What is Page Object Model?

The Page Object Model (POM) is a design pattern commonly used in automated testing with Selenium. It provides a structured approach to writing test automation code, making it more readable, maintainable, and reusable.

In POM, each web page in an application is represented by a separate Page Class. These Page Classes contain the elements and actions specific to that page. By organizing the code this way, it becomes easier to locate and manage the elements and their related functionalities.

Instead of directly using the traditional .findElement method to locate elements on a page, POM encourages the use of the @FindBy annotation provided by Selenium’s Page Factory. This annotation helps in locating the elements using various methods such as ID, name, CSS selector, or XPath.

In addition to element locators, the Page Class may also include reusable utility methods that are specific to that particular page. These methods can be used across multiple tests and provide a convenient way to interact with the elements and perform common actions.

To avoid hardcoding values and centralize the configuration, POM often utilizes a “configuration.properties” file. This file contains key-value pairs representing various settings and parameters. To read this file, a “Configuration Reader” class is usually implemented, which retrieves the values from the configuration file and makes them accessible to the Page Classes and other test components.

The POM also employs a “Driver” class, which is responsible for instantiating the Selenium WebDriver object and managing the browser instance. It provides a standardized way to initialize the WebDriver and allows the creation of driver objects without repeating the setup code in every test.

Furthermore, a “BrowserUtils” class can be implemented to contain general utility methods that are not specific to any particular page but can be reused across multiple Page Classes or tests. These utility methods may include actions like handling waits, taking screenshots, or performing common browser-related operations.

By implementing the Page Object Model, test automation code becomes more modular, organized, and maintainable. It allows for easier collaboration among team members, as each page’s elements and actions are encapsulated within their respective Page Classes. Additionally, any changes to the application’s UI can be easily addressed by updating the relevant Page Class, reducing the maintenance effort required for test scripts.