Selenium 2.26: Release Notes and What Changed

Selenium 2.26 was announced on November 2, 2012. The Selenium project highlighted support for newer browser versions, including native events on Firefox 16; removal of deprecated methods from language bindings; improved Internet Explorer user-input emulation for “sucker fish” menus; and numerous bug fixes. The announcement points to the changelog for the complete list, so these highlights are not exhaustive. Read the Selenium project announcement.

Release overview

Item	What the sources say
Announcement date	November 2, 2012
Project-wide highlights	Newer browser support, Firefox 16 native events, deprecated binding method removal, improved IE input emulation, and bug fixes
Specific Python entries	`location_when_scrolled_into_view` and an `expected_conditions` support module for `WebDriverWait`
Current status	Historical Selenium 2 release; do not assume compatibility with current browsers

The announcement was written by Simon Stewart. Its short overview is intentionally distinct from the detailed changes in language- and component-specific changelogs.

What changed in the Selenium 2.26 announcement

The official announcement names four broad areas:

Support for newer browser versions. The announcement specifically calls out native events on Firefox 16.
Deprecated methods removed. Selenium removed deprecated methods from language bindings. Check the changelog and the binding you use before upgrading old code that may still call them.
Improved Internet Explorer input emulation. The release improved how Selenium emulates user input for “sucker fish” style menus.
Bug fixes. The announcement reports numerous fixes, without enumerating them in its summary.

These are release-level highlights, not a complete inventory. The announcement itself directs readers to the changelog for the full set of changes: “There’s more in the changelog!” Announcement and changelog reference.

Python-specific additions

The archived Selenium Python changelog records two additions for 2.26. These are Python component notes and should not be generalized to every Selenium language binding.

location_when_scrolled_into_view (Bug 4357).
A new expected_conditions support module for use with WebDriverWait.

The changelog entry is preserved in the Python changes file at the Selenium 2.52.2 tag. For a historical upgrade review, compare the changelog for the specific binding and component in your test suite; the Python list does not establish what changed in Java, .NET, Ruby, or other bindings.

How to read these notes when maintaining an old suite

Identify the binding and driver. Record the language binding, browser driver, and browser versions used by the suite. Release highlights are not a compatibility matrix.
Inspect calls to deprecated methods. Search application and test code for APIs removed from the binding, then consult that binding’s changelog for exact names and migration details.
Review language-specific entries separately. For Python, account for the two entries above; consult the corresponding component history for other languages.
Reproduce the original environment if needed. A historical release note can explain a change, but it does not guarantee that old drivers will run with a present-day browser or operating system.
Separate historical diagnosis from modernization. Use 2.26 notes to understand old dependencies and behavior. Choose a supported Selenium version and driver combination for current browser automation.

The release announcement does not provide a complete option reference, migration table, or quantified performance and cost claims. Avoid inferring those from the summary. For the complete historical change set, follow the project’s changelog references and verify the particular language component.

Present-day context: Selenium 2 is legacy

Selenium’s legacy documentation describes Selenium 2 as a rewrite of Selenium 1 implemented using WebDriver code. It also warns that the legacy Firefox driver was a browser extension and no longer works under Firefox’s changed security model; the documentation points readers to geckodriver. This warning concerns that legacy Firefox extension driver, not every Selenium 2 driver. See the project’s Selenium 2 legacy documentation.

In a 2013 roadmap post, Simon Stewart described WebDriver APIs as Selenium 2’s major addition and encouraged users to move directly to WebDriver APIs as the project worked toward Selenium 3. That roadmap is historical context, not another 2.26 release note. The Road to Selenium 3.

Or skip the browser setup

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cURL

curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webp

Python

import requests

r = requests.get(
    "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot",
    params={"access_key": "YOUR_API_KEY", "url": "https://stripe.com"},
    timeout=90,
)
open("shot.webp", "wb").write(r.content)

Node.js

const q = new URLSearchParams({ access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY', url: 'https://stripe.com' });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`Screenshot request failed: ${res.status}`);
await import('node:fs/promises').then(fs => fs.writeFile('shot.webp', Buffer.from(await res.arrayBuffer())));

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Troubleshooting historical Selenium 2.26 issues

Symptom	Likely explanation	What to check
A removed method raises an attribute or method error	The method was deprecated and removed from a binding.	Identify the binding version and consult its changelog; replace the call with the supported API for the version you are migrating to.
Firefox’s legacy Selenium driver will not start	The legacy extension driver is incompatible with Firefox’s changed security model, according to Selenium’s legacy documentation.	Do not treat 2.26 as a current Firefox solution. Review current Selenium guidance and geckodriver setup.
A Python wait condition import is missing	The code may be using a different Python binding version or an import path inconsistent with that version.	Check the installed Selenium Python version and its matching documentation/changelog; 2.26’s archived notes identify an `expected_conditions` module.
IE menu interaction differs from expectations	The announcement describes improved input emulation for sucker-fish menus, but does not specify every affected case.	Reproduce with the relevant historical browser and driver, inspect the full changelog, and validate behavior in the target environment.
A browser version is assumed to be supported because the release mentions newer browsers	The announcement gives a 2012-era highlight, not ongoing support guarantees.	Use version-specific historical documentation for reproduction and a current Selenium release for present-day browser automation.

FAQ

When was Selenium 2.26 announced?

November 2, 2012.

Did the Python changelog list every 2.26 change?

No. It lists Python component changes. The project announcement points to a broader changelog, and changes should be checked by language and component.

Does the Firefox warning mean all Selenium 2 drivers stopped working?

No. The cited legacy documentation specifically warns about the Firefox extension driver and points to geckodriver.

Should I choose Selenium 2.26 for a new test suite?

No. Treat it as historical context. The release dates to 2012, and the project labels Selenium 2 material as legacy.