Software Development Updates

The biggest challenge anyone faces when working on an IT project is to decide whether to use old and established tools or to give modern tools a chance. The same confusion happens when it comes to web test automation, particularly when comparing Playwright vs Selenium. Both developers and business owners struggle to choose between these two options. 

Selenium is, of course, a tried and tested framework with better browser compatibility, whereas Playwright has the latest testing functionalities to offer. It doesn’t matter if you are performing in-house QA assessments or outsourcing the project to a reputed software testing company, it is important to have a basic understanding of your options. 

It helps decide which framework suits best for your project. Therefore, this article gives a detailed comparison between Playwright and Selenium.

1. What is Playwright?

Microsoft created an open-source library for end-to-end automation testing called Playwright. It supports all popular browsers, such as Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, as well as major CI servers, including Jasmine, Mocha, and Jest, using a single API, and different programming languages like Java, .NET, JavaScript, and Python. 

QA experts can leverage Playwright to simulate different environments and check how web applications perform. Its features include robust network interception and auto-wait which allows you to test web applications. Playwright also has emulation capabilities for mobile browsers. 

You can test your app for real-time web communication between the server and client by integrating Playwright with WebSocket technology. 

Playwright trends on GitHub:
Stars: 68.3k
Forks: 3.8k

1.1 Features of Playwright

Given below is the list of features that make Playwright a reliable choice for testing modern web applications. 

Cross-Browser Automation

Playwright allows you to run tests on different browsers, including Chrome, Edge, and Firefox. The purpose of cross-browser testing is to ensure that the app provides a consistent user experience across various environments. Building an app that functions well on different browsers enables you to reach a broader audience. Playwright helps automate cross-browser testing for web applications. 

Network Interception

You can easily intercept and modify network requests and responses while running a test, thanks to the network interception capabilities of Playwright. This feature is useful for various test cases, such as bypassing authentication mechanisms, simulating network conditions, mocking responses, etc. 

Auto-Wait APIs

The automatic waiting mechanism is one of the most distinguishing features of Playwright. Before implementing any action, this feature makes the APIs wait automatically until the elements are ready. Due to this, both the flakiness in the test and the boilerplate code are reduced. As a result, the Playwright framework becomes more efficient in automation testing. 

Code Generation

Playwright includes a built-in code generator that saves you time by automatically writing test code, which also reduces the risks of errors. 

1.2 Advantages of Playwright

The reasons why you should opt for Playwright in web app testing are as mentioned below: 

Comprehensive Tooling

In the case of test automation, a developer requires a variety of tools like a test runner, an assertion framework, a reporting tool, and a visual testing tool. Normally, a developer needs to build a tech stack that includes different types of tools and check whether they are compatible with each other. But since you are using Playwright, you have access to built-in versions of all these tools. They can be easily installed and integrated, allowing you to navigate test automation without any issues. 

Increased Productivity

Another advantage of using Playwright is that it enhances your team’s productivity. The framework offers a wide range of APIs and robust features, which can help speed up the testing process. Moreover, the syntax for writing tests in Playwright is pretty straightforward, allowing developers to create test scripts effortlessly. 

Network Interception and Monitoring

When an app is highly dependent on an API, then it is important to check whether the requests and responses can be altered. You can intercept the network and modify the requests and responses using the network interception feature in Playwright. This feature helps create advanced testing scenarios that simulate real-life network conditions and mock API responses. It also assesses how your application responds to network failure. Such a robust feature is unique to Playwright and is not found in other test automation frameworks. 

Headless and GUI Modes

Playwright offers various modes in its settings that can be changed as per requirements. You can run it in GUI mode during development and debugging, while for faster test execution, you can use headless mode. 

1.3 Disadvantages of Playwright

As there are benefits, there are limitations as well. Using a Playwright can present certain challenges, like:

Limited Language Support

Not every developer can use Playwright for software testing automation due to a language barrier. The framework only supports Typescript and JavaScript programming languages. So, if a developer does not have working experience with any of these languages, they can’t use Playwright. 

Learning Curve

Developers who do not have any experience or basic knowledge about Typescript language or NodeJS runtime environment then they need to learn them first. In short, Playwright has a steep learning curve.

Complexity

There are tasks that can be easily accomplished using other testing frameworks but are overly complicated in Playwright. This makes it difficult to learn and use Playwright. While the framework offers some impressive tools for test automation, their implementation can also be complex. In short, working with a Playwright on a testing project, especially a large one can be overwhelming. 

Growing User Base

With time, Playwright is slowly gaining popularity among the community of developers. But the fact that it is growing says it’s still a small framework with limited resources and a small community. So, there may be some problems when you need to seek expert guidance on specific issues or online tutorials on how to use Playwright. 

2. What is Selenium?

Selenium is one of the most popular open-source test automation tools. It can automate the browser and simulate user interactions with web elements to test whether web apps function up to expectations or not. 

Widely used for automated testing of web applications, Selenium is flexible enough to support multiple programming languages. This allows QA experts to write test scripts using different languages like PHP, NodeJS, Perl, Java, Python, C#, and Ruby. 

Selenium also comes with cross-browser compatibility and provides a unified API that ensures a consistent experience across all browsers. Parallel test execution is also possible in Selenium which speeds up the testing process. Additionally integrating Selenium with a CI/CD pipeline helps accelerate the development process. 

Selenium Trends on GitHub
Stars: 31.2k stars
Forks: 8.3k forks
Watching: 1.3k

2.1 Features of Selenium

Now, let’s see what Selenium has to offer in terms of testing modern web applications. 

Multi-Browser Support

Selenium has native browser support. So, it doesn’t need any intermediary software or device and can make direct calls. In short, Selenium can simulate real-life user interactions with the web applications and their elements running in the browser. The framework supports every major web browser including Firefox, Edge, Safari, and Chrome. 

Language Support

Selenium allows you to write test scripts in various programming languages ranging from conventional ones like C# and Java to modern languages like Python and Perl. So, you can use the language of your preference to write test automation scripts. 

Easy to Identify and Use Web Elements

The Selenium Webdriver is equipped with Locators that help find web elements. The developers can use this feature to their advantage when running the tests on web applications. 

Continuous Updates and Upgrades

Selenium has strong community support, with active contributions to the advancement of the framework. As a result, you will receive regular updates to keep Selenium relevant to changing market trends and user requirements. They also offer many features for free.

2.2 Advantages of Selenium

In this section, you will learn how using Selenium is beneficial for your software testing project. 

Open Source Availability

Selenium is an open-source testing framework which means its source code is available for free. It also allows you to modify the code to upgrade the framework and contribute by creating new features and functionalities. Similarly, you can also use the community-added features at no cost.

Moreover, its open-source nature has attracted support from a large community that can help you out in solving any challenges or complexities during software testing with Selenium. 

Integrated with CI/CD

Selenium can easily integrate with all popular CI/CD platforms, including Azure DevOps, Travis CI, GitLab, Jenkins, Bamboo, Circle CI, etc. Such interoperability is beneficial for automating the testing process. 

Upon integrating with CI/CD platforms, Selenium’s user interface facilitates automated deployment and continuous monitoring. This integration helps accelerate the testing process and improves developer productivity. 

Third-Party Integrations

Selenium offers a rich set of features, but that’s not all. You can easily extend the functionality of this framework by using third-party plugins. It allows you to choose the tools of your choice for development, testing, and reporting on your web app project. It provides easy integration with all the popular tools like SauceLabs, JUnit, Extent, etc. 

Flexibility

Selenium supports multiple programming languages for testing and allows the QA engineers to run test scripts on multiple browsers simultaneously. You are allowed to extend its functionality using plugins and APIs, thanks to its flexible nature. 

2.3 Disadvantages of Selenium

Even though Selenium has been around for a while now, there are still some unresolved issues when using it for web app testing. 

Supports Web Applications Only

You can use Selenium only for web test automation. Because it can only handle the interactions within a web browser, there is no way Selenium can be of any help in testing mobile apps or desktop apps. 

Maintenance Efforts For Test Scripts

The test scripts written using Selenium require regular maintenance and updates. The web apps may change with time or changing requirements. To accommodate these changes, it becomes important to update the scripts. Frequently updating the scripts can be very resource-intensive and time-consuming. 

Learning Curve

The more powerful the tool, the more difficult it is to master it. The same goes for Selenium. It’s a robust automation testing tool with extensive coding requirements. So, learning to use Selenium will be a difficult undertaking. 

However, there is an alternate option of Selenium IDE but it’s a simple tool that only works with Firefox and Chrome extensions. While you can add powerful features to it, doing so may make your tests more brittle. 

No Built-in Reporting

Selenium doesn’t offer any kind of reporting feature. Developers need to use external tools or third-party plugins to enable reporting functionality in this framework. In short, Selenium is a testing tool that cannot generate test reports on its own.

3. Comparison Between Playwright vs. Selenium

After taking a careful look at the features, advantages, and disadvantages of our contenders, it’s time we compare them against some common parameters to identify the leading framework. 

3.1 Prerequisites

When you want to use Playwright, you first have to install NodeJS and then use NPM or Yarn to install Playwright. Any browsers required for the project will be automatically downloaded by Playwright. 

To use Selenium, you need either a standalone Selenium server or browser-specific drivers. For example, you can use ChromeDriver for Google Chrome, GeckoDriver for Mozilla Firefox, etc. 

3.2 Architecture

Instead of using HTTP and WebDriver API, Playwright has a WebSocket connection. Everything sent for the test stays on one connection because WebSocket remains open during the test. As a result, you have faster test execution speed. 

Selenium testing tool that interacts with the web browsers and their drivers using WebDriver API. it translates the test cases into JSON format before sending them to browsers. After receiving them, web browsers run the commands and send back appropriate HTTP responses. 

3.3 Language Support

Playwright supports C#, TypeScript, JavaScript, Java, and Python. It also offers a unified API to keep test behavior consistent across all the supported languages no matter what language you use, Playwright offers a unified API.

Selenium supports various programming languages, including C#, Kotlin, JavaScript, Java, and Python. So, any developer wishing to use multiple languages to write test scripts can easily do so using Selenium. This tool also supports more languages than Playwright. 

3.4 Community Support

The Playwright is still a new tool, it doesn’t have a large following yet. However, it offers a wide range of resources and extensive documentation to help users work on projects with Playwright without any difficulties. 

The framework has an active GitHub presence, allowing users to request new features and report bugs. The Playwright team is responsive to every feedback and questions from the community. Though the community is small, it has various online forums on platforms like Reddit and StackOverflow. 

Selenium offers comprehensive documentation, including tutorials, guides, and informational blogs on getting started with Selenium, its features, and different configurations. Since it has been around for a while now, Selenium has got support from a large community. They run different online forums where you can seek answers or help regarding the tool. 

In the case of Selenium, there are various forums dedicated to different programming languages reflecting the framework’s support for multiple languages. There are also many forums for general discussion. 

Selenium has an active community channel where users can seek expert guidance on their projects or get answers to their questions. Joining the Selenium Slack Channel is simple, just fill out a request form on the official Selenium website. There are many more platforms like Stack Overflow from where users can find answers and necessary support. 

3.5 Limitations

Yes, we have already discussed the disadvantages of using these frameworks. But this is a little different. It focuses on where both Playwright and Selenium fall short in their testing capabilities. 

Playwright: 

• Provides limited support for cloud platform testing. 
• Does not support the native Safari browser. 
• Uses its stock browser for web app testing and not a real browser. 
• Does not support native mobile applications.

Selenium: 

• Only supports browser-based testing. Doesn’t support component testing or API testing. 
• Uses middle-layer browser drivers, leading to flaky and slow tests. 
• Does not support image-processing features.
• Does not support any reporting functionalities. Need to use third-party plugins. 
• Does not support any assertion library. Need to use third-party plugins.

4. Playwright vs Selenium: When to Choose?

Both Selenium and Playwright have excellent testing capabilities and are equipped with robust features. However, the decision to use these frameworks is purely subjective to the project requirements and underlying test scenarios. 

4.1 When to Use Playwright?

• Starting a new project requiring quick productivity.
• Your team has experience working with TypeScript and JavaScript languages. 
• To test complex scenarios and need features like API testing, test recording, and auto-waiting. 
• Testing modern web apps. 
• For fast and reliable web test automation. 
• When advanced debugging tools are required. 
• Parallel test execution. 

4.2 When to Use Selenium?

• When working on projects requiring broad browser support. 
• Established ecosystem with existing Selenium integration. 
• When working on a legacy system that is compatible with Selenium. 
• Projects requiring deep device simulation. 
• When you have to use multiple languages to write and execute test scripts. 

5. Playwright vs Selenium: Key Differences

Given below is a quick comparison between both web test automation libraries.

Criteria	Playwright	Selenium
Ease of use	Easy setup, modern APIs	Requires additional setup and configurations
Prerequisites	NodeJS installation, and Playwright framework setup	Browser-specific driver setup, I and test runner setup
Language Support	C#, Java, Javascript, TypeScript, and Python	Java, C#, JavaScript, Perl, PHP, Python, Ruby and Kotlin
Browser Support	Firefox, Edge, Safari, and Chrome	Firefox, Edge, Safari, Chrome, and Internet Explorer
Cross-browser testing	Unified API for consistent testing across all browsers	Uses browser-specific drivers which makes it complex
OS support	Linux, MacOS, and Windows	Linux, MacOS, Windows, and Solaris
Community support	Small but growing community	Large and active community
Debugging feature	Codegen	Selenium IDE
Parallel test execution	Provide native support	Provided as a built-in feature
Test runner	Provided as built-in feature	Need to use third-party test runners
Architecture	W3C WebDriver Protocol	Native browser protocols

6. Conclusion 

As we saw in this article, both Playwright and Selenium come with their own set of features, and pros and cons. 

On one hand, we have Playwright, a modern automation testing library that provides cross-browser support along with robust features. This open-source tool not only accelerates the testing process but also simplifies handling concurrent tests across different environments. 

On the other hand, Selenium is a well-established framework supported by a large community. Its versatility and extensive browser compatibility make it an ideal option for complex and long-term projects. 

The decision to choose between Playwright and Selenium depends completely on your project requirements and the QA team. Playwright seems like the right option for projects requiring modern tools with advanced web automation features. Meanwhile, Selenium works great for projects that need extensive browser support and deep integrations. 

FAQs 

Does the Playwright need coding?

Yes, Playwright needs coding skills because it is a script-based automated testing tool. You must know how to use programming languages to write and execute test scripts in Playwright. 

Can I use Playwright with Selenium?

Yes, it is possible to use Playwright with Selenium. You can integrate Playwright with the Selenium Grid Hub that uses Selenium 4 and it will launch the Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome browser. However, it is important to note that this feature is still in the experimental phase.

Is Playwright a good automation tool?

Yes, you can say that Playwright is a good automation tool. After all, it provides cross-browser web automation required for testing modern web applications. Not to mention its wide range of offerings makes it quite a robust and reliable option. 

Is Selenium better than Playwright?

When considering flexibility and browser compatibility, Selenium is better than Playwright. But if you are looking for a more simple yet intuitive option, then Playwright is the way to go.