Software Development
Playwright
Definition
Playwright is a Node.js library developed by Microsoft to automate Chromium, Firefox and WebKit with a single API. It enables cross-browser web automation that is ever-green, capable, reliable and fast.
Why It Matters
Playwright is a powerful and modern tool for browser automation and end-to-end testing. Its ability to control all major browser engines (not just Chrome) makes it excellent for cross-browser testing.
Contextual Example
A developer writes a Playwright script to run the same login test on Chrome, Firefox, and Safari simultaneously to ensure the application works correctly on all major browsers.
Common Misunderstandings
- Playwright was created by the same team that originally built Puppeteer at Google.
- It is a direct competitor to Cypress and has gained significant popularity.