Exploring the Latest Features in Playwright for Cross-Browser Testing

Exploring the Latest Features in Playwright for Cross-Browser Testing

If you want your browser to stand out amid the continuously rising competition, you must provide users with a fluid and up-to-date interface, which requires automation testing using a suitable and up-to-date tool such as Playwright. This blog will guide you towards a better understanding of the latest features in Playwright that help provide a seamless automation testing experience to developers for cross browser testing.

Using software tools to run pre-written test scripts and confirm the functionality, dependability, and performance of a software program is known as automation testing. It increases total software quality and efficiency by quickening testing procedures, guaranteeing consistent outcomes, and detecting flaws in the development lifecycle early. Developers and testers practice automation testing in various ways to scale up the software development cycle.

Cross-browser testing, in terms of automation testing, refers to the practice of utilizing automation testing tools and frameworks to ensure that an online application works properly across several web browsers and their various versions. Testers and developers practice cross-browser automation testing to provide their applications with efficient, consistent, dependable, and effective performance across various browser conditions. A Jira user story captures a feature or requirement from an end-user perspective, providing a clear and concise description of the desired functionality

Playwright

Playwright is a free-to-download and open-source automation framework created by Microsoft for comprehensive automation testing and browsing automation. Playwright is flexible in executing a variety of programming languages, including JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, and C#. It helps developers and testers create automated scripts that act as an interface for web pages, conduct actions, and evaluate outcomes across multiple web browsers.

Playwright is an active and continuously developing project, and its architecture keeps evolving with new releases. Here is a brief overview of the core structure of Playwright :

  • Playwright Package: The package is crucial to Playwright. This package offers the fundamental functionality and APIs needed for browser automation. It is accessible for various programming languages, including JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, and C#.
  • Browser Context: The playwright works with the notion of a “Browser Context.” A browser context is an isolated environment where pages are produced and performed. Each context includes its cookies, cache, and storage, allowing for the separation of distinct test cases.
  • Browser Server: This process manages communication between the Playwright library and browsers. It handles browser instance creation, management, and termination. The server uses the WebSocket protocol to connect with the Playwright library.
  • Browser Instances:  Bowser instance is operated differently, ensuring isolation. This approach makes parallel test running possible, enabling tests to run simultaneously in various browser instances.
  • Browser Engines: Playwright supports Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit. The browser engines generate web pages, execute JavaScript, and provide a DevTools Protocol interface with which Playwright may connect.
  • Driver and Protocol: The Playwright library communicates with browsers via a protocol. This protocol is implemented by the driver, which allows the Playwright and the browser engine to interact more easily.
  • WebSockets Communication: Asynchronous communication allows the Playwright to give commands to the browser and get replies in real time.
  • Page: In a BrowserContext, each page represents a tab or window in the browser. A Page is where actions like navigation, interaction with components, and screenshot capture occur. The playwright includes APIs for interacting with pages.
  • Chromium, Firefox, WebKit: Playwright enables automation of the most popular browser engines. Each browser engine is maintained by its appropriate implementation, which provides a uniform API for interfacing with multiple browsers.
  • Utilities and Tools: Playwright contains tools for simple activities, including screenshot capture, video recording, and login prompts. 

Playwright’s Trending Features

To meet the demands of new-age developers and testers to achieve automation testing for their modern-day applications and web browsers, Playwright has developed some powerful tools that facilitate the journey of cross-browser automation testing.

Code Gen

Playwright allows testers and developers to produce tests as they perform actions in the browser, which is an incredible method to get started with testing rapidly. Playwright review page and select the optimal location, emphasizing role, text, and test ID locators. 

  • Recording Interactively: The Playwright’s code creation method includes recording interactively. It records user interactions with the web application, which they may use as usual.
  • WebKit (used by Safari), Firefox, and Chromium (used by Chrome and Microsoft Edge) are browsers with which Playwright’s code generation is compatible. At the time of recording, users have the option to select the target browser.
  • Multiple Languages for Code Output: The produced code is not language-specific. Many languages, including JavaScript, Python, and Java, are supported by Playwright for code creation. Clicks, inputs, navigations, and other user activities are all recorded by the playwright during the recording process. The activities that are recorded are converted into corresponding API calls.
  • Code Structure: The code that is created adheres to standards for test automation and is structured accordingly. This covers launching pages, creating browser contexts, and interacting with those pages.
  • Flexibility in Code: Although code generation offers an initial framework for automation scripts, users can adjust and personalize the code produced to suit their testing needs. As a result, more complex scenarios and test cases are now possible.
  • Integration with Developer Tools: Throughout the recording process, the Playwright uses browser developer tools. This connection makes it possible to generate dependable automation code and guarantees proper collection of user interactions.
  • Console Interaction: The playwright exposes bindings and logs code execution using the browser console during code creation. Real-time capture is made possible by this contact with the console.
  • Effective Test Script Creation: The process of writing test scripts is greatly accelerated by code generation, particularly in situations when a user wishes to rapidly automate a series of operations carried out on a website.

Playwright inspector

Developers and testers can debug their Playwright tests with the Playwright Inspector, a graphical user interface tool. They can choose locators, edit locators in real time, walk through your tests, and see actionability logs.

  • GUI: Playwright provides a flexible graphical user interface to help developers examine and troubleshoot their scripts.
  • The viewport of the Browser in Real Time: The Inspector offers a real-time view of the browser’s viewport that displays the automated web page’s current status. Render elements, styles, and layout data are all included in this. Hovering over an element on the page allows developers to examine its characteristics. An element in the Inspector may be more easily recognized and analyzed by clicking on it to highlight it in the browser’s viewport.
  • Console Tab: Developers can examine and work with the browser’s console logs by selecting the “Console” tab. It offers a command-line interface where JavaScript instructions may be run within a page’s environment.
  • Network Tab: During script execution, the browser makes network requests. Playwright Inspector has a “Network” tab shows information about these requests. Examining API requests, answers, and network performance is made possible by this.
  • Sources Tab: Playwright script debugging is possible with the code editor under the “Sources” tab. It is possible for developers to walk through code, set breakpoints, and examine variables. Both application code and playwright script code are supported.
  • Recording Tab: The “Recording” tab in Playwright Inspector lets developers record their interactions with the webpage. Afterward, the recorded actions are converted into Playwright script code, which facilitates the production of scripts.
  • Docs Tab: From the Inspector, the “Docs” tab offers instant access to the Playwright documentation. This makes it easier for developers to consult the documentation rapidly.
  • Responsive Design Mode: The Inspector has a responsive design mode that lets developers test their web apps’ responsiveness by simulating various device sizes.
  • Screenshot and Full-Page Capture: The Inspector enables developers to take screenshots and full-page screenshots while running scripts to facilitate visual verification.

Trace Viewer

With Playwright’s tracing feature, developers and testers can capture a history of their browser interactions, encompassing network requests, browser events, and more data about performance. You may examine a trace after it has been recorded to find problems or performance bottlenecks.

  • Interactive Timeline: A playwright’s script is visually represented by an interactive timeline presented via the Trace Viewer. Users may see the timeline to examine different occurrences.
  • Event Details: Within the trace, users may access comprehensive details about specific events, such as timestamps, event kinds, and related data. This makes it possible to analyze script execution in great detail.
  • User activities Highlighting: This feature makes it simple to determine when particular interactions, such as clicks or keyboard inputs, took place during script execution by emphasizing user-initiated activities on the timeline.
  • Thumbnails & Screenshots: Trace Viewer incorporates thumbnails and screenshots into the timeline to provide users with a visual depiction of the browser’s condition at various times. This facilitates comprehension of the online visual changes.
  • Network Request Details: The Trace Viewer contains comprehensive information on network requests, including headers, payloads, and response data. This aids users in assessing how well network interactions operate when a script is being executed.
  • JavaScript Execution Visualization: Using Playwright’s Trace Viewer, users may see how JavaScript code is executed, offering valuable insights into the browser’s processing and execution of scripts.
  • Resource Timing Metrics: Like cloud testing tools and platforms, these metrics show up for different resources and let users evaluate how well-performing specific assets—like scripts, stylesheets, and images—perform during load times.
  • Frame and Worker Isolation: Events may be isolated using frames and workers using the Trace Viewer. This allows for a more focused examination by allowing users to concentrate on particular areas of the page or background operations.
  • Search and Filtering: Users may concentrate on particular interactions or occurrences using filters. The trace’s search function facilitates finding pertinent information quickly.
  • Export and Sharing: Users can share or export traces with other team members or for offline study using Playwright’s Trace Viewer. Collaboration and in-depth analysis of performance problems benefit from this.
  • Zoom and Pan: The freedom to examine particular periods and events in greater depth is made possible by zooming in and panning across the timeline.
  • Performance Metrics: Trace Viewer offers timings for rendering, script execution, and other important factors. This data makes it easier to evaluate the web application’s overall performance.

In addition to all the above points, Playwright can be used with automation testing platforms like LambdaTest to scale up the testing process. LambdaTest is an AI-powered test execution and orchestration platform that empowers developers and testers to perform automation testing seamlessly on over 3000+ real browsers and operating system combinations. It offers Playwright testing with top Java frameworks on real desktop environments.

LambdaTest goes above and beyond the norm when it comes to automation. It is a valuable tool for handling complex testing scenarios. With its user-friendly interface and advanced features, teams can automate tests effortlessly. This enables efficient and effective testing across various browsers and operating systems. All in all, LambdaTest is a versatile and formidable ally for those looking to streamline their automation testing processes.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Playwright’s latest trending tools and features can enhance and speed up the testing experience. Its flexible language support, multi-browser compatibility, and active development make it an ideal choice for developers and testers in the automation testing world. Its latest tools, like  Code Gen, simplify test script creation, Playwright Inspector facilitates debugging, and Trace Viewer aids in performance analysis. As a comprehensive solution, Playwright empowers teams to ensure consistent, reliable, and efficient web application testing across diverse browsers, contributing to improved software quality and user satisfaction.