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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →To run Selenium tests remotely, keep the test code on your client or CI runner and connect a Selenium Grid endpoint with a RemoteWebDriver and browser-specific Options. Grid runs the browser on a separate machine and routes WebDriver commands to it. For a first test, run Selenium Server in Standalone mode and connect to http://localhost:4444.
How remote Selenium execution works
The test process and the browser do not have to run on the same computer. Your test client sends WebDriver commands to Grid over the network; Grid matches the requested browser options to available capacity, starts a session, and forwards commands to the machine running that browser. The browser and its driver run remotely, while assertions and test logic remain in your test code. See Selenium’s Remote WebDriver documentation.
A remote session needs two things: a Grid URL reachable from the client and an Options object describing the browser. In Selenium 4, use the browser’s Options class; older Desired Capabilities examples commonly reflect Selenium 3-era setup. Grid can only satisfy browser or platform requests for which it has matching capacity.
Choose a Grid deployment
Start with the simplest topology that meets your needs. The right size depends on your tests, machines, browser mix and desired concurrency; Selenium does not prescribe a universal capacity or hardware size. Measure performance in your own environment and consult the documentation for your installed release.
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| Mode | Machines and entry point | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Standalone | One process on one machine; default endpoint http://localhost:4444. |
You need a quick local demonstration, debugging target or small CI setup. |
| Hub and Node | A Hub provides the entry point; Nodes add browser capacity. | You need to distribute browsers across machines or offer different browser versions. |
| Distributed | Grid components run separately. | A larger or customized deployment warrants separately managed components. |
Grid supports parallel execution, cross-platform testing and different browser versions, but the topology adds operational work as it grows. Read Selenium’s Grid overview and Getting started with Selenium Grid.
Start a local Grid and connect a Java test
This minimal example assumes Java, Selenium client libraries and a Selenium Server JAR are already available. Start the server in one terminal; run the test from the same machine or another client that can reach port 4444.
-
Start Selenium Server in Standalone mode:
java -jar selenium-server-<version>.jar standalone. Replace the filename with the JAR you downloaded. The default remote endpoint ishttp://localhost:4444. -
Use browser Options and create a RemoteWebDriver session. This example selects Chrome:
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import java.net.URL; import org.openqa.selenium.By; import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver; import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeOptions; import org.openqa.selenium.remote.RemoteWebDriver; public class RemoteSmokeTest { public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception { ChromeOptions options = new ChromeOptions(); WebDriver driver = new RemoteWebDriver( new URL("http://localhost:4444"), options); try { driver.get("https://example.com"); System.out.println(driver.getTitle()); } finally { driver.quit(); } } }The essential constructor pattern is
new RemoteWebDriver(new URL("http://gridUrl:4444"), options). Selenium’s Browser Options guide covers browser-specific configuration. -
For a different machine or CI runner, replace localhost with the Grid address that the runner can reach, for example
http://grid-host.example:4444. Confirm routing, firewall rules and the listening port before debugging the test itself. -
Call
quit()when the test ends, including on failure, so the remote session is closed rather than left consuming browser capacity.
For Firefox, use FirefoxOptions; for other browsers use their corresponding Selenium Options class. Options may request a browser version or platform, but Grid must have a node that can match them.
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Connect from JavaScript
Selenium’s JavaScript API supports selecting a browser and remote server with a Builder. Install the Selenium WebDriver package in the project before running this example:
const { Builder } = require('selenium-webdriver');
(async () => {
const driver = await new Builder()
.forBrowser('chrome')
.usingServer(process.env.SELENIUM_REMOTE_URL || 'http://localhost:4444')
.build();
try {
await driver.get('https://example.com');
console.log(await driver.getTitle());
} finally {
await driver.quit();
}
})();The API documents SELENIUM_REMOTE_URL as an alternative for specifying the server. See the Selenium WebDriver JavaScript API.
Configure Grid for your environment
Grid settings can be supplied with command-line flags or TOML configuration files. Flags can be convenient for a small setup; TOML can make a larger or repeatable configuration easier to read and keep under source control. Standalone settings include the listening port and maximum sessions. Exact options evolve, so consult the configuration reference for your installed Selenium Server version and check its own help output before relying on a flag.
Do not treat a sample CPU or memory figure as a universal sizing rule. Selenium recommends measuring performance in the environment where the Grid will run.
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Handle files across the client and browser machines
Uploads
A file path used by the remote browser refers to the remote environment unless Selenium’s remote upload handling is used. If the file starts on the test client, configure the remote upload mechanism so the file is transferred to the browser machine; passing the client’s local path alone does not make that file exist remotely. Follow the upload guidance in Remote WebDriver.
Downloads
To retrieve remote downloads through Grid, enable managed downloads when starting Grid and opt in through the client options/session configuration. A download listing is a snapshot, not proof that a listed transfer has completed; wait for the expected file to finish before retrieving or validating it. The relevant session and server settings are described in Selenium’s Grid CLI configuration and Remote WebDriver guides.
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Do not expose an unprotected Grid endpoint to the public internet. Selenium warns that external access can expose the Grid infrastructure, internal applications and files, and can let third parties run custom binaries. Restrict access with appropriate network controls and firewall permissions; expose only the endpoint needed by trusted test clients. Selenium’s Grid getting-started guide states: “Selenium Grid must be protected from external access using appropriate firewall permissions.”
Troubleshoot common connection failures
- Connection refused or timeout: The client cannot reach the server at the configured URL and port, or Selenium Server is not running. Verify the Standalone process, listening port, hostname, network route and firewall rules; use localhost only when client and Grid are on the same machine.
- Session cannot be created: The requested browser, version or platform may not match any available Grid capacity, or the browser/driver setup may be unavailable on the node. Check the requested Options against the configured nodes and server logs.
- Test works locally but not remotely: Recheck assumptions about filesystem paths, installed browser versions, network access from the browser machine, and any local-only service or URL. The remote browser sees its own environment.
- Downloads cannot be retrieved: Confirm Grid managed downloads are enabled and the client session opts in. Do not treat a listing as completion; wait for the download to finish.
- Grid options are rejected: Configuration names and availability can vary by server release. Check the installed server’s help output and version-matched CLI or TOML documentation.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use RemoteWebDriver without Selenium Grid?
RemoteWebDriver needs a remote WebDriver server endpoint; Selenium Grid is the documented infrastructure for routing sessions across remote browser machines.
Does the test code run on the remote machine?
No. The client runs the test logic and sends commands; the remote machine runs the browser and driver.
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