Running Selenium on WSL using Chrome

Question

I want to use Capybara to run some automated tests with Chrome, how do I choose to run the google-chrome-dev instead of the default Chrome? Only Chrome 78 (unstable) will run, however, Selenium (for Capybara) requires webdriver. Webdriver only support version 77.

I was able to get Chrome running by following these instructions: https://github.com/Microsoft/WSL/issues/648#issuecomment-324562271

WSL Capybara and the WSL Chrome Window:

Answer 1

How do I choose to run the google-chrome-dev instead of the default Chrome?

Links:

Choose any one of the following links:

• Stable: https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb
• Beta: https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-beta_current_amd64.deb
• Dev: https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-unstable_current_amd64.deb

The version and release timeline can be viewed here Chrome Status Schedule.

Steps:

• Add apt installation key (source):

  wget -q -O - https://dl.google.com/linux/linux_signing_key.pub | sudo apt-key add -
  

• Download the package:

  wget https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-beta_current_amd64.deb
  

• Try to install the package:

  sudo dpkg -i google-chrome-beta_current_amd64.deb
  

• Install the dependencies:

  sudo apt -f install
  

• Now install the actual package:

  sudo dpkg -i google-chrome-beta_current_amd64.deb
  

Answer 2

For those who have not yet found the solution (WSL2). Follow this tutorial: chromedriver in WSL2. Many are similar, but what did the trick for me was to place the chromedriver in the corresponding group and user:

sudo chown root:root /usr/bin/chromedriver