Introduction to XPath

In the real world, every building has a street address that can be used to locate it on a map. Similarly, each element, or node, on a web page has a virtual address which can be used to locate the node within the page's HTML source. These virtual addresses are constructed using the XML Path Language, or XPath.

How it works

XPath gets its name from the path notation it uses to navigate the hierarchical structure of an HTML or XML document. Using a sequence of location steps and a simple syntax, XPath can identify an exact path to virtually any element or data point on a page.

Why it matters

Every time you select an element in the Agent Builder, Mozenda generates an XPath expression to guide the agent to the proper location. These auto-generated XPath expressions are generally reliable, but by learning how to customize or create your own XPath expressions, you can increase the speed, reliability and flexibility of your agents.

Learn more

More than anything else in your Mozenda toolbox, XPath skills can take your agent building to the next level. Explore the resources below to start your path to mastery.

Video resources

Intro to XPath

Intro to XPath: Part II