playwright
Playwright E2E testing, page objects, fixtures, visual regression, accessibility testing, and CI integration patterns.
Best use case
playwright is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.
Playwright E2E testing, page objects, fixtures, visual regression, accessibility testing, and CI integration patterns.
Teams using playwright should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.
When to use this skill
- You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.
When not to use this skill
- You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
- You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.
Installation
Claude Code / Cursor / Codex
Manual Installation
- Download SKILL.md from GitHub
- Place it in
.claude/skills/playwright/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How playwright Compares
| Feature / Agent | playwright | Standard Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Not specified | Limited / Varies |
| Context Awareness | High | Baseline |
| Installation Complexity | Unknown | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this skill do?
Playwright E2E testing, page objects, fixtures, visual regression, accessibility testing, and CI integration patterns.
Where can I find the source code?
You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.
SKILL.md Source
# Playwright Skill
Expert assistance for building comprehensive E2E test suites with Playwright, including page objects, fixtures, visual regression, and CI/CD integration.
## Capabilities
- Generate Playwright test project structure
- Create page object models for maintainable tests
- Implement custom fixtures and test utilities
- Configure visual regression testing
- Set up accessibility testing with axe-core
- Integrate with CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions, etc.)
- Generate API testing alongside UI tests
## Usage
Invoke this skill when you need to:
- Set up Playwright testing for a web application
- Create page object patterns for test organization
- Implement visual regression testing
- Configure cross-browser testing
- Set up CI/CD test automation
## Inputs
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|-----------|------|----------|-------------|
| projectType | string | No | web, api, component (default: web) |
| framework | string | No | react, nextjs, vue, angular |
| browsers | array | No | chromium, firefox, webkit (default: all) |
| features | array | No | visual, a11y, api, component |
| ci | string | No | github, gitlab, jenkins |
### Test Configuration
```json
{
"projectType": "web",
"framework": "nextjs",
"browsers": ["chromium", "firefox"],
"features": ["visual", "a11y", "api"],
"ci": "github",
"baseUrl": "http://localhost:3000"
}
```
## Output Structure
```
tests/
├── playwright.config.ts # Playwright configuration
├── fixtures/
│ ├── base.ts # Base test fixture
│ ├── auth.ts # Authentication fixture
│ └── api.ts # API helper fixture
├── pages/
│ ├── BasePage.ts # Base page object
│ ├── LoginPage.ts # Login page object
│ └── DashboardPage.ts # Dashboard page object
├── e2e/
│ ├── auth/
│ │ ├── login.spec.ts
│ │ └── logout.spec.ts
│ ├── dashboard/
│ │ └── dashboard.spec.ts
│ └── api/
│ └── users.api.spec.ts
├── visual/
│ ├── homepage.visual.spec.ts
│ └── screenshots/ # Baseline screenshots
├── a11y/
│ └── accessibility.spec.ts
├── utils/
│ ├── helpers.ts
│ └── test-data.ts
└── .github/
└── workflows/
└── playwright.yml # CI workflow
```
## Generated Code Patterns
### Playwright Configuration
```typescript
// playwright.config.ts
import { defineConfig, devices } from '@playwright/test';
export default defineConfig({
testDir: './tests',
fullyParallel: true,
forbidOnly: !!process.env.CI,
retries: process.env.CI ? 2 : 0,
workers: process.env.CI ? 1 : undefined,
reporter: [
['html', { open: 'never' }],
['json', { outputFile: 'test-results/results.json' }],
['junit', { outputFile: 'test-results/junit.xml' }],
],
use: {
baseURL: process.env.BASE_URL ?? 'http://localhost:3000',
trace: 'on-first-retry',
screenshot: 'only-on-failure',
video: 'retain-on-failure',
},
projects: [
{ name: 'setup', testMatch: /.*\.setup\.ts/ },
{
name: 'chromium',
use: { ...devices['Desktop Chrome'] },
dependencies: ['setup'],
},
{
name: 'firefox',
use: { ...devices['Desktop Firefox'] },
dependencies: ['setup'],
},
{
name: 'webkit',
use: { ...devices['Desktop Safari'] },
dependencies: ['setup'],
},
{
name: 'mobile-chrome',
use: { ...devices['Pixel 5'] },
dependencies: ['setup'],
},
{
name: 'mobile-safari',
use: { ...devices['iPhone 13'] },
dependencies: ['setup'],
},
],
webServer: {
command: 'npm run dev',
url: 'http://localhost:3000',
reuseExistingServer: !process.env.CI,
},
});
```
### Base Page Object
```typescript
// tests/pages/BasePage.ts
import { Page, Locator, expect } from '@playwright/test';
export abstract class BasePage {
readonly page: Page;
readonly header: Locator;
readonly footer: Locator;
readonly loadingSpinner: Locator;
constructor(page: Page) {
this.page = page;
this.header = page.locator('header');
this.footer = page.locator('footer');
this.loadingSpinner = page.locator('[data-testid="loading"]');
}
abstract get url(): string;
async goto() {
await this.page.goto(this.url);
await this.waitForPageLoad();
}
async waitForPageLoad() {
await this.loadingSpinner.waitFor({ state: 'hidden' });
}
async expectToBeVisible() {
await expect(this.page).toHaveURL(new RegExp(this.url));
}
async getToastMessage(): Promise<string | null> {
const toast = this.page.locator('[role="alert"]');
if (await toast.isVisible()) {
return toast.textContent();
}
return null;
}
}
```
### Login Page Object
```typescript
// tests/pages/LoginPage.ts
import { Page, Locator, expect } from '@playwright/test';
import { BasePage } from './BasePage';
export class LoginPage extends BasePage {
readonly emailInput: Locator;
readonly passwordInput: Locator;
readonly submitButton: Locator;
readonly errorMessage: Locator;
readonly forgotPasswordLink: Locator;
constructor(page: Page) {
super(page);
this.emailInput = page.getByLabel('Email');
this.passwordInput = page.getByLabel('Password');
this.submitButton = page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Sign in' });
this.errorMessage = page.locator('[role="alert"]');
this.forgotPasswordLink = page.getByRole('link', { name: 'Forgot password?' });
}
get url() {
return '/login';
}
async login(email: string, password: string) {
await this.emailInput.fill(email);
await this.passwordInput.fill(password);
await this.submitButton.click();
}
async expectErrorMessage(message: string) {
await expect(this.errorMessage).toContainText(message);
}
async expectLoginSuccess() {
await expect(this.page).toHaveURL(/\/dashboard/);
}
}
```
### Custom Fixtures
```typescript
// tests/fixtures/base.ts
import { test as base, expect } from '@playwright/test';
import { LoginPage } from '../pages/LoginPage';
import { DashboardPage } from '../pages/DashboardPage';
interface TestFixtures {
loginPage: LoginPage;
dashboardPage: DashboardPage;
}
interface WorkerFixtures {
authenticatedPage: void;
}
export const test = base.extend<TestFixtures, WorkerFixtures>({
loginPage: async ({ page }, use) => {
const loginPage = new LoginPage(page);
await use(loginPage);
},
dashboardPage: async ({ page }, use) => {
const dashboardPage = new DashboardPage(page);
await use(dashboardPage);
},
authenticatedPage: [
async ({ browser }, use) => {
const context = await browser.newContext({
storageState: 'tests/.auth/user.json',
});
await use();
await context.close();
},
{ scope: 'worker' },
],
});
export { expect };
```
### Authentication Setup
```typescript
// tests/auth.setup.ts
import { test as setup, expect } from '@playwright/test';
import path from 'path';
const authFile = path.join(__dirname, '.auth/user.json');
setup('authenticate', async ({ page }) => {
await page.goto('/login');
await page.getByLabel('Email').fill(process.env.TEST_USER_EMAIL!);
await page.getByLabel('Password').fill(process.env.TEST_USER_PASSWORD!);
await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Sign in' }).click();
await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/dashboard/);
await page.context().storageState({ path: authFile });
});
```
### E2E Test Example
```typescript
// tests/e2e/auth/login.spec.ts
import { test, expect } from '../../fixtures/base';
test.describe('Login', () => {
test.beforeEach(async ({ loginPage }) => {
await loginPage.goto();
});
test('should login with valid credentials', async ({ loginPage }) => {
await loginPage.login('user@example.com', 'password123');
await loginPage.expectLoginSuccess();
});
test('should show error with invalid credentials', async ({ loginPage }) => {
await loginPage.login('invalid@example.com', 'wrongpassword');
await loginPage.expectErrorMessage('Invalid email or password');
});
test('should show validation errors for empty fields', async ({ loginPage }) => {
await loginPage.submitButton.click();
await expect(loginPage.emailInput).toHaveAttribute('aria-invalid', 'true');
await expect(loginPage.passwordInput).toHaveAttribute('aria-invalid', 'true');
});
});
```
### Visual Regression Test
```typescript
// tests/visual/homepage.visual.spec.ts
import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
test.describe('Visual Regression', () => {
test('homepage should match snapshot', async ({ page }) => {
await page.goto('/');
await expect(page).toHaveScreenshot('homepage.png', {
fullPage: true,
animations: 'disabled',
});
});
test('login page should match snapshot', async ({ page }) => {
await page.goto('/login');
await expect(page).toHaveScreenshot('login-page.png');
});
test('dashboard should match snapshot @authenticated', async ({ page }) => {
await page.goto('/dashboard');
await expect(page).toHaveScreenshot('dashboard.png', {
mask: [page.locator('[data-testid="user-avatar"]')],
});
});
});
```
### Accessibility Test
```typescript
// tests/a11y/accessibility.spec.ts
import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
import AxeBuilder from '@axe-core/playwright';
test.describe('Accessibility', () => {
test('homepage should have no accessibility violations', async ({ page }) => {
await page.goto('/');
const accessibilityScanResults = await new AxeBuilder({ page })
.withTags(['wcag2a', 'wcag2aa', 'wcag21aa'])
.analyze();
expect(accessibilityScanResults.violations).toEqual([]);
});
test('login form should be keyboard accessible', async ({ page }) => {
await page.goto('/login');
await page.keyboard.press('Tab');
await expect(page.getByLabel('Email')).toBeFocused();
await page.keyboard.press('Tab');
await expect(page.getByLabel('Password')).toBeFocused();
await page.keyboard.press('Tab');
await expect(page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Sign in' })).toBeFocused();
});
});
```
### API Test
```typescript
// tests/e2e/api/users.api.spec.ts
import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
test.describe('Users API', () => {
test('should get user list', async ({ request }) => {
const response = await request.get('/api/users');
expect(response.ok()).toBeTruthy();
const body = await response.json();
expect(body.users).toBeInstanceOf(Array);
expect(body.users.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
});
test('should create a new user', async ({ request }) => {
const response = await request.post('/api/users', {
data: {
name: 'Test User',
email: 'test@example.com',
},
});
expect(response.status()).toBe(201);
const user = await response.json();
expect(user.name).toBe('Test User');
expect(user.email).toBe('test@example.com');
});
});
```
### GitHub Actions Workflow
```yaml
# .github/workflows/playwright.yml
name: Playwright Tests
on:
push:
branches: [main, develop]
pull_request:
branches: [main]
jobs:
test:
timeout-minutes: 60
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
steps:
- uses: actions/checkout@v4
- uses: actions/setup-node@v4
with:
node-version: 22
cache: 'npm'
- name: Install dependencies
run: npm ci
- name: Install Playwright Browsers
run: npx playwright install --with-deps
- name: Run Playwright tests
run: npx playwright test
env:
BASE_URL: ${{ secrets.BASE_URL }}
TEST_USER_EMAIL: ${{ secrets.TEST_USER_EMAIL }}
TEST_USER_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.TEST_USER_PASSWORD }}
- uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
if: always()
with:
name: playwright-report
path: playwright-report/
retention-days: 30
```
## Dependencies
```json
{
"devDependencies": {
"@playwright/test": "^1.50.0",
"@axe-core/playwright": "^4.10.0"
}
}
```
## Workflow
1. **Setup configuration** - Create playwright.config.ts
2. **Create page objects** - Model application pages
3. **Define fixtures** - Set up test utilities
4. **Write tests** - E2E, visual, a11y tests
5. **Configure CI** - GitHub Actions workflow
6. **Generate reports** - HTML, JSON, JUnit
## Best Practices Applied
- Page Object Model for maintainability
- Custom fixtures for reusability
- Parallel test execution
- Cross-browser testing
- Visual regression baselines
- Accessibility testing integration
- Proper test isolation
## References
- Playwright Documentation: https://playwright.dev/docs/intro
- playwright-skill: https://github.com/lackeyjb/playwright-skill
- mcp-playwright: https://github.com/executeautomation/mcp-playwright
- Axe-core: https://www.deque.com/axe/
## Target Processes
- e2e-testing-setup
- visual-regression-testing
- accessibility-testing
- api-testing
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