Importance of Xpath in Automation for identifying web elements

Definition:
Xpath is known as the navigation through the html syntax of a webpage to identify a particular element

Identifying Web Elements:
Any web element in an application will be assigned with an identifier. The web elements will have attributes as well as the identifiers listed below
1. ID
2. Name
3. Class

With the above identifiers elements can be identified and can be automated to perform certain set of actions

Reasons to go with Xpath:
1. Some complex applications like AJAX, GWT will dynamically create some identities for the web elements where the identification becomes difficulty during the automation of an application.

2. In certain scenarios there may be situations where different web elements have same Name and ID even. where it becomes difficult for any automation tool to perform the actions given.

In above scenarios the alternate solution is "Xpath"

*Xpath is the way of identifying the web elements uniquely.*

Approaches for Xapth:

For more details: http://www.softwaretestingbuzz.com/2011/11/importance-of-xpath-in-