handle them:

• Use contains() instead of exact values.

• Avoid using auto-generated id or class values.

• Use parent-child relationships.

✅ Example:

//button[contains(@class, 'submit')]

(Selects <button class="btn-submit">Submit</button>)

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6. Writing XPath for Real-time Scenarios

Scenario 1: Click on a Button

//button[text()='Sign Up']

Scenario 2: Enter Text into a Field

//input[@placeholder='Enter your email']

Scenario 3: Select a Checkbox

//input[@type='checkbox' and @name='terms']

Scenario 4: Click on a Dynamic Link

//a[contains(text(), 'Learn More')]

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7. Conclusion

• XPath is powerful and flexible but should be used wisely.

• Use Relative XPath over Absolute XPath.

• Utilize functions like contains(), starts-with(), and text() for robust locators.

• Use XPath axes to navigate complex HTML structures.

• Always prefer simple and maintainable XPath expressions.