How do I run a headed test in Playwright without XServer?

Question

Accepted Answer

To run a headed test in Playwright without XServer, you'll need to use the `--headed` option and set up a virtual display using Xvfb (X virtual framebuffer). Xvfb creates a virtual display in memory, allowing applications to run in an X11 environment without a physical display.

First, install Xvfb on Ubuntu or Debian-based systems:

```bash
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install xvfb
```

Next, start Xvfb and configure the virtual display:

```bash
Xvfb :99 -screen 0 1024x768x16 &
export DISPLAY=:99
```

This command starts Xvfb on display number 99 with a 1024x768 resolution and 16 bits per pixel color depth. The `export DISPLAY=:99` command sets the `DISPLAY` environment variable for applications to find the virtual display.

With Xvfb running, you can execute your @playwright/test headed tests without XServer:

```bash
npx playwright test my-test.spec.ts --headed
```

This command runs the `my-test.spec.ts` file in a headed browser, allowing you to see the browser window during test execution. By using Xvfb, you can run headed tests on servers without X11 installed, such as headless Linux servers.

How do I run a headed test in Playwright without XServer?

Answer