Selenium Web Automation: When Should I Use `text` vs. `innerHTML`?

Understanding the Distinction between Text and innerHTML in Selenium

When using Selenium for web automation, it's crucial to understand the difference between retrieving an element's text and its innerHTML. While both methods can provide valuable information, they serve different purposes.

Fundamental Differences

To begin with, text is a property, while innerHTML is an attribute. Properties are inherent to an element, while attributes are external characteristics that can be modified.

get_attribute("innerHTML")

The get_attribute("innerHTML") method retrieves the innerHTML of an element. It retrieves the HTML markup within the opening and closing tags of the element.

Syntax:

element.get_attribute("innerHTML")

Example:

text_from_innerHTML = element.get_attribute("innerHTML")

text

The text method retrieves the text content of an element, excluding any HTML markup. This includes visible text and text hidden within tags like