In a previous tip we went through how to download files with Selenium by configuring the browser to download them locally and verifying their file size when done. While the previous method works, it requires a custom configuration that is inconsistent from browser to browser.
Previously, we've gone over how to test file downloads without a browser by leveraging Selenium Webdriver and an HTTP library in tandem. This approach is great for testing general file downloads, but what if the file you want to download is behind authentication?
Just like with uploading files we hit the same issue with downloading them a dialog box just out of reach of your automation script.
When the browser runs on another machine (a Selenium Grid, a cloud provider), the files it downloads stay on that machine. Here is how to get them back to your tests.
When the browser runs on another machine (a Selenium Grid, a cloud provider), it cannot see the files on our machine. Here is how to send a file to it and upload it.