Level Up Your Playwright Skills with Andrew Knight | Testμ 2024

From a QA Lead’s perspective, using softExpect is preferable in scenarios where we want to assert multiple conditions without halting test execution upon the first failure. This is particularly useful during exploratory testing or when validating a series of UI elements where we want to gather as much information as possible about failures.

It enables us to log all discrepancies before reviewing results, enhancing our ability to debug and improve our tests.

As a Test Engineer, I can share that when conducting API tests with Playwright, it’s important to use Playwright’s request API to send HTTP requests directly. Best practices include organizing API tests separately from UI tests, using clear naming conventions for test functions, and validating responses thoroughly, including checking status codes and response bodies.

Integrating API tests with existing test frameworks, such as Jest or Mocha, can also help maintain consistency across test types.

As I attended this session, here is what I recall from the session: I’m intrigued by the Screenplay Pattern as an alternative to the Page Object Model (POM). This pattern focuses on defining roles and responsibilities for each component of the test, making it more adaptable and scalable.

An example could involve defining an actor who performs actions on a web application, with tasks encapsulated as distinct functions. This separation helps in maintaining clear and concise test scripts while enhancing collaboration among team members.

As a Manager, I emphasize the importance of having a robust strategy for handling test failures in serial test cases. When a failure occurs, it’s essential to implement logging and reporting mechanisms to capture detailed information about the failure.

Additionally, I recommend configuring the test suite to continue running subsequent tests even if one fails, ensuring that we gather as much data as possible for analysis. This can help in prioritizing fixes based on the impact of the failures encountered.

From a Test Engineer’s perspective, when faced with the requirement to run the entire suite without individual retries, it’s crucial to ensure that the test suite is designed to handle dependencies effectively.

Implementing proper test isolation and utilizing setup and teardown methods can minimize the impact of failures on subsequent tests. Additionally, incorporating robust logging and error reporting will help diagnose issues that arise during the complete execution, making it easier to address problems in future iterations.

As a QA Lead, I appreciate both TestCafe and Cypress for their capabilities in end-to-end testing. TestCafe is known for its straightforward setup and the ability to run tests on multiple browsers simultaneously without needing additional browser drivers. On the other hand, Cypress offers a more interactive experience with a rich UI for debugging and time-traveling capabilities to view test execution in real-time.

Ultimately, the choice between them depends on the team’s specific needs; for a more user-friendly and lightweight option, I recommend TestCafe, while Cypress excels in providing a powerful debugging experience.

As an Attendee of this session, I’m really excited about the feature that allows opening a project in VSCode directly from the terminal. This convenience streamlines my workflow and significantly enhances productivity, enabling me to jump straight into coding without extra navigation.

By using the command code . in the terminal, I can quickly open the current directory in VSCode, making it an efficient tool for managing and editing code seamlessly.

From a Test Engineer’s perspective, Playwright’s UI mode is primarily intended for local testing because it provides a graphical interface that is more suited for development and debugging. In CI/CD pipelines, automated tests run headlessly to optimize performance and resource utilization. For debugging in CI/CD,

I recommend using tools like Playwright’s trace viewer or capturing screenshots and videos of failed tests. Implementing detailed logging and error reporting can also aid in diagnosing issues without requiring a UI.

As a Manager, I’m intrigued by the integration of AI in testing. Some libraries worth exploring include Cypress AI, which helps generate tests using natural language, and TestCafe AI, which provides similar functionalities.

Additionally, libraries like TensorFlow.js can be employed for advanced predictive analytics on test results, helping to identify flaky tests and optimize test suites over time.

As a Test Engineer, I would explain that the proportion of frontend to backend testing can vary significantly based on the application architecture and project requirements. Generally, a balanced approach is essential, with a focus on ensuring that both layers work cohesively.

For web applications, I often suggest allocating around 60-70% of testing efforts to the front end to address user interactions and UI/UX, while 30-40% can be dedicated to backend testing to verify APIs, business logic, and database interactions.

As a QA Lead, I highly recommend using ReportPortal for reporting test results. It provides a centralized dashboard that integrates with various testing frameworks, including Playwright and Cypress.

ReportPortal offers real-time reporting, customizable dashboards, and the ability to track test history and trends over time, which enhances visibility into test performance and facilitates better decision-making.

As a Test Engineer, I can share that many organizations and contributors maintain page object model (POM) templates on GitHub. You can find several examples by searching for repositories that focus on Playwright or Selenium testing frameworks.

Many of these repositories include well-structured examples of POM implementations that can serve as a foundation for your own projects. I can also create a simple example to get you started if needed.