| name | rstudio-create-playwright-tests |
| description | Patterns and gotchas for authoring RStudio Playwright tests in TypeScript. Use when writing, reviewing, or migrating tests under e2e/rstudio/. |
Creating RStudio Playwright Tests
Most of what you need is in e2e/rstudio/README.md (basic structure,
conventions, selector hierarchy, Ace interactions, cross-platform shortcuts,
sandbox, tags, package deps) and in the existing tests under
e2e/rstudio/tests/. The fixture (@fixtures/rstudio.fixture) handles
RStudio launch/shutdown, save-dialog dismissal, and buffer cleanup -- author
tests as if the IDE starts clean.
This file covers RStudio-specific gotchas that aren't in the README.
Before writing
- Skim
e2e/rstudio/tests/ for an existing similar test.
- Skim
e2e/rstudio/pages/, actions/, and utils/ for existing helpers.
Universal rules
-
pressSequentially() for GWT text inputs whose handlers fire per
keystroke -- console, editor, and most input.gwt-TextBox fields in
dialogs/wizards (where typing a character enables OK, triggers
autocomplete, etc.). fill() doesn't fire GWT key events in those cases.
Inputs driven by a discrete trigger like press('Enter') or a button click
(e.g., the console Find bar) work fine with fill(), which has the bonus
of replacing text instead of appending. Start with fill(); switch to
pressSequentially() only if the handler doesn't fire.
-
Force-click Ace textareas: await locator.click({ force: true }). An
ace_content div overlays the hidden textarea and intercepts normal
clicks. focus() is also unreliable -- keystrokes can land in the wrong
pane.
-
Derive selectors from source, never use gwt-uid-XXXX (those change
every restart):
src/gwt/.../commands/Commands.cmd.xml -- command IDs map to menu
items at #rstudio_label_<sanitized_id> and toolbar buttons at
#rstudio_tb_<sanitized_id> (see ElementIds.java for the sanitizer).src/gwt/.../core/client/theme/DocTabLayoutPanel.java -- tab structure
(.gwt-TabLayoutPanelTab, .gwt-TabLayoutPanelTab-selected, etc.).
-
Invoke RStudio commands and prefs via the window.rstudio bridge --
import helpers from @utils/commands (executeCommand, setPref, etc.).
Don't use .rs.api.executeCommand(...) (slow console roundtrip) or
window.desktopHooks.invokeCommand(...) (Electron-only, crashes on Server).
-
Decision order for triggering an action: GUI button/menu/shortcut, then
executeCommand(page, id), then page.evaluate() as a last resort.
Clicking a button tests the real user path; the helper is for
setup/teardown or when the UI path is slow/flaky/tangential to what's
being tested.
-
RStudio binds some shortcuts to plain Ctrl on every platform
(including macOS) -- e.g., Ctrl+Enter Run Line, Ctrl+L Clear Console,
Ctrl+Space Autocomplete. Use Playwright's plain Control for those, not
ControlOrMeta. If you're unsure, check what RStudio's keyboard-shortcut
UI shows for the binding.
-
Tests must work on Desktop and Server. Prefer stable IDs over wrapper
selectors. Tag mode-specific tests @desktop_only or @server_only
rather than runtime-branching on testInfo.project.name.
Feature-specific patterns
When working in these areas, also read the corresponding file:
- Code suggestions / Copilot / NES (
tests/panes/editor/code_suggestions.test.ts,
edit_suggestions.test.ts): see code-suggestions.md.
- Chat pane / Posit Assistant / RPC interception
(
tests/panes/posit-assistant-chat/): see chat-pane.md.
- Visual editor / citations (
tests/panes/editor/citations.test.ts, and any
test that drives the panmirror visual editor): see visual-editor.md.
