Running Headless Tests with Playwright

 Playwright is a modern, fast, and reliable testing framework developed by Microsoft that enables end-to-end browser automation for web applications. One of its most powerful features is the ability to run tests in headless mode, which means the browser runs in the background without a GUI (Graphical User Interface). This makes test execution faster and ideal for CI/CD environments.

What is Headless Testing?

Headless testing allows browsers like Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit to operate without opening a visible window. Instead of rendering a UI, the browser executes commands directly, which helps speed up test execution and reduces system resource usage.

Why Use Headless Mode in Playwright?

Faster execution due to the absence of UI rendering

Ideal for automation pipelines in CI/CD tools like Jenkins, GitHub Actions, and GitLab

Resource-efficient testing on servers without graphical interfaces

Great for parallel testing to reduce total test duration

Setting Up Playwright for Headless Testing

To begin with Playwright, install it via npm:

bash

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npm install @playwright/test

npx playwright install

Create a basic test file:

javascript

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// login.spec.js

const { test, expect } = require('@playwright/test');

test('Login test in headless mode', async ({ page }) => {

  await page.goto('https://example.com/login');

  await page.fill('#username', 'testuser');

  await page.fill('#password', 'password123');

  await page.click('button[type="submit"]');

  await expect(page).toHaveURL('https://example.com/dashboard');

});

By default, Playwright runs tests in headless mode. If you want to specify it explicitly, modify the test config file (playwright.config.js):

javascript

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module.exports = {

  use: {

    headless: true, // ensures tests run without GUI

    browserName: 'chromium',

  },

};

Running the Tests

Run the test using:

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npx playwright test

You can also toggle headless mode directly from the command line:

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npx playwright test --headed   // Runs with GUI

npx playwright test --headless // Runs without GUI

Debugging Headless Tests

While headless tests are fast, debugging can be harder. Playwright offers tools like:

--trace to collect detailed traces

Screenshots and video recording on failure

debug() for pausing tests interactively

Conclusion

Running headless tests with Playwright is essential for efficient, automated web testing in modern DevOps workflows. It improves speed, supports continuous integration, and reduces the dependency on graphical environments, making your test suites more scalable and robust.

Learn Playwright Training in Hyderabad

Read More:

Writing Your First End-to-End Test in Playwright

Playwright Installation and Configuration Guide

Using Playwright with JavaScript

Playwright with TypeScript: Tips for Beginners

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