Playwright vs Selenium: What are the differences?

Introduction

Here we will discuss the key differences between Playwright and Selenium. Both Playwright and Selenium are popular automation testing frameworks used for web applications. However, there are several significant differences between them.

1. Accessibility Testing Support:

Playwright comes with built-in support for accessibility testing, allowing developers to easily verify if their web application is accessible to users with disabilities. This feature is not available in Selenium, making Playwright a more suitable choice for developers aiming for inclusive web development.

2. Cross-Browser Testing Capability:

While Selenium is primarily focused on cross-browser testing, Playwright goes a step further by providing native multi-browser support. Playwright allows developers to write their automated tests once and execute them on multiple browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, and WebKit. On the other hand, Selenium requires separate driver configurations for each browser, making Playwright more efficient and convenient for cross-browser testing.

3. Concurrent Execution Support:

Playwright enables concurrent execution of tests by utilizing modern browser capabilities. This means that multiple browser instances can run concurrently, leading to improved test execution speed. Selenium, on the other hand, does not provide built-in support for concurrent execution, resulting in slower test runs.

4. Language binding support:

Playwright supports multiple programming languages out of the box, including JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, and Java. Selenium also supports various programming languages, but Playwright's language binding support is more extensive and up-to-date. This allows developers to choose their preferred language and seamlessly integrate Playwright into their existing tech stack.

5. Same-Site Cookie Support:

Playwright offers native support for same-site cookies, which are essential for modern web applications that rely on authentication and session management. Selenium, on the other hand, requires additional configurations and workarounds to handle same-site cookies effectively. With Playwright, developers can ensure the reliability and security of their web applications without going through any extra hassle.

6. Debugging Capabilities:

Playwright provides built-in debugging capabilities, allowing developers to easily identify and diagnose issues during test execution. It offers features like screenshots on failure and video recording, making it easier to reproduce and fix bugs. Selenium also provides debugging functionalities, but Playwright's debugging capabilities are more user-friendly and comprehensive.

In summary, Playwright has several advantages over Selenium. It offers built-in accessibility testing support, native multi-browser functionality, concurrent execution support, extensive language binding support, excellent same-site cookie handling, and enhanced debugging capabilities. These features make Playwright a powerful and convenient choice for web application automation testing.