Working with Collections in Java for Selenium Testing

 🔹 What Are Collections in Java?

The Java Collections Framework provides classes and interfaces to store and manipulate groups of data as a single unit (like arrays, lists, sets, maps). Commonly used collections include:

List

Set

Map

Queue

They are essential when dealing with multiple elements in Selenium, such as web elements or data values.

🔹 Why Use Collections in Selenium Testing?

In Selenium automation, we often need to:

Handle multiple web elements (e.g., all links on a page)

Store test data or expected values

Validate lists, tables, or dropdown options

Collections help manage and manipulate such data efficiently.

🔹 Common Use Cases with Examples

1. Handling Multiple Web Elements

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List<WebElement> links = driver.findElements(By.tagName("a"));

System.out.println("Total links: " + links.size());

for (WebElement link : links) {

    System.out.println(link.getText());

}

2. Storing and Validating Dropdown Options

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Select dropdown = new Select(driver.findElement(By.id("country")));

List<WebElement> options = dropdown.getOptions();

List<String> actualOptions = new ArrayList<>();

for (WebElement option : options) {

    actualOptions.add(option.getText());

}

List<String> expectedOptions = Arrays.asList("India", "USA", "UK");

// Validate

Assert.assertEquals(actualOptions, expectedOptions);

3. Using Set to Remove Duplicates

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List<WebElement> elements = driver.findElements(By.className("item-name"));

Set<String> uniqueItems = new HashSet<>();

for (WebElement el : elements) {

    uniqueItems.add(el.getText());

}

System.out.println("Unique item count: " + uniqueItems.size());

4. Using Map to Store Key-Value Data

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Map<String, String> testData = new HashMap<>();

testData.put("username", "admin");

testData.put("password", "12345");

driver.findElement(By.id("username")).sendKeys(testData.get("username"));

driver.findElement(By.id("password")).sendKeys(testData.get("password"));

🔹 Useful Tips

Prefer List when order matters (e.g., dropdowns).

Use Set to remove duplicates (e.g., filtering unique elements).

Use Map for key-value pairs (e.g., credentials, label-value pairs).

Collections are often used with loops or Streams to iterate and process data.

🔹 Conclusion

Collections in Java are powerful tools that enhance Selenium tests by allowing you to:

Work efficiently with groups of elements

Compare and validate lists

Organize and reuse data

Understanding and using the right collection type improves the maintainability and robustness of your Selenium automation framework.

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