A Beginner’s Guide To Playwright Inspector

Published on: 19 August 2023 Last Updated on: 21 August 2023

Practices for Visual Regression Testing on Cloud

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.

Read Also:

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.

View all posts

Top 8 Advantages Of Effective Web Design And Development

Quality web design tends to be a valuable investment. You need to have an effective Web Design And Development for some reason. Read on to find out more: 1. A good first impression It is beneficial to have a good first impression. The front of the website nowadays is literally your storefront. When a new client comes you always think about forming the best first impression of this web design company’s website, their website looks very impressive and professional. The same case should be present on your website. It should be such that it is an immediate reflection of the business, your personality as well as you. If the website is unprofessional then it could result in visitors not feeling welcome. It may also give the impression that the business you have is outdated. They will look somewhere else for services which you could have given them. You do not want this. 2. More visitors You do not only want clicks. You need visitors that will browse through the site and find out who you are. Some people will leave your website after simply glancing at it if it is a confusing website that does not have a good Web Design And Development. You need something special so that people will be interested and want to purchase your product or even service. Many fail to realize that website design plays a critical role in increasing the traffic figures for a website. An attractive design helps in keeping the audience engaged and reduces the bounce rate. This, in turn, helps SEO, as search engines like websites that have extremely low bounce rates. The Best Web Design Agencies play an important role in creating a fluid and attractive UI and UX to help brands engage, retain, and improve website traffic. 3. Stronger search engine ranking SEO or Search Engine Optimisation tends to be the optimization of one’s website so that one can get a higher ranking in today’s search engines. At the time that people search for a certain business and service, they search for key terms in these search engines. Looking statistically, users will visit those that appear first or second in their search. For those who have an outdated site, it does not have the content required to be picked up plus indexed by the search engines. 4. Challenge the competition A website with good Web Design And Development and one that is effectively developed lets one be on top of their industry as well as challenge the competition so as to keep up. If you keep on working along with adding to the website, this forces the competition to remain behind. When the competition finally realizes the positive effects of a professional website, you will already be established and also making an effort to keep your strong online presence and be on top. 5. Sharing If you see a good website design that is for some business, you may have shared the name of this business and website with your friends and family, just because the website had a good effect on you. The amazing design combined with intuitive site navigation causes a wonderful experience for the user. Sharing causes more traffic, therefore, more potential clients, and this is simply because of the well-designed website. 6. A site compatible with all mobile technologies Having a responsive Web Design And Development is something that is needed. You want your website to look perfect when people open it on a mobile device. You do not want customers to turn away from the fact that your website only looks good on the computer. A responsive design will help you here. 7. Reinforce your brand A quality website has the ability to reinforce your brand. The website should give customers the correct message concerning the kind of business you run as well as why the customer should trust you. 8. Potential downtime can be reduced Poorly built websites contain bugs and also maintenance issues. You do not want a website that experiences problems with the plug-ins, etc. It is important to pursue Website Maintenance so that your site is always perfect. Read Also: Questions To Ask When Working With A Web Developer Best Office Design Trends For 2018 Top 5 Graphic Design Trends For 2017

Why Prototype Design Is A Way To Make Your UX Design Perfect

You are now ready to launch a new product to the market- where do you begin? You must consider many factors before letting your customers try out your product. One of the crucial processes is known as prototyping. UX designers develop a model that will test its usability and evaluate its functionality – a functional app prototype. Many UX services offer are ready to help business owners and organizations develop prototypes. You need a professional UX team to work seamlessly, identify the product's gaps, and enhance user experience. As for app design costs, you can read more in Eleken’s article. If you want to launch any successful product, you need to employ the best UI and UX designers for the job. When it comes to interacting and engaging with tech products, user experience and interaction is a top pre-requisite. By working with the professional UX design agencies in San Francisco, you will be able to create better, more efficient, and productive products that are loved by your customers whether you operate in the B2B or the B2C niche. Besides enhancing product quality, prototyping mitigates the risks involved in web development. Therefore, creating a prototype is a crucial step in product development. It is a process that brings the design concepts to life. This article examines the importance of prototypes to show why you need to create one for your web product. What Is a Prototype? During web development, the UX team creates a model of the product. This mockup replicating user interaction is known as a prototype. It is a design phase that shows how the product will function from the entry point to the various sections. This layout helps the client to understand the design direction and the overall approach. The primary purpose of creating this mockup is to gather feedback and improve on the design flaws. However, the reasons might vary for many designers, depending on the project goals and business needs. You can use different design programs to create the mockups, such as Adobe XD, Sketch, Figma, and Webflow, among many others. But how do you know how to rate the quality of a prototype? An effective prototype has an appealing representation, accurate details, and interactive features. It is important to note that prototypes are not final; it undergoes continuous improvements depending on the user feedback. Why Prototyping is Important Since you now know what a prototype entails, let us explore why it is an essential process in user experience design. 1. Better Outreach to Clients The web development industry is quite competitive since many companies and large organizations want different web products. Thus, you can use a prototype to convince clients that your development team is up to the task and can deliver impressive products. Talk is cheap, and most clients will go for an agency with a realistic mockup of what they want. Your web design firm has a higher chance of landing a client if you develop a detailed prototype. This will show your commitment level and preparedness to accomplish the project. Besides, it is a fun process that brings out your creative side compared to written documentation. Therefore, develop a flawless prototype and land that huge product development contract to gain a competitive edge. 2. Accurate Feedback Developing a prototype is important since it saves you a lot of frustration in changing a product. Sometimes a client might come with different expectations after you have completed the development phase. These changes will consume time and resources that you could have avoided if you had a detailed mockup. Thus, it is advisable to have a prototype that displays the final product. It will help you gather accurate feedback and additional requirements from your client. They will have a better understanding of the final product. 3. Enhanced Design Process Creativity does not happen once; you have to change the first design until it suits your product objectives. Developing a prototype ensures you achieve the desired results. Prototyping does not need much time and money; thus, you can change it many times until you are satisfied. This iterative process will help you improve the model and create stellar products. 4. Better Project Planning Most design teams often focus on short-term goals to complete the tasks. This approach might be detrimental to the entire project because they do not plan it accurately from the beginning to the end. But developing a prototype solves this problem. You can plan your projects better since you have a precise idea of what you want and can accurately calculate the resources required for completion. 5. Client Satisfaction The product development process is transparent; the customer gives the product requirements, and the team does the work. After completion, the client checks the work and makes corrections or closes the project if they're satisfied. However, this model does not involve the client 100%, and there will be many communication gaps. Prototypes work much better as they encourage client interaction and allow room for communication. You can follow the progress and give intermediate feedback to avoid costly errors and revisions afterward. 6. Less Frequent Modifications Completing projects without prototyping might seem fast. Still, making any changes to an already finished product is expensive and frustrating, especially with a team of freelancers. It usually has negative consequences. Therefore, take time to create a mockup and engage the client for feedback before proceeding to the development phase. You can easily alter a prototype compared to a finished product. Thus, avoid these modifications by presenting a detailed prototype and confirming every essential aspect of dev work before it gets done. 7. Better Work Morale Many people love to procrastinate when a project arises. The team might postpone starting projects even at design agencies, especially if they don't understand the product and client's needs. But with a prototype in place, the team will be motivated to start the design process right away, as they have a set of workable tasks and milestones. 8. Stellar Final Product When the client gets a prototype, they provide feedback on improvements. This is an effective approach to making the web product better with every iteration. With ongoing changes and revisions of the product design, the team and the client better grasp the progress. They can continually revisit the initial specifications and make adjustments to stay on track with the original business idea. Even large-scale changes surfacing underway can be implemented quicker and cheaper at the prototyping stage compared to the final product's revision. Final Word The design phase is not complete without a prototype. Develop accurate prototypes if you want to create a top-tier product with an exceptional user experience. Thus, prototyping is a win-win situation, as your client will know what to expect from the final product, and the team will simplify the development process. Read Also: Guide to Hiring a WordPress Developer 7 Advantages of Using Website Design Templates Bootstrap Templates and Allied Tools to Make Your Web Presence Easy and Instant

How Developers Can Get More Out of Hadoop?

"Time is money" for every organization that seeks to spend time to market, anticipate, and hear requests of the clients and offer them new products and services. Handling data can become tough but Hadoop developers in India are handling it well with the help of big data processing tool. Such tools are extensively used by organizations to help businesses in acquiring real-time insights into the business. If you are also among those developers, you can make optimum use of Hadoop technology using the framework in many ways - 1. Move faster Just by switching to Apache Spark from data integration jobs built with MapReduce, you will be allowed to complete development jobs two and half times faster. Once the conversion of jobs is done, when you add spark-specific components for positioning and caching, you can enhance the performance five times than before. When you increase the RAM, you can do more stuff in memory and live a 10-fold improvement experience in productivity. 2. Get smart As you can process big data in real-time, it is still important to perform smart processing data in real-time. In order to enhance the IQ of the query, Spark leverages machine-learning, which allows customizing web content to triple the number of page views. It also enables you to deliver targeted offers that can help double conversion rates. This means you are driving more revenue along with delivering better customer experience. 3. No hand coding Developers can program anything discussed in this post in Spark, Java, or in Scala. However, there is still a better way. If you are relying on a visual design interface, your productivity can be increased by 10 times or even more. You can make a start by using a big data sandbox, with Spark. Ask for assistance from hadoop developers in India if you don't know how to start.

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