To get started with browser testing, install Playwright Test, let it install its matching browsers, then write a test that interacts with the page through user-facing locators and checks the result with an awaited assertion. For an npm project, begin with npm init playwright@latest. This guide takes you from setup through your first test, local debugging, and a basic CI workflow.
What Playwright Test includes
Playwright Test is Playwright’s end-to-end testing framework. It combines a test runner, assertions, fixtures for setting up tests, isolation, parallel execution, and debugging tools. A test uses a browser page to perform actions, then checks that the application reached the expected state.
The examples below use npm and TypeScript, as in the official starter. Package, browser, and runtime support can change, so consult the current Playwright installation and CI documentation before choosing version-specific requirements.
Install Playwright in an npm project
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In your project directory, run
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Follow the prompts to initialize a new project or add Playwright to an existing one. Choose JavaScript or TypeScript as appropriate, and whether to add a CI workflow if prompted.
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Keep the generated configuration and example test initially. They give you a working reference for your project’s setup.
The setup command installs the Playwright Test package and can download browser binaries. If you need a different package manager, use the equivalent command in Playwright’s installation guide.
Install the browsers Playwright needs
Playwright uses browser binaries matched to the installed Playwright version; it does not simply drive whatever browser happens to be installed on the machine. Install the default browser set with:
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If you update the Playwright package, the required browser builds may change too. Run the install command again if a browser is missing or does not match the package.
Which browsers does Playwright support?
The core engines are Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit. Testing across them can reveal engine-specific behavior. Playwright also documents branded Chrome and Edge channels and device emulation for narrower compatibility needs. More browser projects can mean more execution time and configuration; there is no universal requirement that every team run every combination.
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Write a meaningful first test
This test opens the Playwright site, follows its user-facing “Get started” link, and verifies that the installation page’s heading appears:
import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
test('get started link opens installation page', async ({ page }) => {
await page.goto('https://playwright.dev/');
await page.getByRole('link', { name: 'Get started' }).click();
await expect(
page.getByRole('heading', { name: 'Installation' })
).toBeVisible();
});test declares a test case. The page argument is a fixture supplied by the runner. goto navigates to the page; getByRole finds the link by its accessible role and name; click interacts with it; and expect(...).toBeVisible() checks the result. The official writing-tests guide describes the pattern as actions followed by assertions about the resulting state.
Save the test in the test directory created by the starter, or in a path matched by your Playwright configuration. To test your own application, replace the example URL and choose an interaction and outcome that represent a real user task.
Choose locators and assertions that wait for the page
Prefer locators tied to the interface
Use locators that describe how a person encounters the control: role and accessible name, label, visible text, or placeholder. They make a test’s intent easier to read and can expose accessibility problems when an expected name is absent. Use a test ID when your team deliberately defines it as a stable testing contract.
Locators are resolved when an action or assertion uses them, rather than binding permanently to an element at declaration time. Playwright can therefore retry resolution as the page changes.
Use web-first assertions, not routine fixed sleeps
Await assertions such as await expect(locator).toBeVisible() or await expect(page).toHaveTitle(/Playwright/). Web-first assertions wait for the expected condition, and locator actions wait for actionability. A fixed delay such as waitForTimeout usually makes a test slower without establishing that the page is actually ready; use a condition that reflects the expected state instead.
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Understand test isolation
The built-in page fixture is provided for a test run and is backed by a browser context. A context behaves like a fresh browser profile, so a test should not assume another test left it cookies, storage, or page state. This isolation helps tests run independently. Start with built-in fixtures; add custom fixtures when repeated setup or shared test-specific behavior makes them worthwhile.
Run tests and debug failures locally
Routine run
Run the configured suite from the project directory:
npx playwright test
Tests run headlessly by default, without opening a visible browser window.
See the browser or use interactive inspection
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Run
npx playwright test --headedto watch the browser while tests execute.What’s actually slowing this PC down?
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Run
npx playwright test --uito select and rerun tests interactively and inspect their execution. -
After a run, use
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When a test fails, first distinguish whether the browser did not launch, a locator could not find or act on the intended element, or an assertion never observed the expected result. Headed mode and UI Mode help inspect those different failure points.
Add a basic CI workflow
A CI job needs the project dependencies and Playwright browser binaries before it runs tests. For an npm project, the sequence is:
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Check out the code and set up a Node.js runtime supported by the current Playwright release.
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Install the locked dependencies with
npm ci. -
Install browsers with
npx playwright install. On a Linux runner that also needs system packages, usenpx playwright install --with-deps. -
Run
npx playwright test.
For reproducibility, the Playwright CI guide recommends one worker as the stable default in CI. Set workers: 1 in playwright.config.ts if you want to apply that default explicitly. Teams with suitable infrastructure can consider more workers or sharding. Browser caching is not always worthwhile, especially when Linux system dependencies still need installation.
Common setup and test failures
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Browser executable is missing: Install the browsers for the installed package with
npx playwright install. If dependencies were updated, install again so the browser binaries match.PerformancePC Slower Than It Used to Be?DriversOutdated Drivers Are Slowing You DownPerformanceWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They SpreadSpecial offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.Best Value
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Browser fails to launch on Linux CI: The runner may lack operating-system packages. Try
npx playwright install --with-depsin the CI setup stage. -
Locator finds no element: Check that navigation reached the intended page, then verify the element’s role, accessible name, label, text, or placeholder against the rendered interface. Prefer a meaningful locator over a brittle positional selector.
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Click does not proceed: The target may not be actionable yet or may be obscured. Use the locator action’s normal waiting behavior and inspect the page in headed mode or UI Mode rather than adding an arbitrary sleep.
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Assertion times out: Confirm the test’s expected result is correct and that the preceding action actually caused it. If the app is asynchronous, assert on the eventual user-visible state rather than an intermediate state.
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A test passes alone but fails in the suite: Look for an assumption about state created by another test. Each test should establish its own required state because page fixtures are isolated.
Or skip the browser setup
ScreenshotNeo is a screenshot API, not a replacement for Playwright’s interactions, assertions, or end-to-end test runner. If your task is to capture a page image or PDF rather than verify behavior, its one-request API avoids managing a browser locally. See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation.
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://playwright.dev/ -o shot.webpScreenshotNeo accepts cookie and consent banners and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; those steps can be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, with response headers identifying the page verdict and billing status. Its MCP server offers screenshot, page-info, and PDF tools for AI agents. The free plan includes 1,000 shots per month without a card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Playwright for unit tests?
This guide covers Playwright Test’s browser-based end-to-end workflow; it does not describe a unit-testing setup.
Does Playwright run tests headlessly by default?
Yes. Use the headed or UI options described above when you need to see or interactively inspect a browser run.
Quick Recap
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