Recording Videos of Test Runs

In automated testing, identifying the cause of a failure can be challenging, especially when tests run in headless mode or on remote machines. That’s where video recording of test runs becomes incredibly useful. Capturing the screen during automated test execution allows QA teams to see exactly what happened, making debugging faster and more accurate.

Why Record Test Runs?

🎥 Visual Evidence of Failures

Logs and screenshots provide information, but videos show the whole story—clicks, pop-ups, transitions, and animations.

🐞 Faster Debugging

Instead of reproducing a test manually, testers can watch the playback to understand what went wrong in real time.

📂 Documentation and Auditing

Videos serve as proof of test execution for audits, reports, or compliance checks—especially in regulated industries.

👥 Better Collaboration

When developers or stakeholders review test results, sharing a video makes it easier to explain issues.

How to Record Test Runs

🧪 Using Selenium + Test Automation Tools

Selenium doesn’t offer video recording out of the box, but it can be integrated with tools like:

• Monte Media Library (Java)
• ATU Reporter
• SeleniumBase (Python)
• FFmpeg or OBS with custom scripts
• Cypress (has built-in video recording)

📦 Example: Selenium with Monte Media (Java)

ScreenRecorder screenRecorder = new SpecializedScreenRecorder(...);

screenRecorder.start();

// Run Selenium test

screenRecorder.stop();

🐍 Example: Pytest + SeleniumBase (Python)

pytest test_script.py --video

It saves video files in the reports folder for later review.

Cloud Testing Platforms

Many cloud-based test platforms like BrowserStack, LambdaTest, and Sauce Labs offer built-in video recording features. These are especially helpful when tests run on multiple OS-browser combinations in parallel.

Best Practices

🎯 Record only failed test cases to save storage.

🗂️ Store videos in an organized folder structure (by date, module, test case).

🔐 Use access controls for sensitive recordings.

📋 Combine with logs and screenshots for complete debugging context.

Conclusion

Video recording of test runs enhances visibility into automation results, reduces debugging time, and improves communication across teams. Whether you're using open-source libraries or cloud platforms, integrating video capture into your test framework is a smart move toward better quality assurance.

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Parallel Testing with Playwright

Playwright CLI Commands You Should Know

Capturing Screenshots in Playwright

Handling Alerts and Dialogs in Playwright

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