How do I set up a single database pool connection for all tests in Playwright Test using the globalSetup or beforeAll hook?

Answer

Sure, you can set up a single database pool connection for all your tests using the globalSetup or beforeAll hook in @playwright/test.

First, create a global.setup.ts file at your project's root level. This file should export a function that initializes your database pool connection and stores it in a global variable. Here's an example:

// global.setup.ts
import { Pool } from 'your-database-library';

let dbPool: Pool;

export default async function globalSetup(config: any) {
  dbPool = new Pool(config.databaseOptions);
}

Next, specify the globalSetup option in your Playwright config file (playwright.config.ts) and provide the path to your global.setup.ts file:

// playwright.config.ts
import { defineConfig } from '@playwright/test';

export default defineConfig({
  globalSetup: './global.setup.ts',
});

This way, the globalSetup function will run once before all tests, establishing a single database pool connection. Each test can then access this shared dbPool variable for their database operations.

Remember, if you're using multiple workers with parallel execution, each worker will have its own instance of the global setup. If you want a single database pool connection per worker, initialize the connection in the beforeAll hook instead.

This efficient sharing of resources ensures consistent behavior across your test suite. For more tips on efficient testing with Playwright, check out this blog post.