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Introduction

Teams in every company want fast and stable releases. This need makes automation important in daily testing. Selenium grows as the most used tool for web testing. Reports show that more than 60% of QA teams use Selenium as part of their daily automation work. Java is one of the most preferred languages for Selenium because it is stable, fast, and easy to use with automation libraries.

Many beginners join a Selenium certification course to learn the right method to write scripts. These programs always start with OOP because OOP changes how you design your framework. OOP reduces repeated code. OOP keeps the code organized. OOP supports simple updates when the application changes. This is why testers must understand OOP before writing Selenium tests.

Let us explore the deeper connection between OOP and Selenium test automation.

Why OOP Matters in Selenium Automation

OOP helps testers write clean and reusable scripts. Testers create objects and classes instead of writing repeated steps. When the project grows, the framework stays simple to handle. Every selenium test automation course or selenium automation testing course teaches the OOP pillars because they help teams build a strong and long-lasting automation system.

Below are the core OOP concepts used in Selenium:

• Class and Object
  
  

• Encapsulation
  
  

• Inheritance
  
  

• Polymorphism
  
  

• Abstraction
  
  

Let us understand each concept with real Selenium examples.

1. Class and Object in Selenium With Java

A class acts like a blueprint. An object is the real instance created from that blueprint.

How It Helps in Selenium

In Selenium, classes help you group driver setup, page actions, utilities, and test logic. This keeps the code neat. When you create an object, you can call methods from that class and run actions on the browser.

Real Example

public class BrowserSetup {

    WebDriver driver;

    public WebDriver startBrowser() {

        driver = new ChromeDriver();

        driver.manage().window().maximize();

        return driver;

    }

}

Using the class in a test:

BrowserSetup setup = new BrowserSetup();

WebDriver driver = setup.startBrowser();

driver.get("https://example.com");

Why This Matters

• You avoid repeated driver code.
  
  

• You update setup logic in one class.
  
  

• You follow a clear structure used in real automation work.
  
  

This simple use of classes and objects becomes a major skill in real projects.

2. Encapsulation: Keeping Data Safe and Structured

Encapsulation hides inner details and allows controlled access. You hide the internal logic in methods and expose only what the test needs.

How It Helps in Selenium

In Selenium, encapsulation helps you hide page locators inside Page Object Model (POM) classes. This makes your test scripts clean and stable.

Real Example: POM With Encapsulation

public class LoginPage {

    private WebDriver driver;

    private By username = By.id("user");

    private By password = By.id("pass");

    private By loginBtn = By.id("login");

    public LoginPage(WebDriver driver) {

        this.driver = driver;

    }

    public void enterUsername(String user) {

        driver.findElement(username).sendKeys(user);

    }

    public void enterPassword(String pass) {

        driver.findElement(password).sendKeys(pass);

    }

    public void clickLogin() {

        driver.findElement(loginBtn).click();

    }

}

The test uses simple method calls:

LoginPage login = new LoginPage(driver);

login.enterUsername("admin");

login.enterPassword("admin123");

login.clickLogin();

Benefits

• Locators are not exposed directly.
  
  

• Tests become readable and simple.
  
  

• Any UI change needs editing only inside the LoginPage class.
  
  

Encapsulation is why Page Object Model is so popular in automation projects.

3. Inheritance: Reuse Test Logic Across Classes

Inheritance helps one class extend the features of another class. It is one of the most used OOP concepts in Selenium learning.

How It Helps in Selenium

A test framework usually has a Base Class that contains driver setup, teardown, and common methods. All test classes extend this Base Class. This pattern reduces repeated code and improves maintainability.

Real Example

Base Class:

public class BaseTest {

    public WebDriver driver;

    @BeforeMethod

    public void setup() {

        driver = new ChromeDriver();

        driver.manage().window().maximize();

    }

    @AfterMethod

    public void tearDown() {

        driver.quit();

    }

}

Test Class:

public class LoginTest extends BaseTest {

    @Test

    public void verifyLogin() {

        driver.get("https://example.com/login");

        // Test steps...

    }

}

Benefits

• Common logic stays in one place.
  
  

• Test classes stay short and clean.
  
  

• Maintenance time reduces in large automation projects.
  
  

Inheritance is used in most industry-standard Selenium frameworks.

4. Polymorphism: Flexible Test Commands

Polymorphism allows a method to behave differently based on input or object type. This helps create flexible and reusable automation code.

How It Helps in Selenium

You can create overloaded methods for clicking, typing, waiting, or taking screenshots. This allows one method name to handle different data.

Real Example

public void click(By locator) {

    driver.findElement(locator).click();

}

public void click(WebElement element) {

    element.click();

}

This gives testers freedom to choose how they click elements. The same method name works with different inputs.

Benefits

• Flexible code structure.
  
  

• Easy method reuse across the framework.
  
  

• Better readability for beginners and advanced testers.
  
  

5. Abstraction: Focus Only on Important Details

Abstraction hides unwanted details and exposes only required functions.

How It Helps in Selenium

You can create abstract classes or interfaces for WebDriver actions, waits, or reusable utilities.

Real Example

public interface WaitActions {

    void waitForVisibility(By locator);

}

A class implements it:

public class WaitHelper implements WaitActions {

    WebDriver driver;

    public WaitHelper(WebDriver driver) {

        this.driver = driver;

    }

    @Override

    public void waitForVisibility(By locator) {

        WebDriverWait wait = new WebDriverWait(driver, Duration.ofSeconds(10));

        wait.until(ExpectedConditions.visibilityOfElementLocated(locator));

    }

}

Benefits

• You define clear behavior rules.
  
  

• You force uniform coding standards across the team.
  
  

• Your framework becomes predictable and clean.
  
  

OOP and Page Object Model (POM): The Strongest Combination

Most testers learn POM in every Online Selenium training because it is the industry standard. POM works smoothly with OOP.

How OOP Supports POM

• Classes represent pages.
  
  

• Encapsulation hides locators.
  
  

• Inheritance supports common methods.
  
  

• Polymorphism allows flexible actions.
  
  

• Abstraction helps define behavior.
  
  

Why POM Is Essential

Studies show that POM reduces maintenance time by almost 40% in large automation projects. That is why companies expect candidates to know POM before joining.

Building a Simple OOP-Based Selenium Framework (Step-by-Step Guide)

Below is a simple beginner-friendly structure used in many Selenium automation testing projects.

Step 1: Create Base Class

This class handles driver setup.

Step 2: Build Page Classes Using POM

Each page gets a class with locators and actions.

Step 3: Add Utility Classes

Use OOP to add reusable wait, click, or report methods.

Step 4: Add Test Classes

Keep these clean. Call only page methods and utilities.

Step 5: Use TestNG

Add annotations like @BeforeMethod and @Test.

This step-by-step structure is the same method taught in most Online Selenium training programs.

Why OOP Makes Selenium Frameworks Scalable

A scalable framework grows with the project. OOP helps you create separate modules. You update one module without breaking others.

Industry Example

A large e-commerce company uses more than 3000 automation scripts. Their framework uses OOP to handle:

• dynamic locators
  
  

• multiple page flows
  
  

• separate reusable functions
  
  

• cross-browser execution
  
  

Their team reported that OOP reduced failures caused by UI updates by nearly 25%.

OOP in Real Automation Roles

Hiring managers expect candidates to write clean code. OOP helps beginners learn structured automation and become job-ready. A strong grasp of OOP improves performance in automation roles and makes you confident in interviews.

A standard selenium automation testing course or automation software training program covers:

• Java OOP basics
  
  

• Selenium WebDriver
  
  

• Page Object Model
  
  

• Framework design
  
  

• TestNG
  
  

• Real project work
  
  

These skills prepare you for real industry tasks.

Why Students Learn OOP First in Every Selenium Course

Every Selenium course online or Selenium online training program begins with OOP because:

• You cannot design POM without OOP.
  
  

• You need classes to handle browser actions.
  
  

• You need inheritance for Base Classes.
  
  

• You need encapsulation for clean tests.
  
  

• You need abstraction for reusable utilities.
  
  

Strong OOP knowledge produces strong automation engineers.

Key Takeaways

• OOP helps you write clear, simple, and stable test scripts.
  
  

• Classes and objects help create organized code.
  
  

• Encapsulation supports POM and hides locators.
  
  

• Inheritance reduces repeated setup code.
  
  

• Polymorphism offers flexible methods.
  
  

• Abstraction enforces clean coding rules.
  
  

• OOP is the foundation of every good Selenium framework.
  
  

• Every Selenium testing course teaches OOP because it is required for real work.
  
  

Conclusion

OOP gives Selenium with Java the power to scale and grow with projects. You can build stable and easy-to-manage frameworks when you apply OOP the right way. Start learning OOP and Selenium today to build a confident career in automation.
Join a structured Selenium online training program and start your automation journey now.