7 Mistakes to Avoid In Playwright Automation Testing

7 Mistakes to Avoid In Playwright Automation Testing | Automation testing has become a crucial aspect of software development, particularly in Playwright automation testing. This technology has revolutionized the way developers test their software, making it easier, faster, and more reliable. However, despite its many benefits, playwright automation testing can be challenging if not done correctly. 

There are many mistakes that developers make when trying to automate their testing process, leading to inaccurate results and even software failures. In this article, we will explore the seven most common mistakes to avoid in Playwright automation testing. By the end of this blog, you will have a clear understanding of how to avoid these pitfalls and ensure that your Playwright automation testing is efficient.

7 Mistakes to Avoid in Playwright Automation Testing

1. Not Setting Up Proper Configuration

Proper configuration is an essential aspect of automation testing with Playwright. Failing to set up the necessary configuration can lead to various issues, including test failures, false positives, and unreliable test results. Here are some reasons why setting up proper configuration is crucial for automation testing:-

• Consistent Test Environment: Proper configuration helps ensure a consistent test environment across different systems and environments. It enables you to set up the necessary dependencies, variables, and settings so that your tests run smoothly and produce consistent results.
• Improved Test Performance: Proper configuration can also help improve the performance of your tests. By setting up the right configurations, you can optimize your tests for faster execution, reduce resource usage, and improve overall test efficiency.
• Accurate Test Results: Proper configuration can help ensure that your tests produce accurate results. It enables you to set up the necessary parameters and variables so that your tests reflect the actual behavior of the application.

Here are some examples of how to set up the proper configuration for automation testing with Playwright:-

• Environment Variables: Use environment variables to set up the necessary configurations for your tests. Environment variables enable you to define values that can be used by your tests during runtime. Examples of environment variables that you can use include browser type, browser language, page timeout, and viewport size.
• Configuration Files: Use configuration files to store and manage your test configurations. Configuration files are typically written in JSON or YAML format and can contain a variety of settings, such as the URL of the application, the path to the test files, and the default browser options.
• Command-Line Arguments: Use command-line arguments to pass parameters to your tests during runtime. Command-line arguments enable you to specify values such as the browser type, the test file to run, and the output format.
• Test Hooks: Use test hooks to set up the necessary configurations for your tests. Test hooks are functions that are executed before or after a test or a test suite. Examples of test hooks that you can use include beforeAll, afterAll, beforeEach, and afterEach.

2. Not Using Selectors Appropriately

Using selectors appropriately is essential when running tests with Playwright, as it can significantly impact the reliability and accuracy of automated testing efforts. Selectors are used to locate and interact with elements on a web page, and if used incorrectly, they can lead to unexpected outcomes and inaccurate test results. Here are some reasons why using selectors appropriately is crucial for successful automated testing:

Avoiding false positives and negatives: When selectors are used incorrectly, they can lead to false positives (tests passing even though they should fail) or false negatives (tests failing even though they should pass). This can happen when selectors are not unique or when the selected element changes its position or attributes. Using appropriate selectors helps avoid these issues and ensures that tests produce accurate results.

Enhancing test stability: Using appropriate selectors can also help enhance test stability. When selectors are precise and reliable, tests are less likely to break when the web application changes. This reduces the need for constant maintenance and increases the efficiency of testing efforts.

Here are some examples of how to use selectors appropriately in automated testing with Playwright:-

1. Unique Selectors: When selecting elements on a web page, it is essential to use unique selectors that target only the intended element. CSS selectors that are too broad, such as selecting by class or tag name, may return multiple elements that match the selector, leading to unpredictable results. Instead, use selectors that are unique to the element you want to interact with, such as selecting by ID or by attribute value.
2. Stable Selectors: Selectors should be stable and reliable, meaning they do not change frequently. Selecting elements by their position on the page, for example, can be problematic because changes in the page layout can cause the selector to point to a different element. Instead, use selectors based on attributes that are less likely to change, such as data attributes or unique class names.
3. Dynamic Selectors: When selecting elements that are dynamically generated by the web application, such as pop-up windows or models, it is important to use selectors that account for this behavior. Using selectors that are only present at a certain point in time, such as `waitForSelector` or `waitForXPath`, can help ensure that tests do not fail due to the dynamic nature of the web application.

3. Not Leveraging Playwright’s Debugging Tools

Neglecting to take advantage of Playwright’s built-in debugging tools, such as breakpoints, source maps, and interactive consoles, can significantly impede the efficiency and accuracy of automated testing efforts. By utilizing these tools, developers, and testers can quickly identify and isolate problematic code and ultimately increase the effectiveness of their testing processes. Here are some debugging tools in Playwright and their examples:

1) Breakpoints:- Breakpoints allow testers to pause the execution of a script at a specific line of code to inspect the program’s state. Testers can set breakpoints in Playwright using the debug() function, which launches the script in debug mode. For example, the below code snippet sets a breakpoint at line 10:-

async function test() {
  console.log("Starting the test...");
  await page.goto("https://www.example.com");
  debug(); // set breakpoint here
  await page.click("button#submit");
  console.log("Test completed.");
}

Once the breakpoint is set, the script execution will pause at line 10, allowing testers to inspect the program’s state and fix any issues.

2) Source Maps:- Playwright supports source maps, which allow testers to debug the original source code instead of the generated code. Source maps map the generated code to the original source code, making it easier to identify issues in the code. To use source maps in Playwright, testers need to enable them using the setUseApi() method. For example, the following code snippet enables source maps:-

const browser = await chromium.launch({
  headless: false,
});
const context = await browser.newContext({
  viewport: null,
});
const page = await context.newPage();
await page.goto("https://www.example.com");
await page.setContent("<h1>Hello, world!</h1>");
await page.addScriptTag({
  url: "https://unpkg.com/lodash",
});
await page.evaluate(() => {
  debugger; // enable source maps here
  _.forEach([1, 2, 3], (num) => {
    console.log(num);
  });
});

In this example, the “debugger()” statement enables source maps, allowing testers to debug the original source code instead of the generated code.

3) Interactive Consoles:- Playwright provides an interactive console that testers can use to run JavaScript commands and inspect the program’s state. Testers can access the console using the evaluate() method, which allows them to execute JavaScript code in the context of the current page. For example, the following code snippet opens an interactive console and prints the current URL:-

const browser = await chromium.launch({
  headless: false,
});
const context = await browser.newContext({
  viewport: null,
});
const page = await context.newPage();
await page.goto("https://www.example.com");
await page.setContent("<h1>Hello, world!</h1>");
await page.evaluate(() => {
  console.log("Current URL:", window.location.href);
  debugger; // open interactive console here
});

In this example, the “debugger()” statement opens an interactive console, allowing testers to execute JavaScript commands and inspect the program’s state.

Overall, failing to leverage these debugging tools can result in increased time and resources spent on troubleshooting and debugging, ultimately leading to a less efficient and effective automated testing process.

4. Not Integrating Playwright With Other Testing Frameworks

 Playwright is a powerful automation testing framework that allows you to automate browser testing for Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit. However, to get the most out of your tests, it is recommended to integrate Playwright with other testing frameworks. Here are some examples of how you can do that:

1. Mocha: Mocha is a popular JavaScript testing framework that allows you to write asynchronous tests. By integrating Mocha with Playwright, you can write powerful end-to-end tests that can handle complex scenarios.
2. Jest: Jest is another popular JavaScript testing framework that is easy to use and comes with built-in support for mocking, code coverage, and snapshots. By integrating Jest with Playwright, you can write comprehensive tests that cover both front-end and back-end functionality.
3. Cucumber: Cucumber is a popular testing framework that allows you to write tests in a natural language format using the Gherkin syntax. By integrating Cucumber with Playwright, you can write tests that are easy to read and understand.

5. Forgetting to Document Tests

Documenting tests is a crucial aspect of software testing, particularly in the context of automation testing. It helps in keeping track of the progress of testing efforts, identifying issues quickly, and collaborating effectively with team members. Here are some technical reasons why documenting tests is crucial for automation testing:

1. Traceability: Documenting tests ensures the traceability of testing efforts, making it easy to track the testing progress. By documenting each test, testers can easily identify which tests have been executed, which ones have passed, which ones have failed, and which ones are yet to be executed. It helps in prioritizing testing efforts, ensuring that all the tests are executed, and identifying any gaps in testing.
2. Reproducibility: Test documentation provides a clear understanding of the testing approach, test data, and expected results. It enables testers to reproduce the tests with the same test data and configurations in case of failures. Test documentation also helps in ensuring that the tests are executed consistently across different environments and testers.
3. Efficient debugging: Documenting tests helps in the quick identification of issues, which is critical in automation testing. When a test fails, the documentation provides a clear understanding of the test’s intended functionality, expected outcome, and actual result. It enables testers to identify the root cause of the issue efficiently and take corrective actions.

Here are some technical examples of how to document tests for automation testing:-

1. Test Plan: A test plan outlines the testing approach, objectives, scope, and schedule. It includes details such as the testing techniques to be used, the test environment, the testing tools, and the testing data. The test plan helps in ensuring that all the required testing scenarios are covered and the testing efforts are aligned with the project goals.
2. Test Cases: A test case outlines the specific steps to be taken to execute a test. It includes details such as the test case ID, the test objective, the preconditions, the test steps, the expected results, and the actual results. Test cases help in ensuring that all the required testing scenarios are executed consistently across different testers and environments.
3. Test Reports: A test report is a document that summarizes the results of the testing efforts. It includes details such as the number of tests executed, the number of tests passed, the number of tests failed, and any issues identified during testing. Test reports help in identifying the testing progress, issues, and trends. It also helps in communicating the testing progress and issues to stakeholders.

6. Not Handling Errors Properly

In automation testing, handling errors appropriately is essential for ensuring reliable and accurate test results. Failure to handle errors properly can lead to false positives or false negatives, which can be time-consuming to investigate and can reduce confidence in test results.

To avoid false negatives, it is important to distinguish between issues with the application and issues with the test environment. Proper error handling can help identify and isolate these issues and prevent false negatives. Similarly, handling errors can help identify issues with the application, such as pages not loading or forms not submitting correctly, and prevent false positives.

To handle errors properly try-catch blocks can be used to catch and handle errors gracefully, preventing tests from failing prematurely. Assertions can be used to validate the expected behavior of the application, catching errors early and preventing false positives. Timeouts can also be used to prevent tests from hanging indefinitely, ensuring that tests are executed efficiently. Finally, error logs can be used to record errors and exceptions that occur during test execution, aiding in the identification of issues and root cause analysis.

7. Failing To Clean Up After Tests

After each test, it’s important to clean up any data or resources that were used during the test. This can help prevent test pollution and ensure that subsequent tests are not affected by leftover data.

Boost Your Playwright Automation Testing Today with LambdaTest

To perform cross-browser testing at scale, utilize the LambdaTest Cloud Grid. This platform provides an online browser farm that includes over 50 browsers and browser versions, such as Chrome, Chromium, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, and Webkit.

By using a cloud testing platform like LambdaTest, you can easily test your Playwright script across multiple platforms and browsers without the need for a physical device or local infrastructure. This allows for more efficient and cost-effective testing, especially for organizations with limited resources or testing budgets.

To get started, you will need to configure your LambdaTest account and set up the necessary connections between your Playwright script and the LambdaTest Cloud Grid. Once this is done, you can run your test suite across multiple platforms and browsers simultaneously and quickly identify any compatibility issues or bugs.

Overall, cloud testing platforms like LambdaTest offer a powerful solution for cross-browser testing at scale, enabling organizations to streamline their testing processes and ensure their applications are fully compatible with a wide range of browsers and devices.

Parallel testing using Playwright Automation on the LambdaTest platform

LambdaTest provides the capability to perform parallel testing with Playwright across more than 40 browsers and operating systems, allowing for the automation of multiple test cases simultaneously. This feature can be used to execute a single test case across various browsers or run several test scenarios on the same browser with different versions.

To start, you will need to clone the LambdaTest-Playwright GitHub repository and navigate to the cloned directory using the command line interface(CLI). It is essential to ensure that all necessary npm dependencies are installed before proceeding further.

Next, you will need to configure your LambdaTest authentication credentials to establish the necessary connections between your Playwright script and the LambdaTest Cloud Grid.

Once these steps are completed, you can proceed with running your parallel tests with Playwright on the LambdaTest platform. By leveraging the power of parallel testing, you can reduce the overall testing time and quickly identify any compatibility issues across various browsers and operating systems. 

Conclusion

Playwright automation testing is a valuable tool for software development teams, but it’s important to approach it with care and attention to detail. By avoiding the mistakes outlined in this article, you can ensure that your automation tests are effective, reliable, and sustainable.

Make sure to incorporate visual testing and ensure that your tests are running efficiently. Take the time to keep your test environment stable and consistent, and use reporting and analytics to stay on top of any issues. So take the time to learn from these tips and keep improving your automation testing skills. With the right approach, you can build high-quality software that meets the needs of your users.

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