webapp-testing

name	webapp-testing
description	Toolkit for interacting with and testing local web applications using Playwright. Supports verifying frontend functionality, debugging UI behavior, capturing browser screenshots, and viewing browser logs.
license	Complete terms in LICENSE.txt

Web Application Testing

To test local web applications, write native Python Playwright scripts.

Helper Scripts Available:

• scripts/with_server.py - Manages server lifecycle (supports multiple servers)

Always run scripts with --help first to see usage. DO NOT read the source until you try running the script first and find that a customized solution is absolutely necessary.

Decision Tree: Choosing Your Approach

User task → Is it static HTML?
    ├─ Yes → Read HTML file directly to identify selectors
    │         ├─ Success → Write Playwright script using selectors
    │         └─ Fails/Incomplete → Treat as dynamic (below)
    │
    └─ No (dynamic webapp) → Is the server already running?
        ├─ No → Run: python scripts/with_server.py --help
        │        Then use the helper + write simplified Playwright script
        │
        └─ Yes → Reconnaissance-then-action:
            1. Navigate and wait for networkidle
            2. Take screenshot or inspect DOM
            3. Identify selectors from rendered state
            4. Execute actions with discovered selectors

Example: Using with_server.py

Single server:

python scripts/with_server.py --server "npm run dev" --port 5173 -- python your_automation.py

Multiple servers (e.g., backend + frontend):

python scripts/with_server.py \
  --server "cd backend && python server.py" --port 3000 \
  --server "cd frontend && npm run dev" --port 5173 \
  -- python your_automation.py

Reconnaissance-Then-Action Pattern

1. Inspect rendered DOM:

   page.screenshot(path='/tmp/inspect.png', full_page=True)
   content = page.content()
   page.locator('button').all()
   

2. Identify selectors from inspection results

3. Execute actions using discovered selectors

Common Pitfall

❌ Don't inspect the DOM before waiting for networkidle on dynamic apps ✅ Do wait for page.wait_for_load_state('networkidle') before inspection

Best Practices

• Use sync_playwright() for synchronous scripts
• Always close the browser when done
• Use descriptive selectors: text=, role=, CSS selectors, or IDs
• Add appropriate waits: page.wait_for_selector() or page.wait_for_timeout()