Importance of Playwright configuration file and its details to run the tests
The Playwright configuration file (playwright.config.ts / playwright.config.js) serves as the core of your Playwright test framework configuration. It dictates the execution of tests, the browsers/environments in which they operate, and the generation of reports/results.
playwright.config.js file (It’s a heart of the project)
Why is the Playwright Config File Important?
- Centralized Control – Instead of repeating setup in every test, you define global settings once.
- Consistency – Ensures all tests follow the same rules (timeouts, retries, base URL, etc.).
- Flexibility – Allows running tests across browsers, devices, parallel workers, and environments.
- Scalability – Makes your test suite maintainable as it grows.
Key Details in the Config File
Here’s a breakdown of the most commonly used sections:
1. Test Directory & Timeout:
testDir: './tests', // Folder where your tests are stored
timeout: 30 * 1000, // Max time per test (in ms)
2. Expect Config
expect: {
timeout: 5000 // Default timeout for assertions
}
3. Parallelism & Retries:
fullyParallel: true, // Run tests in parallel
retries: 2, // Retry failed tests twice
workers: 4, // Number of parallel workers
4. Reporter
reporter: [
['list'], // Console output
['html', { open: 'never' }], // HTML report
['junit', { outputFile: 'results.xml' }] // For CI tools
]
5. Base URL : Collect screenshots, videos, and traces for debugging.
use: {
baseURL: 'https://staging.myapp.com', // Avoid repeating long URLs
headless: true, // Run in headless mode
screenshot: 'only-on-failure', // Capture screenshot on failure
video: 'retain-on-failure', // Record video only on failure
trace: 'on-first-retry' // Collect trace for debugging
}
6. Projects (Cross-Browser/Device Testing):
projects: [
{
name: 'Chromium',
use: { browserName: 'chromium' },
},
{
name: 'Firefox',
use: { browserName: 'firefox' },
},
{
name: 'WebKit',
use: { browserName: 'webkit' },
},
{
name: 'Mobile Safari',
use: playwright.devices['iPhone 13'], // Mobile emulation
}
]
7. Global Setup & Teardown: Useful for things like seeding databases or logging in before tests.
globalSetup: './global-setup.js',
globalTeardown: './global-teardown.js',
Sample Config File
// playwright.config.js
import { defineConfig, devices } from '@playwright/test';
export default defineConfig({
testDir: './tests',
timeout: 30 * 1000,
expect: {
timeout: 5000,
},
fullyParallel: true,
retries: 2,
workers: 4,
reporter: [
['list'],
['html', { open: 'never' }],
['junit', { outputFile: 'results.xml' }]
],
use: {
baseURL: 'https://staging.myapp.com',
headless: true,
screenshot: 'only-on-failure',
video: 'retain-on-failure',
trace: 'on-first-retry',
},
projects: [
{
name: 'chromium',
use: { ...devices['Desktop Chrome'] },
},
{
name: 'firefox',
use: { ...devices['Desktop Firefox'] },
},
{
name: 'webkit',
use: { ...devices['Desktop Safari'] },
},
],
});
module.exports = config; // the configuration should availabe accross your project
- npx playwright test > this command will find playwright.config.js file this and run the test based on this configuration.
Follow more : https://playwright.dev/docs/test-configuration
Playwright Essentials: A Step-by-Step Journey into Test Automation
Part 01: Master Playwright Testing – Framework from Scratch Guide
Part 02: How to install Playwright
Part 03: Basic Playwright Test Structure
Hardware/PCB design & addon services
