Playwright Overview and Setup Guide

Study Notes

Overview of Playwright

Playwright is a Node.js library for browser automation.
It allows developers to write scripts for end-to-end testing of web applications across different browsers.

Key Features

Cross-browser support: Tests can run on Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit.
Headless mode: Tests can run without a visible UI, speeding up the process.
Auto-waiting: Automatically waits for elements to be ready before interacting.
Network Interception: Can intercept and modify network requests and responses.

Setting Up Playwright for Testing

Install Playwright:
- Using npm: npm install playwright
- Optionally install specific browsers: npx playwright install
Create a Testing Script:
- Import Playwright: const { chromium } = require('playwright');
- Launch browser:
  - const browser = await chromium.launch();
  - const page = await browser.newPage();
- Navigate to a URL: await page.goto('https://example.com');

Writing Tests

Basic interactions:
- Click: await page.click('selector');
- Type: await page.fill('selector', 'text');
- Wait for selector: await page.waitForSelector('selector');
Assertions:
- Use testing libraries like Jest or Mocha for assertions.
- Example: expect(await page.title()).toBe('Expected Title');

Best Practices

Organize tests: Group related tests into separate files or directories.
Use Before/After Hooks: Setup and teardown processes can be managed with beforeEach, afterEach, etc.
Handle Errors: Use try/catch blocks for error handling during testing.

Running Tests

Execute the script using Node.js: node test_script.js.
Consider using test runners like Jest for more structured test management and reporting.

Advanced Techniques

Page Contexts: Utilize multiple pages or browser contexts for parallel testing.
Custom Test Configurations: Create settings for timeouts, headless mode, and browser options when launching.

Debugging Tests

Use the DEBUG environment variable for detailed logging: DEBUG=pw:api node test_script.js.
Utilize the Playwright Inspector for interactive debugging.

Continuous Integration

Integrate with CI/CD tools (like GitHub Actions, Jenkins) to run Playwright tests automatically on code changes or pull requests.

Documentation

Refer to the official Playwright documentation for the latest updates and additional features.

Overview of Playwright

Playwright is a library for automating web browsers, enabling end-to-end testing.
It supports popular browsers like Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit.

Key Features

Playwright tests can run in headless mode (no visible browser window).
It automatically waits for elements to be ready before interacting.
Features network interception for manipulating requests and responses.

Setting Up Playwright for Testing

Install Playwright using npm:npm install playwright.
Optionally install specific browsers: npx playwright install.
Import Playwright: const { chromium } = require('playwright');
Launch the browser: const browser = await chromium.launch();
Create a new page: const page = await browser.newPage();
Navigate to a URL: await page.goto('https://example.com');.

Writing Tests

Basic interactions include:
- Clicking: await page.click('selector');
- Typing: await page.fill('selector', 'text');
- Waiting for elements: await page.waitForSelector('selector');
Assertions, like verifying expected results, are typically handled with testing frameworks (Jest, Mocha).
Example assertion using Jest: expect(await page.title()).toBe('Expected Title');

Best Practices

Organize tests by grouping related tests into files or directories.
Use beforeEach and afterEach hooks for setup/teardown actions.
Implement error handling using try/catch blocks to gracefully manage test failures.

Running Tests

Run a test script using Node.js: node test_script.js.
Utilize test runners like Jest for structuring and reporting test results.

Advanced Techniques

Use multiple pages or browser contexts for parallel testing.
Configure testing parameters like timeouts, headless mode, and browser options.

Debugging Tests

Utilize the DEBUG environment variable for detailed debugging logs: DEBUG=pw:api node test_script.js.
Employ the Playwright Inspector for interactive debugging.

Continuous Integration

Automate Playwright tests with CI/CD tools (GitHub Actions, Jenkins) to run tests on code changes.

Documentation

Consult the official Playwright documentation for the latest updates and additional features.

Description

This quiz covers the essential features and setup procedures for using Playwright, a Node.js library for browser automation. Learn about cross-browser support, headless mode, and how to create your first testing script to automate web applications effectively.