What are the differences between full selectors and partial selectors?

Full selectors include comprehensive details about the UI elements, which often consists of the entire hierarchy leading to the specified element, including information about the top-level window. This allows for a clear and unique identification of UI elements within an application or web page, hence ensuring that the automation interacts precisely with the intended element. This is particularly advantageous when different applications or interfaces might have similar element names or structures, as the full selector's detailed path prevents any potential ambiguities.

In contrast, partial selectors provide a less detailed path to the element, typically focusing on only key identifiers without the full hierarchical context. While this can streamline the selector creation process in some instances, it may also result in less accurate targeting, especially in complex applications. Therefore, the distinction of including top-level window information makes full selectors particularly robust for reliable automation.