How to Navigate to a Particular URL in Selenium Java?

To navigate to a particular URL in Selenium Java, you have two main options: using the get() method or the navigate().to() method. Both are widely used and supported by the Selenium WebDriver API.

1. Using driver.get(String url) Method

Purpose: Loads the specified URL in the current browser window and waits for the page to fully load before proceeding.

Syntax:

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

Usage:

import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver; 
import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver; 
public class OpenUrlExample { 
    public static void main(String[] args) { 
        WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver(); 
        driver.get("https://www.example.com"); 
        // ... your test code ... driver.quit(); 
    } 
}

2. Using driver.navigate().to(String url) Method

Purpose: Also loads the specified URL, but through the Navigation interface, which additionally supports navigating back, forward, and refresh actions.

Syntax:

driver.navigate().to("https://www.example.com");

Usage:

WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver(); driver.navigate().to("https://www.example.com");

Notes and Differences

Method	Waits for Page Load	Maintains Browser History	Use Case
driver.get(url)	Yes	No	Simple loading/opening of a new URL
driver.navigate().to(url)	Yes	Yes	When also using back/forward/refresh actions

• Both methods are acceptable for simply loading a web page.
• get() is more commonly used for basic navigation, while navigate().to() is used when you require advanced navigation (like going back/forward).

Common Mistake

• Always include the protocol (http:// or https://) in your URL to avoid exceptions.

Both methods are standard and supported; choose based on your needs for navigation history and test clarity.