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The most reliable starting point is Playwright’s versioned Docker image, matched to the Playwright package in your project. The image supplies browser binaries and Linux dependencies; your project still installs the Playwright package. Run the container with --init and --ipc=host, use one worker in CI, and avoid Alpine because Playwright’s Firefox and WebKit builds require glibc.
Choose the Docker approach
You have two practical choices:
| Approach | What you maintain | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Official Playwright image | Your project dependencies and image tag | Most test and development jobs; fastest setup |
| Custom image | Base OS, Playwright package, browser binaries, and OS dependencies | Teams needing a tightly controlled runtime or additional system packages |
The official guide currently shows tags such as mcr.microsoft.com/playwright:v1.63.0-noble. Image tags and Ubuntu variants change, so select a tag from the current Playwright documentation and keep it aligned with the package version in your lockfile. A mismatch can leave Playwright looking for browser executables that are not present.
Run a project with the official image
1. Create a minimal Node project
mkdir pw-docker && cd pw-docker
npm init -y
npm install -D @playwright/[email protected]
npx playwright install chromium
The last command is useful when developing outside Docker. Inside the official image, the browser and system libraries are already included, but the package remains a project dependency.
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// tests/home.spec.js
const { test, expect } = require('@playwright/test');
test('home page has a title', async ({ page }) => {
await page.goto('https://example.com', { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
await expect(page).toHaveTitle(/Example Domain/);
});
3. Add a Playwright configuration
// playwright.config.js
const { defineConfig } = require('@playwright/test');
module.exports = defineConfig({
testDir: './tests',
workers: process.env.CI ? 1 : undefined,
use: {
headless: true,
trace: 'on-first-retry'
}
});
One worker in CI is the documented stability starting point. When the suite becomes large, use CI sharding across jobs rather than immediately increasing workers in one container.
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4. Run the container
docker run --rm
--init
--ipc=host
-v "$PWD:/work"
-w /work
mcr.microsoft.com/playwright:v1.63.0-noble
bash -lc "npm ci && npx playwright test"
--init gives the container a minimal init process so child processes are reaped correctly. --ipc=host gives Chromium more shared memory and reduces memory-related crashes. Mounting the project directory makes tests and reports available on the host; in CI, prefer the workspace mount provided by your runner.
Use a Dockerfile for repeatable builds
A Dockerfile makes dependency installation, review, and caching explicit:
FROM mcr.microsoft.com/playwright:v1.63.0-noble
WORKDIR /app
COPY package*.json ./
RUN npm ci
COPY . .
ENV CI=true
CMD ["npx", "playwright", "test"]
Build and run it with:
docker build -t my-playwright-tests .
docker run --rm --init --ipc=host my-playwright-tests
Keep the image tag and @playwright/test version synchronized. Rebuild when upgrading Playwright; each release expects particular browser builds. Do not rely on an old cached image after changing the package version.
Build a custom image
Start with a compatible glibc-based Linux image, install your Node dependencies, then install the browsers and operating-system packages for the same Playwright release:
FROM node:22-bookworm
WORKDIR /app
COPY package*.json ./
RUN npm ci
RUN npx playwright install --with-deps chromium
COPY . .
CMD ["npx", "playwright", "test"]
The exact Node and Ubuntu/Debian base should match your support policy. The current guide lists Ubuntu 26.04 (Resolute), 24.04 (Noble), and 22.04 (Jammy) variants. Alpine and other musl-based distributions are unsupported for the Firefox and WebKit builds because those browsers target glibc. For a headless-only Chromium setup, Playwright documents npx playwright install --only-shell as an option that avoids downloading the full Chromium browser.
Custom images provide control, but you own patching the base OS, keeping browser binaries synchronized, and diagnosing missing libraries. The official image is usually less maintenance for ordinary test suites.
Run Chromium, Firefox, or WebKit
Playwright supports Chromium, Firefox, WebKit, and selected branded browsers. Install only what the suite needs to reduce image size:
npx playwright install --with-deps chromium firefox webkit
npx playwright test --project=chromium
Define projects in playwright.config.js when the same tests must run against multiple engines. Every engine must have the browser build expected by the installed Playwright release; installing a browser from a different release is a common source of launch errors.
Security: trusted tests versus untrusted pages
The official image runs as root by default. In that mode Chromium’s sandbox is disabled. Playwright says this can be acceptable for trusted end-to-end test code, but it is not the preferred posture for crawling or scraping untrusted websites.
For trusted internal test targets
- Keep the default image user if it simplifies setup.
- Use network restrictions and disposable containers.
- Do not mount host secrets or the Docker socket into the browser container.
For untrusted browsing workloads
- Create and run as a non-root user.
- Use the documented seccomp configuration for Chromium.
- Separate crawling from production credentials and sensitive networks.
- Treat downloaded files and page content as untrusted input.
The Playwright image is intended for testing and development. The documentation advises against using it to visit untrusted websites without applying the additional isolation measures.
Use Playwright in CI
- Choose the versioned Playwright image, or install browsers and dependencies with
npx playwright install --with-depsin your own image. - Run
npx playwright testwith one worker as the initial CI configuration. - Persist test reports, traces, screenshots, and videos as CI artifacts.
- When runtime becomes a problem, shard the suite across jobs; keep each shard reproducible.
Browser caching is not automatically a win. Restoring a cache can take about as long as downloading the browser binaries, while Linux operating-system dependencies are not cacheable. Measure your runner rather than assuming a cache improves total time.
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Headed Linux tests require Xvfb. The Playwright image includes it; run a headed command through xvfb-run:
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xvfb-run -a npx playwright test --headed
Diagnose browser startup and test failures
“Executable doesn’t exist”
Cause: The package and image tags are different, or a custom image never installed browsers.
Fix: Align both versions and run npx playwright install --with-deps during the image build. Rebuild without using a stale layer.
Chromium crashes with memory or shared-memory errors
Cause: The container’s IPC/shared-memory allocation is too small.
Fix: Add --ipc=host. Also reduce parallel workers and check the runner’s available memory.
Processes remain after a run
Cause: PID 1 is not forwarding signals or reaping child processes.
Fix: Add Docker’s --init flag, then stop and recreate the container.
Browser launch fails only on Linux
Cause: Missing OS libraries, an unsupported musl-based base image, or a headed run without a display server.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix: Use the official image or install dependencies with --with-deps; switch from Alpine to a glibc-based image; use headless mode or xvfb-run. Set DEBUG=pw:browser to capture launch diagnostics.
DEBUG=pw:browser npx playwright test
Tests are flaky only in CI
Cause: Excessive workers, timing assumptions, resource contention, or differences between the local and CI images.
Fix: Start with one worker, pin the image, wait on meaningful page conditions instead of arbitrary sleeps, and retain traces on retry. Scale with sharding when the suite is stable.
Docker permission or sandbox errors
Cause: Running as a non-root user without the required sandbox/seccomp setup, or attempting to browse untrusted content with the default root configuration.
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Fix: Follow the documented non-root and seccomp arrangement, or restrict the container to trusted test systems. Do not “solve” a security error by granting broad host privileges in production.
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Performance and maintenance checklist
- Pin a specific image tag rather than
latest. - Match that tag to the Playwright package and lockfile.
- Install only the browser engines your tests exercise.
- Use
--initand--ipc=hostby default. - Keep CI at one worker until measurements justify sharding or more parallelism.
- Rebuild after Playwright upgrades so browser binaries and dependencies change together.
- Record the image tag, Node version, browser project, and CI runner in failure artifacts.
Or skip the browser setup
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See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for all options. A minimal cURL request is:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpEquivalent Python:
import requests
r = requests.get("https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot", params={"access_key": "YOUR_API_KEY", "url": "https://stripe.com"}, timeout=90)
open("shot.webp", "wb").write(r.content)Equivalent Node.js:
const q = new URLSearchParams({ access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY', url: 'https://stripe.com' });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);
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What to use
Use the official, version-pinned Playwright image for most Dockerized tests. Build a custom glibc-based image when you need tighter OS control, and apply non-root plus seccomp isolation when pages are untrusted. Keep package and browser versions synchronized, start CI with one worker, and add sharding only when the suite and runner capacity justify it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the official Playwright Docker image include the npm package?
No. It includes browser binaries and system dependencies. Install @playwright/test or the Playwright package through your project dependencies.
Can I use Alpine Linux?
Not for the supported Firefox and WebKit builds. Playwright’s browser binaries target glibc, so use a compatible Ubuntu, Debian, or Playwright image.
Why is --ipc=host recommended?
It gives Chromium more shared memory and helps prevent memory-related browser crashes in containers.
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