Key Variations and Use Instances

Automated browser testing has turn out to be an indispensable a part of fashionable internet improvement. With groups pushing complicated functions and frequent updates to them, sturdy check automation software program is required to ensure high quality and velocity.

For a few years, Selenium has been the gold normal on this subject, powering numerous check suites in firms around the globe.

Extra not too long ago, nevertheless, Selenium has begun to lose floor to a more recent automation device, Playwright, a Microsoft framework fashionable owing to its fashionable design and developer-friendly API.

What Is Selenium?

Selenium is probably going essentially the most well-established device within the subject of automated browser testing (over 35,000 firms reported utilizing Selenium in 2025).

Initially launched in 2004, it has grown to turn out to be the de facto business normal for practical testing of internet functions. Whereas many of the present instruments for automated testing symbolize one product, Selenium represents a set of instruments:

• Selenium WebDriver: The underlying API upon which builders write check scripts and discuss to browsers.
• Selenium IDE: A record-and-playback device that could be utilized even by non-tech customers to construct easy check circumstances.
• Selenium Grid: A system for operating exams in parallel on quite a few machines, which is important for intensive software program testing.

Within the background, Selenium is definitely carried out on high of the WebDriver protocol. It interprets check instructions into JSON, sends them over HTTP to browser drivers, after which makes them execute throughout the browser. This structure has labored nicely for generations, although it does come at some efficiency expense.

What distinguishes Selenium is its protection. Selenium provides assist for practically all of the distinguished programming languages (Java, Python, C#, PHP, and JavaScript) and all the highest browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and even Web Explorer).

With twenty years of utilization, it additionally has an enormous group, intensive CI/CD pipeline integration, and an abundance of documentation and tutorials.

What Is Playwright?

Constructed by Microsoft and made obtainable in 2020, Playwright was created with fashionable internet improvement in thoughts to resolve quite a lot of the problems testers have been going through when making use of Selenium for browser automation.

Architecturally, Playwright takes a distinct method. As a substitute of utilizing the WebDriver protocol and HTTP requests, it communicates with browsers by a long-lived WebSocket connection.

Playwright runs on the three most used browser engines — Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit — so it targets Chrome, Edge, and Safari. Playwright additionally boasts stable cell emulation and experimental assist for testing precise Android units.

When it comes to programming languages, Playwright runs on JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, Java, and .NET, that are essentially the most used improvement stacks as we speak.

Playwright vs. Selenium: Key Function Comparability

Playwright and Selenium each try to resolve the identical downside — enabling automated browser testing — however in pretty alternative ways. Allow us to study their variations by the options most crucial to improvement groups all through the software program improvement life cycle.

Ease of Setup and Use

Getting Selenium up and operating usually includes a number of steps. You’ll want to put in the right browser drivers, typically a standalone server, and configure the whole lot so the check scripts can discuss to the browser.

This flexibility is unquestionably highly effective, however it comes at the price of added complexity, particularly for newcomers.

Playwright is simpler in its nature. As soon as put in, it routinely downloads the browsers it wants. No additional server setup or driver setup is required, so you possibly can write and execute exams immediately.

For groups that want quick onboarding and minimal configuration, Playwright is the clear winner right here.

Language Help

Selenium helps nearly the entire high programming languages, together with Java, Python, C#, Ruby, PHP, Perl, and JavaScript. That makes it an incredible slot in organizations the place improvement groups use various stacks.

Playwright has fewer languages supported, however it selects essentially the most extensively used ones: JavaScript/TypeScript, Python, Java, and .NET. For many fashionable internet functions, this listing is greater than acceptable.

Browser and Platform Help

Selenium’s assist for browsers is unmatched. It may work with Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and even Web Explorer — making it important for initiatives which can be nonetheless required to be appropriate with older environments. It additionally features on Home windows, macOS, Linux, and Solaris.

Playwright helps the three main browser engines — WebKit, Firefox, and Chromium — which interprets to sturdy protection of Safari, Edge, and Chrome.

IE assist is lacking, however it compensates by sturdy cell emulation assist and experimental Android real-device exams. For contemporary internet improvement, this normally covers the whole lot wanted.

Pace and Efficiency

Certainly one of Playwright’s most vital promoting factors is velocity. As a result of it makes use of a persistent WebSocket connection to speak with browsers, there’s much less back-and-forth in comparison with Selenium’s WebDriver protocol, which sends instructions as JSON over HTTP.

This design distinction results in Playwright not solely being quicker but in addition extra environment friendly below real-world masses.

Selenium’s method has been a reliable choice for years, however further communication overhead bogs down exams, particularly when scaled up.

Take a look at Reliability (Flakiness)

Flaky exams are a nightmare for each QA workforce. With Selenium, builders manually deal with synchronization utilizing express waits or third-party libraries. If not correctly managed, exams will fail intermittently.

Playwright reduces the difficulty with auto-waiting inbuilt. The check framework routinely waits for parts to turn out to be obtainable earlier than dealing with them, which ends up in fewer false failures and extra secure check runs.

API Design and Developer Expertise

Selenium’s API is highly effective however can really feel verbose. Writing exams normally requires extra strains of code to deal with waits and synchronizations.

Playwright boasts a cleaner, fashionable API. Clicking, hovering, or filling out types wants fewer strains of code. For builders who like to put in writing brief and expressive code, Playwright is a greater various.

Neighborhood and Ecosystem

Being available on the market for practically twenty years, Selenium has one of many largest check automation communities.

There is a gigantic library of tutorials, libraries, and integrations with CI/CD instruments. In case you are caught someplace, it’s possible that somebody has already found out the right way to clear up it.

The Playwright group is smaller however rising very quick. Backed by Microsoft, it’s being actively contributed to, and fashionable frameworks are more and more integrating with it.

Superior Options

Probably the most spectacular a part of Selenium is Selenium Grid, which permits distributed and parallel check execution on a number of machines. It’s extremely useful for giant groups and enterprise testing.

Playwright comes with a set of superior capabilities out of the field: screenshots, video seize, community interception, machine and geolocation simulation, and even timezone manipulation.

They arrive with no further plugins, which is why Playwright is very well-suited for modern, feature-rich internet functions.

Take a look at Runner & Framework Integration

Selenium doesn’t have a check runner inbuilt, however is appropriate with JUnit, TestNG, NUnit, and Pytest frameworks. That flexibility permits groups to pair it with no matter runner most closely fits their workflow.

Playwright has a built-in check runner, which provides an built-in method for many who like having the whole lot bundled collectively. It’s nonetheless appropriate with Jest, Mocha, Jasmine, and Pytest, nevertheless.

Evaluating Playwright and Selenium: At a Look

Execs and Cons of Selenium

Selenium has been round for a very long time, and that maturity is considered one of its largest benefits. Its software program has been utilized by hundreds of firms for a few years, so staff know they’re working with a confirmed product.

The downsides largely come from its age and structure. As a result of Selenium communicates with browsers over HTTP, exams usually run slower than with newer options, similar to Playwright, which use faster connections.

Checks will also be much less dependable — they’re recognized to randomly fail if synchronization isn’t addressed fastidiously, which suggests builders usually have so as to add additional waits and timeouts.

Setting Selenium up takes extra effort too, since you have to set up browser drivers and typically configure Selenium Grid, which might be tough for newcomers.

Lastly, the code itself tends to be extra wordy than in fashionable frameworks. Writing and sustaining exams can take extra strains and energy, making scripts tougher to maintain clear over time.

Execs and Cons of Playwright

Playwright is way newer than Selenium, however it shortly made a reputation for itself due to its velocity and fashionable design. As we said earlier, its structure makes use of a WebSocket connection as a substitute of HTTP, which makes exams run noticeably quicker.

Nevertheless, being newer has its trade-offs. Playwright’s group is smaller in comparison with Selenium’s, so there could also be fewer tutorials and third-party integrations obtainable.

It additionally helps fewer programming languages, which is probably not sufficient for groups working in much less frequent stacks.

Lastly, Playwright doesn’t assist legacy browsers like Web Explorer, which makes it much less appropriate for initiatives that also want to check older environments.

When to Select Every Take a look at Automation Device: Use Instances

So, which automation framework must you go together with — Selenium or Playwright? As at all times, the reply is determined by your workforce’s priorities and the type of functions you’re testing.

Selenium is more likely to be a better option for organizations with well-established infrastructures and sophisticated expertise stacks. In case your workforce works throughout a number of programming languages, or it’s a must to assist older browsers similar to Web Explorer, Selenium continues to be one of the best wager.

Its lengthy historical past and large group additionally make it simpler to seek out sources, troubleshoot points, and combine with present CI/CD pipelines. For groups that worth stability and a confirmed monitor report, Selenium stays the protected wager.

In comparison with Selenium, Playwright is good should you’re beginning recent with check automation or specializing in fashionable internet functions. It has fast set up, runs quicker, and produces extra dependable outcomes.

Builders preferring concise, clear code will respect its fashionable API, whereas groups engaged on complicated functions can make the most of superior options, similar to video recording, screenshots, and machine emulation with out additional plugins.

Ceaselessly Requested Questions (FAQs)

Is Playwright higher than Selenium for end-to-end testing?

Not at all times. Playwright is quicker and simpler to arrange, whereas Selenium helps extra languages and older internet browsers. The only option is determined by your undertaking.

Can Playwright totally exchange Selenium?

For contemporary internet apps, it will possibly. But when you have to check Web Explorer or much less frequent languages, Selenium continues to be the safer choice.

Which one runs quicker?

Playwright provides good execution velocity. Its WebSocket connection makes exams faster in comparison with Selenium’s older WebDriver method.

Does Playwright work for cell automation testing wants?

It doesn’t check native cell apps, however it will possibly emulate cell browsers and even run exams on Android units in some circumstances.

Can I exploit Selenium and Playwright collectively?

Sure. Some groups hold Selenium for legacy protection and use Playwright for quicker, fashionable internet testing.

Which internet automation testing device has a stronger group?

Selenium has been round longer, so its group is larger with plenty of tutorials and instruments. Playwright’s group is smaller however rising shortly, with sturdy assist from Microsoft.

Do each work with CI/CD pipelines?

Sure. Each Selenium and Playwright can plug into techniques like Jenkins, GitHub Actions, or GitLab CI with out a lot bother.