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Best Practices for Using Playwright

To make the most out of Playwright, follow these best practices:

Use Web First Assertions

Web first assertions like toBeVisible() ensure accurate testing. They wait for the expected condition to be met before proceeding. Here's an example:

await expect(page.locator('text="Alert message"')).toBeVisible();

Avoid Manual Assertions

Don't use manual assertions that aren't awaiting the expect statement. Instead, use web first assertions to make sure the test waits for the locator to be present.

Debugging

For debugging, you have two options:

Local Debugging in VSCode

Install the VS Code extension and run tests in debug mode. This opens a browser window and pauses at the breakpoint.

Playwright's Inspector

Run tests with the --debug flag to use Playwright's built-in inspector.

npx playwright test --debug

Use the Right Tools

The VS Code extension offers test generation and locator suggestions. TypeScript works out of the box with Playwright, providing better IDE integrations.

Test Across All Browsers

Use Playwright's configuration file (playwright.config.ts) to define projects for different browsers or devices.

Keep Your Playwright Dependency Up-to-Date

Update your dependency using npm:

npm install -D @playwright/test@latest

Check the release notes for the latest version and any changes that have been made.

For more tips, check out Mastering Playwright Test Automation: Your Comprehensive Cheat Sheet.