Answer

Understanding Playwright's storageState Feature

When using @playwright/test, you might notice that after running a logout test, subsequent tests no longer start as an already logged user. This is due to how Playwright manages the authentication state, specifically with the storageState feature.

How storageState Works

In Playwright, you can store the authentication state in a JSON file using storageState. You can specify storageState for each test file or group, allowing each test to have its own authentication state.

import { test } from '@playwright/test';

test.use({
  storageState: 'state.json',
});

Why Logout Affects Subsequent Tests

If a logout test modifies or clears the authentication state in the JSON file, subsequent tests that rely on this state will no longer start as an already logged user. They'll be using an outdated or empty authentication state.

Ensuring Consistent Login States

To ensure that subsequent tests start as an already logged user, you need to update the "logged in" state in the JSON file after login actions. Also, handle any modifications or clearing of this state during logout to avoid affecting subsequent tests.

import { test } from '@playwright/test';

test('login', async ({ page }) => {
  await page.goto('https://ray.run/login');
  // perform login actions
  await page.context().storageState({ path: 'state.json' });
});

test('logout', async ({ page }) => {
  await page.goto('https://ray.run/logout');
  // perform logout actions
  // handle storageState modifications
});

By properly managing storageState, you can maintain consistent login states across different scenarios. This is crucial for robust testing with Playwright. For more insights on handling flaky tests in Playwright, check out this blog post.