Full selectors:

• Contain all the elements needed to identify a UI element, including the top-level window
• Generated by the Basic recorder
• Recommended when switching between multiple windows

Partial selectors:

• Generated by the Desktop recorder
• Do not contain information about the top-level window
• Activities containing partial selectors are enclosed in a container (Attach Browser or Attach Window) that contains a full selector of the top-level window
• Recommended when performing multiple actions in the same window

Example of a partial selector for the editable panel in Notepad:

Example of a full selector for the editable panel in Notepad: