Why page load timeout matters?

As talked about page load timeout, it is an important asset which every webpage on a browser requires and needs to have. There are various reasons for this, which are briefly discussed below:

• Page Completeness: Page load timeout in Selenium is necessary for a page completeness. This is because while handling any page, the Selenium interacts with the webelements on the webpage to perform any action till its end. So, without waiting for the page to load fully, it’s possible to encounter elements that are not yet available, leading to NoSuchElementExceptions or other errors.
• Consistency: Page load timeout is also very important to handle or maintain the consistency in the webpages. This is because there are various causes which may lead to malfunctioning of the page, making it challenging to stay reliable and stable among different use cases and test cases.
• User Experience Simulation: Setting a page load timeout also helps in simulating a better user experience. This is because users typically wait for a web page to load fully before interacting with it, and so, your automation should also mimic the same.

Page load timeouts play a significant role in web development and user experience, acting as a safeguard against slow-loading pages and contributing to the overall success of a website or web application. Developers work diligently to manage and optimize load times to keep users engaged and satisfied. This article focuses on discussing how to set page load timeouts in Selenium.