Tackling the Most Common Problem When Writing Tests in Playwright (and How to Fix It)
- pizzacheese xl
- Jan 21
- 2 min read
Playwright has quickly become a favorite in the testing community due to its speed, cross-browser capabilities, and rich API. However, even with such a powerful tool, one common challenge consistently trips up users: timing issues and flaky tests.
Flaky tests are tests that pass or fail inconsistently without any changes to the application under test. They’re a nightmare for any QA process because they erode confidence in the test suite and slow down development.
Why Do Timing Issues Occur?
Timing issues often arise because:
The application under test is dynamic and asynchronous.
Tests assume elements are ready to interact when they’re not.
External factors like network latency or animations introduce delays.
The good news? Playwright is designed to handle these challenges, but it requires using the right strategies.
How to Fix Flaky Tests in Playwright
1. Embrace Playwright’s Auto-Waiting
Playwright automatically waits for elements to be ready before interacting with them. However, this only works if you use Playwright’s methods (click, fill, getByRole, etc.). Avoid using low-level DOM manipulation libraries like document.querySelector or JavaScript click events.
// Correct: Playwright waits for the element to be ready
await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Submit' }).click();
// Incorrect: This bypasses Playwright’s waiting
await page.evaluate(() => {
document.querySelector('button').click();
});
2. Leverage Locators
Locators are Playwright’s abstraction for handling elements. They provide robust querying capabilities, including retries until the element is visible or ready for interaction.
// Use locators instead of searching directly
const submitButton = page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Submit' });
await submitButton.click();
3. Handle Network and UI Delays
Use page.waitForURL or page.waitForResponse to ensure the application has finished loading data or navigating before proceeding.
// Wait for navigation
await page.click('a#profile');
await page.waitForURL('**/profile');
4. Timeouts: Use Them Sparingly
Adjust timeouts only when necessary. Playwright’s default timeout is usually sufficient for most tests. If you encounter an issue, prefer fixing the test or application behavior rather than arbitrarily increasing the timeout.
// Adjust timeout for specific operations
await page.waitForSelector('#slow-element', { timeout: 5000 });
5. Debugging Tools
Playwright offers great debugging tools:
Trace Viewer: Replay tests to see where they fail.
Playwright Inspector: Step through your tests interactively.
Screenshots and Videos: Record test runs to analyze issues.
npx playwright show-trace trace.zip
Wrapping Up
Flaky tests are a common hurdle, but Playwright’s thoughtful design provides all the tools you need to write reliable tests. By leveraging auto-waiting, locators, and debugging tools, you can ensure your test suite is robust and trustworthy.
What’s your biggest challenge with Playwright? Let’s discuss in the comments!
What do you think of this structure? Would you like me to add more code examples or focus on a specific Playwright feature?
