Playwright has rapidly gained traction as a robust automation framework for web applications. Its support for multiple programming languages, cross-browser testing etc. When integrated with Cucumber and Java, it enhances behavior-driven development (BDD). This blog explores the common challenges while using playwright with cucumber in JAVA.
1. Setup Complexity
Playwright is relatively new in the Java ecosystem compared to Selenium, making its integration with Cucumber less documented. Setting up the framework with proper dependencies and configurations can be confusing.
Solution: Add the following dependencies to our pom.xml file:
<dependency>
<groupId>com.microsoft.playwright</groupId>
<artifactId>playwright</artifactId>
<version>1.42.0</version> <!– Use the latest version –>
</dependency>
<!– Cucumber –>
<dependency>
<groupId>io.cucumber</groupId>
<artifactId>cucumber-junit</artifactId>
<version>7.14.0</version>
</dependency>
<!– JUnit 5 –>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.junit.jupiter</groupId>
<artifactId>junit-jupiter-api</artifactId>
<version>5.9.1</version>
<scope>test</scope>
</dependency>
2. Managing Playwright Browser Context in Cucumber
Playwright works with browser contexts, which must be efficiently managed across multiple scenarios. If not handled properly, it can lead to test failures or memory issues.
Solution: Use a singleton pattern to manage Playwright and browser contexts:
Playwright playwright = Playwright.create();
browser=playwright.chromium().launch(new BrowserType.LaunchOptions().setHeadless(false));
context = browser.newContext();
page = context.newPage();
public static Page getPage() { return page; }
public static void tearDown() {
context.close();
browser.close();
playwright.close();
}
Initialize Playwright in Cucumber hooks:
@Before
public void startBrowser() {
PlaywrightManager.setup();
}
@After
public void closeBrowser() {
PlaywrightManager.tearDown();
}
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3. Asynchronous Operations
Unlike traditional Selenium commands, Playwright’s API is inherently asynchronous. This can lead to race conditions where a test executes a step before the page or element is ready.
Solution: Implement explicit waits using waitForSelector() or waitForLoadState().
@Given(“User navigates to {string}”)
public void userNavigatesTo(String url) {
PlaywrightManager.getPage().navigate(url);
PlaywrightManager.getPage().waitForLoadState(LoadState.NETWORKIDLE);
}
4.Running Playwright Tests in Parallel
Parallel execution in Cucumber requires managing browser instances carefully to prevent conflicts.
Solution: –
@CucumberOptions(plugin={“pretty”,”html:target/cucumber-reports/cucumber-html-report.html”},
monochrome = true,
features = “src/test/resources/features”,
glue = “stepDefinitions”,
tags = “@regression”)
public class TestRunner {
}
To fully leverage Playwright with Cucumber in Java, focus on more than just test script development. Structuring your framework for efficiency—through optimized setup, effective browser context management, async control, and parallel execution—ensures smooth, reliable, and high-speed automation.
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