Selenium is an essential tool for automating web browsers, widely utilized for testing web applications. However, many users encounter issues while setting it up on different operating systems, especially on Ubuntu 22.04. One common error that users face is the SessionNotCreatedException, which indicates that the Selenium WebDriver was unable to start a new browser session.
The Problem Scenario
Below is the error message you might encounter when trying to initiate a Selenium session on Ubuntu 22.04:
Exception: SessionNotCreatedException: Message: Session not created: This version of ChromeDriver only supports Chrome version XX.XXX.XX
Reasons Behind the Error
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Browser Version Mismatch: This error frequently occurs due to a mismatch between the Chrome browser version and the ChromeDriver version. If Chrome is updated and the ChromeDriver is not, they can become incompatible.
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ChromeDriver Path Not Set: Another possible issue may be that the path to the ChromeDriver executable is not set correctly in your Selenium script.
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Outdated ChromeDriver: Even if you have the correct version of Chrome, if your ChromeDriver is outdated, it may not function correctly.
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Insufficient Permissions: Occasionally, permissions may prevent ChromeDriver from executing properly.
Solutions to SessionNotCreatedException
1. Check Your Browser Version
Make sure you know which version of Chrome you are using. You can check this by opening Chrome and navigating to chrome://settings/help. Once you know the version:
- Visit the ChromeDriver download page and download the version that matches your Chrome version.
2. Update ChromeDriver
If you have already downloaded ChromeDriver, ensure it matches the version of Chrome installed on your system. To update, follow these steps:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y chromium-chromedriver
3. Set the Correct Path to ChromeDriver
If you manually downloaded ChromeDriver, make sure to add the path in your code. For instance:
from selenium import webdriver
driver_path = '/path/to/chromedriver'
driver = webdriver.Chrome(executable_path=driver_path)
Replace /path/to/chromedriver with the actual path where your ChromeDriver executable is located.
4. Grant Permissions
Make sure the ChromeDriver executable has the correct permissions to be run. You can change the permissions by running:
chmod +x /path/to/chromedriver
Additional Troubleshooting Tips
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Reinstall Chrome: If all else fails, you may want to uninstall and then reinstall Chrome to ensure it is correctly set up.
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Check System Compatibility: Ensure that your Ubuntu version is compatible with the versions of Chrome and ChromeDriver you are using.
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Check Logs: Sometimes additional logs can provide insights into what went wrong. Use:
webdriver-manager update
to ensure all dependencies are up to date.
Practical Example
Here’s a quick example of how to set up a basic Selenium script in Python on Ubuntu 22.04:
from selenium import webdriver
from selenium.webdriver.chrome.service import Service
from webdriver_manager.chrome import ChromeDriverManager
# Set up the Chrome driver
service = Service(ChromeDriverManager().install())
driver = webdriver.Chrome(service=service)
# Open a web page
driver.get("http://www.example.com")
# Perform any actions needed, then close the browser
driver.quit()
Conclusion
Encountering a SessionNotCreatedException when using Selenium on Ubuntu 22.04 can be frustrating, but by following the steps outlined above, you should be able to resolve the issue quickly. Always ensure that your browser and driver versions are aligned, and keep an eye on permissions and path settings.
Useful Resources
By addressing these common issues, you can streamline your Selenium testing process and focus more on developing and improving your web applications.
