A Beginner’s Guide To Playwright Inspector

19 August 2023

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As the world continues to shift towards a more digital landscape, the significance of quality web applications has become progressively apparent.

Given the vast array of tools and technologies at the disposal of web developers, determining an appropriate starting point can prove challenging. Debugging is the method of identifying and fixing bugs or errors in software.

It is a vital aspect of web automation testing as it contributes significantly to the dependability and precision of the automated test results. Playwright is an open-source cross-browser testing framework released by Microsoft in 2020.

As stated by Systems Sciences Institute, the expenditure of addressing an error or bug discovered after product release was 4 to 5 times higher than pinpointing it during the configuration phase. The detected value during the maintenance phase can be exceeded by up to 100 times. Playwright developers operate at the API level and offer comprehensive tooling through the integrated Playwright Inspector.

Playwright Inspector is a powerful tool that authorizes developers to efficiently test and debug their web applications. Also, it facilitates creating automation scripts by furnishing auto code generation capabilities. Playwright Inspector allows you to inspect the Document Object Model (DOM) structure of a webpage, interact with web elements, and inspect CSS styles utilizing the Playwright API. It authorizes stepping through tests, picking locators, editing live locators, and seeing actionability logs.

This blog will dive into the basics of Playwright Inspector and explore its many features. So if you’re ready to take your web development skills to the next level, buckle up and dive into the world of Playwright Inspector.

Before that, let’s have a brief understanding of Playwright.

What is Playwright?

Developed by Microsoft, Playwright is an end-to-end open-source web testing and browser automation framework. Playwright offers outstanding cross-browser compatibility and convenient features. This makes it a perfect choice for automation and quality assurance purposes. The playwright is a flexible, robust, and efficient framework. It supports multiple languages like JavaScript, Java, Python, C#, and TypeScript.

Playwright utilizes a single automation API. This makes it steadfast and quick and produces consistent outcomes while running cross-browser testing. It provides a powerful set of testing features. These features can be utilized to simulate end-user interactions with the web application. Also, the framework authorizes testing complex scenarios such as file uploads, login flows, and other interactions. These test scenarios can be tough to test with other testing frameworks.

The software platform furnishes developers with a comprehensive selection of standard and personalized locators. This facilitates the straightforward and effective identification of elements on web pages. These locators can pinpoint elements based on a variety of attributes, including text content, position on the page, and other distinguishing features. With Playwright locators, developers can confidently identify elements on the DOM, ensuring the creation of substantial and steadfast test suites.

What is a Playwright Inspector?

Playwright Inspector is a Graphical User Interface based tool that helps testers and developers record scripts and debug Playwright tests. The tool helps generate boilerplate code. This can be a suitable starting point for building codes. Also, it assists developers and the Quality Assurance teams save time when writing the test script from scratch. Software developers can utilize the time saved to comprehensively understand the codebase and make informed modifications, as required, to enhance the efficacy of the testing suites.

The Playwright Inspector simplifies the process of debugging web applications. It is a browser-based development tool that facilitates developers to inspect, debug, and troubleshoot web applications. The tool authorizes developers to record user interactions, capture screenshots, and inspect HTML elements, CSS styles, and JavaScript code. Playwright Inspector furnishes a console for developers and testers to run arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of the inspected page.

To scale Playwright Inspector, an AI-powered test orchestration and test execution platform like LambdaTest offers an online farm of 3000+ browser and OS combinations to execute the Playwright test. You can effortlessly test your application as its scalable cloud infrastructure enables parallel test execution where you can run test cases altogether. It can also integrate with your existing testing infrastructure.

It effortlessly plugs into your Playwright tool, eliminating the need for complex configurations. LambdaTest’s Playwright Inspector

empowers you to debug and analyze Playwright scripts effortlessly. Inspect element properties, verify page behavior, and optimize automated tests using this user-friendly tool.

Installation and Setup Instructions

Installation and setup instructions are crucial for any software tool, and Playwright Inspector is no exception. As a beginner, it’s essential to follow these instructions carefully to ensure that you can start using the tool without any issues. To install Playwright Inspector, first, you need to make sure that you have Node.js installed on your computer or laptop. Once you have Node.js, you can install Playwright Inspector through npm by running the command “npm i -g playwright-inspector” in your terminal.

Upon successful installation, the tool can be initiated by executing the command “playwright-inspector” in your terminal. You can also use Playwright Inspector with other browsers like Firefox and Safari by installing the corresponding browser extensions. Following these instructions will give you a smooth and hassle-free experience of using Playwright Inspector, authorizing you to debug and troubleshoot your web applications with ease.

How to Inspect Elements in Playwright Inspector

If you are new to Playwright Inspector, you may be wondering how to inspect elements within your web page. Fortunately, Playwright Inspector comes equipped with a number of useful tools and features to assist you in efficiently identifying and inspecting elements on your web page. To start, simply launch Playwright Inspector and navigate to the web page you want to inspect.

Once you are on the page, right-click on any element within the page and select “Inspect element” from the context menu. This will bring up the Playwright Inspector pane, where you can view the HTML and CSS code for the selected element. You can also view any associated styles and properties. From there, you can use the various tools and features within Playwright Inspector to further inspect and manipulate the element, making it easier than ever to identify and troubleshoot any issues within your web page.

Benefits of Playwright Inspector

The Playwright Inspector tool presents lots of benefits. Let us consider a few pivotal benefits of the Playwright Inspector:

1. Easy Debugging:

Playwright Inspector facilitates the process of debugging Playwright scripts by furnishing a visual interface. This authorizes developers to inspect the page, make alterations to its state, and swiftly identify the cause of issues.

2. Record and Replay:

The tool presents a record and replay feature that authorizes testers and QA teams to record end-user activities on the page and replay them for debugging purposes. The record and replay feature can help pinpoint issues that may occur only during specific user interactions.

3. Robust Logging:

Playwright Inspector presents robust logging abilities that authorize testers and QA teams to outline the execution flow of the test script. This helps swiftly determine issues and fix them, thereby enhancing confidence in the code and application itself.

4. Intuitive Interface:

The Playwright Inspector boasts an intuitive and user-friendly interface that is simple to navigate and operate, even for testers and QA teams who are new to the Playwright platform.

5. Cross-Browser Support:

The Playwright Inspector facilitates the testing and debugging of applications across various platforms as it supports multiple Chromium-based browsers such as Chrome, Edge, and Firefox. This enables developers to ensure their applications perform optimally on different browsers.

6. Breakpoints:

The Playwright Inspector tool is designed to enhance the testing process for software testers and QA teams. With this tool, users can set breakpoints in their test scripts, enabling them to pause test execution at specific points and thoroughly investigate the page’s state. This increased level of control and visibility allows for improved efficiency and effectiveness in the testing process.

Best Practices for Using Playwright Inspector

The Playwright Inspector tool furnishes developers with an intuitive solution for testing web applications at scale. With the help of Inspector, developers and testers can debug their web automation scripts, view page elements and attributes, and pinpoint issues that may be causing the tests to fail. To make the most out of this tool, it is paramount to follow the best practices for using it.

Here are eight best practices for using Playwright Inspector:

● Familiarize yourself with the Inspector UI.

● Utilize the search feature to swiftly pinpoint page elements.

● Utilize the highlight feature to visually locate elements on the page.

● Utilize the console to test JavaScript code and interact with the page.

● Utilize the network tab to inspect network requests and responses.

● Utilize the performance tab to pinpoint performance issues.

● Utilize the snapshot feature to capture a snapshot of the current page state for later analysis.

● Utilize the playback feature to replay test scripts and identify errors.

By following these best practices, you can utilize Playwright Inspector to its full potential and optimize your web automation testing process.

Conclusion

Playwright Inspector is a powerful tool that can help developers troubleshoot issues and enhance the quality of their web applications. With its user-friendly interface and wide range of features, Playwright Inspector is a prominent addition to any developer’s toolkit. By following the steps outlined in this beginner’s guide, you can start utilizing Playwright Inspector today and take advantage of its many benefits. Whether you are a seasoned developer or just starting out, Playwright Inspector is a must-have tool for anyone looking to enhance their web development skills.

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Shahnawaz Alam

Shahnawaz is a passionate and professional Content writer. He loves to read, write, draw and share his knowledge in different niches like Technology, Cryptocurrency, Travel,Social Media, Social Media Marketing, and Healthcare.

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A Beginner’s Guide To Playwright Inspector

What is Playwright?

What is a Playwright Inspector?

Installation and Setup Instructions

How to Inspect Elements in Playwright Inspector