Robot Framework Browser

What Robot Framework Browser is

Robot Framework Browser is a free, open-source web testing library for Robot Framework, powered by Playwright. One Node process can drive Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit. Its keywords wait for elements to be actionable before performing actions, while getters can retry checks against expected values until a timeout. Chained selectors can cross iframe and shadow DOM boundaries. When tests fail, the library can attach a screenshot, Playwright trace, and video to the Robot Framework log. It also supports HTTP requests and responsive testing with viewport settings and device emulation. The documentation cautions that emulation cannot reproduce some real-device experiences, including iOS Safari builds and on-screen keyboards. Python plugins can add or replace keywords and use the library API and Node side; a plugin keyword matching a built-in one can silently replace it because plugins load last. The `[bb]` install extra includes Node, and `rfbrowser install` downloads Playwright browser binaries. Support channels include Slack, the Robot Framework forum, and GitHub issues and discussions.

Who it suits

It suits Robot Framework users building browser tests across Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit. Teams needing responsive checks should note the stated limits of device emulation.

Getting started

1. Visit https://robotframework-browser.org/.
2. Install the `[bb]` extra to include Node.
3. Run `rfbrowser install` to download Playwright browser binaries.
4. Use the library with Robot Framework on a supported platform.

Verdict

Robot Framework Browser offers Playwright-powered browser testing with automatic waiting, retrying assertions, and failure evidence. Its plugin replacement behavior and device-emulation limits are worth accounting for when building a test suite.