Headless browser execution issue in Selenium WebDriver

Other Questions Headless Browser
1

I’m trying to run a headless browser test using Selenium WebDriver with HtmlUnitDriver. But I’m running into some problems. Here’s a simplified version of my code:

import org.openqa.selenium.htmlunit.HtmlUnitDriver;

public class HeadlessTest {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws InterruptedException {
        HtmlUnitDriver browser = new HtmlUnitDriver();
        browser.get('https://www.example.com');
        
        Thread.sleep(5000);
        System.out.println('Current URL: ' + browser.getCurrentUrl());
        System.out.println('Page title: ' + browser.getTitle());
    }
}

When I run this, I get:

Current URL: about:blank
Page title:

It works fine with FirefoxDriver though. What am I doing wrong here? How can I fix this issue with HtmlUnitDriver? Any help would be great!

2

yo emma, i had the same issue. htmlunitdriver can b tricky. try enabling javascript:

HtmlUnitDriverConfiguration config = new HtmlUnitDriverConfiguration();
config.setJavascriptEnabled(true);
HtmlUnitDriver browser = new HtmlUnitDriver(config);

that might help. if not, maybe switch to headless chrome/firefox. they work better for complex sites.

3

I’ve encountered similar issues with HtmlUnitDriver. It’s quite limited compared to other drivers. Have you considered using a headless version of Chrome or Firefox instead? They’re much more reliable for complex web interactions.

If you’re set on using HtmlUnitDriver, try enabling JavaScript. You can do this by configuring the driver like this:

HtmlUnitDriverConfiguration config = new HtmlUnitDriverConfiguration();
config.setJavascriptEnabled(true);
HtmlUnitDriver browser = new HtmlUnitDriver(config);

This might resolve some issues, but keep in mind that HtmlUnitDriver still has limitations. It doesn’t render pages visually, which can cause problems with certain web elements.

For more robust headless testing, I’d recommend switching to headless Chrome or Firefox. They handle JavaScript and rendering much better, leading to more consistent results in my experience.

4

I’ve encountered similar issues with HtmlUnitDriver in my projects. While enabling JavaScript can help, as others have mentioned, I’ve found it’s often not enough for modern websites.

In my experience, switching to headless Chrome or Firefox has been a game-changer. These drivers offer much better compatibility with contemporary web technologies. They execute JavaScript more reliably and render pages more accurately, which is crucial for complex web applications.

If you’re open to alternatives, I’d strongly recommend giving headless Chrome a try. It’s relatively easy to set up and provides a more robust testing environment. You might need to add a few dependencies to your project, but the improved reliability is well worth it.

Remember to update your WebDriver regularly too. I’ve seen many issues resolved simply by using the latest version of the driver and browser. It’s a small step that can save hours of troubleshooting.