Browser Back Button Using Protractor Or Javascript

Navigating web applications can sometimes be challenging when users need to go back to the previous page. One common feature that helps users easily backtrack is the browser back button. In this article, we will explore how you can implement browser back button functionality using Protractor or JavaScript.

Using Protractor, an end-to-end test framework for Angular and AngularJS applications, you can simulate user actions like clicking buttons and navigating pages. To simulate the browser back button functionality in Protractor, you can use the `browser.navigate().back()` method. This method allows you to navigate to the previous page in the browser history, similar to what the browser back button does.

Here is a simple example of how you can implement the browser back button functionality using Protractor:

it('should navigate back to the previous page', async () => {
  await browser.get('https://example.com/page1');
  // Perform some actions on the page
  // For example, clicking a button that leads to another page
  await element(by.css('button')).click();
  // Use browser.navigate().back() to go back to the previous page
  await browser.navigate().back();
  // Now you should be back on the initial page
  expect(await browser.getCurrentUrl()).toContain('page1');
});

In this snippet, we first navigate to a specific page, perform some actions, then simulate clicking a button that leads to another page. After that, we use `browser.navigate().back()` to go back to the previous page and assert that we are indeed back on the initial page.

If you prefer a JavaScript-only approach without using Protractor, you can still achieve browser back button functionality using the `history` object provided by the browser. The `history.back()` method in JavaScript performs the same action as clicking the back button in the browser.

Here is an example of implementing browser back button functionality using plain JavaScript:

function goBack() {
  window.history.back();
}

// You can call the goBack function whenever you need to go back to the previous page

By calling the `goBack` function in your JavaScript code, you can simulate the browser back button functionality and navigate to the previous page in the browser history.

In conclusion, whether you are using Protractor for testing Angular applications or JavaScript for general web development, implementing browser back button functionality is essential for providing a smooth user experience. By leveraging the capabilities of Protractor or the `history` object in JavaScript, you can easily incorporate this feature into your web applications. So go ahead, empower your users with the ability to backtrack effortlessly with the browser back button!