As we know, the agile development methodology aims to rapidly and speedily deliver the software in a phased manner. In this methodology, the testing is done in simpler chunks rather than testing the whole application entirely. Manual testing is time-consuming because it involves the practice of human efforts, and the testing is done in various steps one by one.
The QA team and developers use automation testing to tackle this issue. Automation testing executes software or web app testing using automated tools and frameworks. Playwright is one of the popular automation testing tools utilized to test the cross-browser compatibility of websites or web apps. Playwright is a multi-language, multi-operating system-supported automation testing framework. But Playwright is one of many options for automation testing.
The QA team and developers use many automation testing tools and frameworks based on their requirements and testing scope. But choosing one of them is a challenging task. In this article, you will first see a brief introduction to Playwright and then visit the top similar apps for automation testing and a comparison between them.
Introduction to Playwright
Playwright is an open-source library widely used for test automation. The various top contributors of Microsoft initially developed it. Playwright framework is also used to perform application testing for numerous types of web applications, such as single-page or multi-page web apps, before making them live for the users. Using Playwright to perform software testing allows you to test various operating systems such as macOS, Windows, Linux, etc. Also, Playwright has features that adapt its content and structure across different operating systems. It decreases the test case reusability. Hence, you do not need to write different code or modify the code according to the operating system.
Apart from huge operating system compatibility, Playwright also supports different types of web browsers such as Google Chrome, MS Edge, Safari, etc. This compatibility across different web browsers allows the testing team to provide a seamless and smooth user experience for all types of users. Playwright will enable you to select all the elements of the web application individually and perform the software testing process over them using the friendly API provided by Playwright.
There is also an option to integrate with the CI/CD pipeline in this framework that allows you to execute automated tests at various stages of the software testing process. Playwright leverages the DevTools protocol to write robust, stable automated tests. You can also perform visual regression testing to improve the visual elements of web apps or software applications. It helps to get screenshots of each component at every stage of the testing process. Based on captured screenshots, you can make a visual analysis, too. You can automate some real-time stuff for testing, such as scrolling, clicking, etc.
How Playwright Stands Out?
Playwright is not an old automation tool in the market. Butis is a powerful and reliable automation tool that has gained popularity in software application automation testing. It happened only due to exceptional automation testing features and capabilities. These are as follows:
Codegen
Codegen is a testing feature in the Playwright tool that can generate tests based on user actions that it records. It saves time as you do not need to create tests in various programming languages.
Built-in Video Recording
A video recording feature by default in this testing tool records the running tests. It helps debug and diagnose test failures but needs to be more seamlessly integrated into other tools.
Playwright Inspector
This feature of Playwright is used to inspect web pages, generate selectors, navigate through various test executions, explore the click points, etc.
Trace Viewer
It is a handy and comprehensive debugging tool that captures a wealth of information during the test execution, test failures, and more testing phases.
All these valuable and advanced features helped Playwright stand out in the automation testing market, where many similar automation testing tools are already available.
Comparing Playwright with Other Testing Frameworks
Now, let us compare Playwright with various other testing frameworks. Since you have seen what Playwright is and how it works, you will notice how it differs from similar automation testing tools such as Cypress, Selenium, etc.
Cypress
- Cypress is used for end-to-end automation testing. It is based on the JavaScript language.
- Cypress has a different architecture from other automation testing tools as it runs the tests directly within the browser to provide real-time DOM snapshots.
- Cypress is easy to set up, but it could be more versatile.
- Cypress has limited built-in features.
- You need to add an extra setup for logging and reporting.
- You must add external configurations for screenshot and video recording features and auto-wait functionality.
- Cypress supports operating systems such as Windows, Linux, and macOS 10.9.
- Cypress has strong and active community support from professionals across the globe, and it also supports tests on real–devices and cloud servers.
- In Cypress, you can use Spies, Stubs, and Clocks to verify and control the behavior of server responses, functions, or timers.
- Cypress has powerful and flexible selector support, making it easy for professionals familiar with JavaScript.
- When you write the test cases in Cypress, it executes them in real time and provides you with visual feedback as they run.
Selenium
- Selenium is an open-source automation testing tool for web automation.
- Selenium has a client-server architecture with a WebDriver server that communicates with browser drivers.
- Selenium needs an extra setup for logging and reporting. It also requires an external configuration for enabling screenshots and video recording features in your automation testing.
- Selenium has multi-language support for writing the tests. The QA team and developers can choose their preferred languages, such as Python, C#, Ruby, Perl, PHP, and JavaScript.
- Selenium has limited selectors support based on DOM, and it is easy for professionals familiar with JavaScript or other languages.
- You must install an external configuration to enable CI/CD Integration in Selenium.
- Parallel testing is supported in Selenium, which helps perform your automation testing efficiently and in less time.
- It has multi-operating support such as Windows, Linux, macOS, etc., and it also supports web browsers such as Google Chrome, IE, Safari, etc.
- Selenium also supports real device testing on cloud environments like LambdaTest, which is easy to use, cost-effective, and more scalable. 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.
LambdaTest stands out in automation testing due to its AI-powered test execution and orchestration capabilities. It is even more impressive that users can access a vast grid of over 3000+ real browsers and operating system combinations. This extensive testing environment ensures thorough coverage, guaranteeing comprehensive testing across various configurations.
But LambdaTest doesn’t stop at traditional automation capabilities. It goes above and beyond, making it an invaluable tool for handling complex testing scenarios. With its user-friendly interface and advanced features, teams are empowered to automate tests seamlessly, allowing for efficient and effective testing across various browsers and operating systems. In summary, LambdaTest is a versatile and powerful ally for those seeking to optimize their automation testing processes.
- Selenium has very active and commercial support for its users via its sponsors in the
- Selenium Ecosystem and self-support documents. Strong community support from professionals across the globe.
Robot Framework
- Robot Framework is an open-source automation testing framework that is keyword-driven.
- Robot Framework has a modular architecture with libraries for each feature and functionality.
- It has limited support for mobile web automation and cross-browser testing.
- You can enable reporting and logging in this framework by customizable keywords.
- To perform screenshots and screen record features during the automation testing with Robot Framework, you must install custom external setups.
- It also supports cross-browser testing to make your web app or website compatible across various browsers and devices.
- It supports CI/CD integration, making your development and testing process smooth and easy.
- Robot Framework has versatile selectors support, and its learning curve depends on the experience of a professional.
- You can integrate other useful tools with the Robot Framework to create powerful and flexible automation testing solutions.
- It has a vibrant and active community support of testing enthusiasts around it. Anyone can connect with like-minded professionals and make a stronger community.
WebDriverIO
- WebdriverIO is a very famous name in the field of automation testing. It is based on WebDriver.
- WebdriverIO has a simple architecture in which it runs with a WebDriver server and communicates with browser drivers to perform automation testing.
- WebdriverIO supports CI/CD integration to increase software delivery speed and establish good communication between the development and testing teams.
- It is based on the JavaScript language.
- There are some built-in features for logging and reporting. Also, you can take screenshots and use video recording features in it by default.
- WebdriverIO also supports mobile web view automation and cross-browser testing to ensure website compatibility across various browsers and their versions.
- WebdriverIO has powerful and flexible selector support, and it can be approached by professionals familiar with JavaScript language.
- WebdriverIO supports parallel test execution, allowing the QA and developers to execute various tests in the system parallelly, decreasing time consumption and increasing testing efficiency.
- WebdriverIO supports a set of APIs and commands that make it easy for the testing team to interact with web elements, work on the feedback of user’s actions, and validate application behavior accordingly.
- You can integrate it with other testing frameworks like Mocha and Jasmine to increase automation testing efficiency and performance.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a perfect automation testing tool, you can see the comparison of Playwright with various similar automation testing tools in this article. All the tools have their features and advantages. You can not restrict users from using a specific tool to perform automation testing for a website or software application. But that depends on the user’s needs and business requirements.
Playwright is a relatively new but powerful automation tool developed by Microsoft. It has several useful features that set it apart, which is why it is popular, although comparatively new. These features are built-in video recording features, codegen features, etc. After reading this article, I hope you got an idea about Playwright and its competitive automation testing tool.
