How to Handle Dropdowns and Checkboxes

 Dropdowns and checkboxes are common UI elements in web applications. Handling them effectively is essential in test automation to ensure accurate validation of user interactions. Whether you’re using Selenium, Playwright, or another automation tool, this blog explains how to handle dropdowns and checkboxes in a simple and reliable way.

Handling Dropdowns

Dropdowns allow users to select one (or multiple) options from a list. There are two common types:

Standard HTML <select> elements

Custom-styled dropdowns (JavaScript-based)

1. HTML Select Dropdown (Selenium Example)

For standard dropdowns:

from selenium.webdriver.support.ui import Select

dropdown = Select(driver.find_element(By.ID, "country"))

dropdown.select_by_visible_text("India")  # Select by visible text

dropdown.select_by_value("IN")            # Select by value

dropdown.select_by_index(2)               # Select by index

You can also get the selected option or all available options:

selected = dropdown.first_selected_option.text

all_options = [option.text for option in dropdown.options]

2. Custom Dropdowns

Custom dropdowns may require clicking to reveal the list and then selecting an option:

driver.find_element(By.ID, "dropdown-btn").click()

driver.find_element(By.XPATH, "//li[text()='India']").click()

Waits may be necessary to handle dynamic elements.

Handling Checkboxes

Checkboxes allow users to make one or more selections.

Selenium Example:

To check or uncheck a checkbox:

checkbox = driver.find_element(By.ID, "agree")

if not checkbox.is_selected():

    checkbox.click()  # Check the box

To uncheck, simply click again if it’s already selected:

if checkbox.is_selected()

    checkbox.click()  # Uncheck the box

You can also validate checkbox status:

assert checkbox.is_selected() == True

Best Practices

Use explicit waits to ensure elements are ready before interaction.

Verify states after performing actions (e.g., check if a checkbox is selected).

Avoid hardcoded XPaths; use relative and stable locators.

Conclusion

Properly handling dropdowns and checkboxes is vital for building reliable test automation scripts. By using the right locators, understanding the element types, and implementing validations, you can automate these components effectively. Mastering these basics lays a strong foundation for more complex test scenarios in any web application.

Learn Playwright Training in Hyderabad

Read More:

Understanding Locators in Playwright

Element Handling in Playwright Explained

Playwright vs Cypress: Key Differences

Page Object Model in Playwright

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