How to Create and Use ActionChains in Selenium Python

Automating real-world user interactions in Selenium Python requires more than basic commands—this is where the ActionChains class comes in.

This article gives a detailed overview of key methods in ActionChains in Selenium Python and the best practices to implement them.

What is Action Class in Selenium Python?

In Selenium Python, the concept commonly referred to as Action Class in Java or C# is implemented through the ActionChains class.

ActionChains automates complex user interactions such as mouse movements, drag-and-drop actions, and keyboard input. It queues a series of actions and performs them in a specific order, more precisely simulating real user behavior.

Key features of ActionChains in Selenium Python:

• Simulates advanced user gestures like hover, click-and-hold, and double-click.
• Creates a chain of actions that are executed in sequence.
• Useful for dynamic elements such as dropdowns, sliders, and drag-and-drop components.
• More effective than simple commands like click() or send_keys() when testing real-world UI behavior.
• Enhances test reliability in complex interaction scenarios, including asynchronous or hover-triggered UI elements.

Key Methods in ActionChains with Python Examples

Below are the most commonly used methods in Selenium Python’s ActionChains class, along with syntax, brief explanations, and code examples.

1. Drag and Drop Method

drag_and_drop() method is used to drag and drop by holding the left mouse button on the source element, moving to the target element and then releasing on the target element. It takes two parameters as input, source and target element.

Syntax:

drag_and_drop(source,target)

Example:

ActionChains(driver).drag_and_drop(source_element, target_element).perform()

2. Context Click Method

context_click() method is used to right click on the required element.It has one argument, element on which the action has to be performed. If you don’t pass any argument then it right clicks on the current position.

Syntax:

context_click(on_element)

Example:

ActionChains(driver).context_click(element).perform()

3. Double Click Method

double_click()  As the name says, this method double clicks on an element or the current position. It takes one argument that is the element on which double click has to be performed. If nothing is passed then it clicks on the current mouse position.

Syntax:

double_click(on_element)

Example:

ActionChains(driver).double_click(element).perform()

4. Send Keys Method

send_keys() method is used to send keys to an element in focus. Key constants can be found in Keys class.

Syntax:

send_keys(keys_to_send)

Example:

ActionChains(driver).send_keys("BrowserStack").perform()

5. Click Method

click() method is used to perform a click on the current element. You need to pass the element as an argument on which click has to be performed.

Syntax:

click(on_element)

Example:

ActionChains(driver).click(element).perform()

6. Move to Element Method

move_to_element() method performs mouse movement to the middle of the element.

Syntax:

move_to_element(on_element)

Example:

ActionChains(driver).move_to_element(element).perform()

7. Move to Element with offset Method

move_to_element_with_offset: Moves the pointer to an element’s position, offset by the specified x and y values.

Syntax:

ActionChains(driver).move_to_element_with_offset(to_element, xoffset, yoffset)

Example:

ActionChains(driver).move_to_element_with_offset(element, 50, 30).perform()

8. Click and Hold and Release Method

click_and_hold() presses the left mouse button without releasing. release() lifts it up. Often used together in drag-and-drop workflows.

Syntax:

ActionChains(driver).click_and_hold(on_element)

ActionChains(driver).release(on_element)

Example:

ActionChains(driver).click_and_hold(source).move_to_element(target).release().perform()

9. Key Down and Key Up Method

Presses and releases modifier keys (like Shift, Ctrl) during action sequences.

Syntax:

ActionChains(driver).key_down(Keys.KEY)

ActionChains(driver).key_up(Keys.KEY)

Example:

ActionChains(driver).key_down(Keys.CONTROL).send_keys("a").key_up(Keys.CONTROL).perform()

10. Perform Method

perform() method performs all the actions stored inside an actions object.

Syntax:

action.perform()

Example:

actions = ActionChains(driver)

actions.move_to_element(element).click().perform()

These are just a few methods listed however there are more methods in ActionChains class that help to perform various actions on webpage elements.

Implementing ActionChains: A Step-by-Step Example

Using ActionChains in Selenium Python involves creating an instance of the class, chaining desired actions, and then executing them with .perform().

Here are some pre-requisites:

Now, let us see an example on how we can create an object of an action class and perform actions using that object.

• Import action chains

from selenium.webdriver.common.action_chains import ActionChains

• Create a webdriver object

driver = webdriver.chrome()

• Create an action chains object

action = ActionChains(driver)

After creating this object we can perform various actions on web page elements using this object.

Below is an example where we are clicking on the “Sign in” link using the action object.

Building and Performing a Sequence of Actions

To simulate more advanced user behavior, multiple actions can be chained together using ActionChains. These actions are queued and executed in order using the .perform() method.

Example: Hover over a menu item, then click on a revealed submenu option.

from selenium import webdriver

from selenium.webdriver.common.action_chains import ActionChains

from selenium.webdriver.common.by import By



driver = webdriver.Firefox()

driver.get("https://example.com")



# Locate the main menu and submenu elements

menu = driver.find_element(By.ID, "main-menu")

submenu = driver.find_element(By.LINK_TEXT, "Submenu Option")



# Create an ActionChains object

actions = ActionChains(driver)



# Chain: hover over menu -> move to submenu -> click

actions.move_to_element(menu).move_to_element(submenu).click().perform()

This approach ensures that each step, including hover and click, is executed in sequence as a real user would interact with the UI.

When to Use Action Chains in Selenium Python?

ActionChains in Selenium Python should be used when simple element methods like click() or send_keys() are not enough to replicate real user behavior.

They are ideal for handling more complex or multi-step interactions on modern web applications.

Use ActionChains when:

• An element needs to be hovered over to become visible (e.g., dropdowns or tooltips).
• You need to drag and drop elements between containers.
• A right-click (context click) or double-click is required.
• Actions must be performed in a specific sequence, such as click-and-hold followed by a move.
• The test scenario involves simulating keyboard input like holding down modifier keys (Shift, Ctrl, etc.).
• You want to replicate mouse movement to an element before performing an action.

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Tips for Using ActionChains Effectively

Here are some key best practices of using ActionChains Effectively:

• Always call .perform() at the end to execute the queued actions.
• Use explicit waits to ensure elements are ready before interaction.
• Avoid chaining actions on elements that may load asynchronously.
• Break long chains into readable, logical steps for better clarity.
• Keep action sequences clean and well-organized to simplify debugging.
• Use pauses sparingly to simulate realistic user behavior when needed.
• Validate element visibility or state before including it in a chain.

Talk to an Expert

Conclusion

Mastering the Action Class in Selenium Python through ActionChains enables precise automation of complex user interactions. Leveraging these powerful methods enhances test reliability and effectively replicates real-world scenarios.

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Useful Resources for Selenium and Python

• Selenium Python Tutorial (with Example)
• Headless Browser Testing With Selenium Python
• How to Press Enter without Element in Selenium Python?
• How to install GeckoDriver for Selenium Python?
• How to perform Web Scraping using Selenium and Python
• How to Create and Use Action Class in Selenium Python
• Using Selenium Wire Proxy in Python
• Get Current URL in Selenium using Python: Tutorial
• How to read Config Files in Python using Selenium
• Page Object Model and Page Factory in Selenium Python
• How to perform Scrolling Down in Selenium with Python?
• How to install Selenium Python on macOS?
• How to Maximize Browser Window in Selenium with Python
• How to use Python WebDriver Manager for Selenium Testing?
• UI Automation using Python and Selenium: Tutorial
• How to handle dropdown in Selenium Python?
• Start Selenium Testing with Python: Automated Testing of a User Signup Form
• How to Switch Tabs in Selenium For Python
• How to Double Click on an Element in Selenium Python?
• How to take Screenshots using Python and Selenium
• How to download a file using Selenium and Python