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Set Playwright Test’s snapshotPathTemplate to a directory under your test tree. A template such as {testDir}/__screenshots__/{testFilePath}/{arg}{ext} puts every visual-regression baseline below one shared tests/__screenshots__ root while retaining the test-file path and snapshot name. Add {/projectName} when separate projects need independent references.
Configure one shared snapshot directory
Playwright Test resolves a relative snapshotPathTemplate from the directory containing your Playwright configuration file. The following TypeScript configuration creates a single baseline root and keeps each test’s folder structure underneath it:
import { defineConfig } from '@playwright/test';
export default defineConfig({
testDir: './tests',
snapshotPathTemplate: '{testDir}/__screenshots__/{testFilePath}/{arg}{ext}',
});If your configuration is in the project root and testDir is ./tests, a screenshot named landing.png in tests/checkout/cart.spec.ts is stored below tests/__screenshots__/checkout/cart.spec.ts/landing.png (the exact separators depend on the operating system). The important parts are the common __screenshots__ root, {testFilePath} for ownership and collision avoidance, and {arg} for the name supplied to the assertion.
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Keep projects in separate trees
Chromium, Firefox and WebKit can render the same page differently. If your configured projects represent materially different rendering environments, include the project token:
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import { defineConfig } from '@playwright/test';
export default defineConfig({
testDir: './tests',
snapshotPathTemplate:
'{testDir}/__screenshots__{/projectName}/{testFilePath}/{arg}{ext}',
});The optional slash before projectName is deliberate. Playwright includes the slash and project name only when the token has a value, so an unnamed project does not acquire an empty path segment. Named projects receive their own subtree, preventing one project’s baseline from overwriting another’s.
Use screenshot assertions to create and compare references
The path template controls Playwright Test snapshots, not arbitrary files produced by page.screenshot({ path }). Use toHaveScreenshot (or the locator form) for visual regression references:
import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
test('home page matches its reference', async ({ page }) => {
await page.goto('https://example.com');
await expect(page).toHaveScreenshot('landing.png');
});On the first run, Playwright captures and writes the reference. Later runs capture the page again and compare it with that file. If you omit a name, Playwright derives one from the test and assertion; supplying a stable name such as landing.png or landing.webp makes the file easier to locate. PNG is the default format, and WebP references are lossless according to the visual-comparisons guidance.
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test('header matches its reference', async ({ page }) => {
await page.goto('https://example.com');
await expect(page.locator('header')).toHaveScreenshot('header.png');
});The same template is used for locator snapshots. The {arg} token receives the supplied snapshot name, so different names remain distinct even when they are asserted in one test file.
Know the available path tokens
The TestConfig API supports these substitutions in snapshotPathTemplate:
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| Token | What it contributes | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
{arg} |
The assertion’s supplied snapshot name | Use explicit names such as landing.png. |
{ext} |
The extension derived from the snapshot | Preserves PNG or WebP without hard-coding an extension. |
{testDir} |
The configured test directory | Places references alongside tests. |
{testFilePath} |
Test-file path relative to the test directory | Prevents collisions and shows ownership. |
{testFileDir} |
The test file’s containing directory | Useful when you need directory-level grouping. |
{testFileBaseName} |
Base name of the test file | Creates shorter, file-oriented paths. |
{testFileName} |
Test file name | Retains the filename, including its extension. |
{testName} |
The test name | Use only when generated names are acceptable. |
{projectName} |
Configured project name | Separates browser, viewport or environment baselines. |
{platform} |
Platform identifier | Separates operating-system-specific references when required. |
{snapshotDir} |
Playwright’s snapshot directory value | Useful when composing a template around an existing snapshot location. |
Tokens are case-sensitive. Keep {testFilePath} when multiple test files reuse names such as header.png; removing it can make unrelated assertions compete for the same filename.
Generate, review and commit baselines
- Place
snapshotPathTemplatein the exported configuration. - Add named
toHaveScreenshotassertions to the tests that define your visual contract. - Run the relevant test. Missing references are generated under the configured common root.
- Inspect the new images and the test output for unintended differences.
- Add the complete
__screenshots__tree to version control. Review reference changes like code changes.
When a deliberate UI change is approved, regenerate references with:
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npx playwright test --update-snapshotsUse this flag intentionally: it updates the expected files rather than proving that the current rendering still matches the old contract. Review the resulting diff before committing.
Find a snapshot path from inside a test
Code that needs the resolved filename should ask Playwright rather than reconstructing the template:
const reference = test.info().snapshotPath('header.png', { kind: 'screenshot' });
console.log(reference);The returned path reflects the configured template, project name and platform tokens. This is safer than concatenating strings, particularly on Windows or in a multi-project configuration.
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Choose a layout that remains maintainable
Common root with test paths
{testDir}/__screenshots__/{testFilePath}/{arg}{ext} is the simplest choice when all projects intentionally share one rendering environment. It gives reviewers one baseline tree while retaining the source test’s path.
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{testDir}/__screenshots__{/projectName}/{testFilePath}/{arg}{ext} is safer when projects differ in browser engine, viewport, color scheme, device scale factor or other rendering settings. It avoids silently treating one project’s pixels as another project’s expectation.
Explicit names and stable ownership
Prefer descriptive names (checkout-empty.png, checkout-filled.png) and keep the source test path in the template. A short, generated path may look tidy but makes it harder to identify which test owns a failing image.
Rendering consistency is part of the test
Playwright warns that browser rendering can vary with the host operating system, browser version, settings, hardware, power source (battery versus adapter), headless mode and other factors. Create and compare references in the same kind of environment whenever possible. In practice, that means pinning browser versions, using a consistent CI image, keeping viewport and device scale settings stable, and avoiding a workflow in which developers generate references on one operating system while CI compares them on another.
A path template cannot solve environmental drift. If a diff appears without a code change, first check the browser revision, operating system image, fonts, headed versus headless mode, and project configuration before accepting new snapshots.
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Troubleshooting common failures
Files are not under the expected folder
Check that the option is in the configuration actually loaded by the test command and that {testDir} points to the directory you expect. Relative template paths resolve from the configuration directory, not from the shell’s current directory.
Two tests overwrite one reference
Add {testFilePath} and give each assertion a distinct {arg}. Reusing a name such as page.png is safe only when the test-file path remains in the template.
Projects show unexpected diffs
If projects use different browsers or rendering settings, add {/projectName}. Then generate references for each named project and commit the resulting subdirectories. Sharing one image across genuinely different renderers creates noisy or misleading failures.
The first run fails because no baseline exists
That is normal for a new assertion. Run the test once to generate the reference, inspect it, and commit it. Do not use --update-snapshots as an automatic fix for an unexplained failure.
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Align browser versions, operating systems, fonts, viewport, scale factor and headless mode. Keep baseline generation and comparison in the same controlled environment. Investigate external content and animations as well; a moving or late-loading page can produce legitimate pixel differences even when the template is correct.
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FAQ
Does snapshotPathTemplate move screenshots made with page.screenshot?
No. It controls references used by Playwright Test screenshot assertions. A direct page.screenshot({ path }) call writes exactly where its own path specifies.
Which format should a reference use?
PNG is the default. You can supply a WebP filename; the visual-comparisons guidance describes WebP as lossless.
Was snapshotPathTemplate always available?
The option was added in Playwright 1.28. Projects using an older Playwright version should upgrade before relying on it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does snapshotPathTemplate move screenshots made with page.screenshot?
No. It controls references used by Playwright Test screenshot assertions. A direct page.screenshot({ path }) call writes exactly where its own path specifies.
Which format should a reference use?
PNG is the default. You can supply a WebP filename; the visual-comparisons guidance describes WebP as lossless.
Was snapshotPathTemplate always available?
The option was added in Playwright 1.28. Projects using an older Playwright version should upgrade before relying on it.
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