playwright-cli

# Browser Automation with playwright-cli > Comprehensive CLI-driven browser automation — navigate, interact, mock, debug, record, and generate tests without writing a single script file. ## Quick Start ```bash # Install and set up playwright-cli install --skills playwright-cli install-browser # Open a browser and navigate playwright-cli open https://playwright.dev # Take a snapshot to see interactive elements (refs like e1, e2, e3...) playwright-cli snapshot # Interact using element refs from the snapshot playwright-cli click e15 playwright-cli fill e5 "search query" playwright-cli press Enter # Take a screenshot playwright-cli screenshot # Close the browser playwright-cli close ``` ## Golden Rules 1. **Always `snapshot` first** — identify element refs before interacting; never guess ref numbers 2. **Use `fill` for inputs, `click` for buttons** — `type` sends keystrokes one-by-one, `fill` replaces the entire value 3. **Named sessions for parallel work** — `-s=name` isolates cookies, storage, and tabs per session 4. **Save auth state** — `state-save auth.json` after login, `state-load auth.json` to skip login next time 5. **Trace before debugging** — `tracing-start` before the failing step, not after 6. **`run-code` for advanced scenarios** — when CLI commands aren't enough, drop into full Playwright API 7. **Clean up sessions** — `close` or `close-all` when done; `kill-all` for zombie processes 8. **Descriptive filenames** — `screenshot --filename=checkout-step3.png` not `screenshot` 9. **Mock external APIs only** — use `route` to intercept third-party services, not your own app 10. **Persistent profiles for stateful flows** — `--persistent` keeps cookies and storage across restarts ## Command Reference ### Core Interaction ```bash playwright-cli open [url] # Launch browser, optionally navigate playwright-cli goto <url> # Navigate to URL playwright-cli snapshot # Show page elements with refs playwright-cli snapshot --filename=snap.yaml # Save snapshot to file playwright-cli click <ref> # Click an element playwright-cli dblclick <ref> # Double-click playwright-cli fill <ref> "value" # Clear and fill input playwright-cli type "text" # Type keystroke by keystroke playwright-cli select <ref> "option-value" # Select dropdown option playwright-cli check <ref> # Check a checkbox playwright-cli uncheck <ref> # Uncheck a checkbox playwright-cli hover <ref> # Hover over element playwright-cli drag <src-ref> <dst-ref> # Drag and drop playwright-cli upload <ref> ./file.pdf # Upload a file playwright-cli eval "document.title" # Evaluate JS expression playwright-cli eval "el => el.textContent" <ref> # Evaluate on element playwright-cli close # Close the browser ``` ### Navigation ```bash playwright-cli go-back # Browser back button playwright-cli go-forward # Browser forward button playwright-cli reload # Reload current page ``` ### Keyboard & Mouse ```bash playwright-cli press Enter # Press a key playwright-cli press ArrowDown # Arrow keys playwright-cli keydown Shift # Hold key down playwright-cli keyup Shift # Release key playwright-cli mousemove 150 300 # Move mouse to coordinates playwright-cli mousedown [right] # Mouse button down playwright-cli mouseup [right] # Mouse button up playwright-cli mousewheel 0 100 # Scroll (deltaX, deltaY) ``` ### Dialogs ```bash playwright-cli dialog-accept # Accept alert/confirm/prompt playwright-cli dialog-accept "text" # Accept prompt with input playwright-cli dialog-dismiss # Dismiss/cancel dialog ``` ### Tabs ```bash playwright-cli tab-list # List all open tabs playwright-cli tab-new [url] # Open new tab playwright-cli tab-select <index> # Switch to tab by index playwright-cli tab-close [index] # Close tab (current or by index) ``` ### Screenshots & Media ```bash playwright-cli screenshot # Screenshot current page playwright-cli screenshot <ref> # Screenshot specific element playwright-cli screenshot --filename=pg.png # Save with custom filename playwright-cli pdf --filename=page.pdf # Save page as PDF playwright-cli video-start # Start video recording playwright-cli video-stop output.webm # Stop and save video playwright-cli resize 1920 1080 # Resize viewport ``` ### Storage & Auth ```bash playwright-cli state-save [file.json] # Save cookies + localStorage playwright-cli state-load <file.json> # Restore saved state playwright-cli cookie-list [--domain=...] # List cookies playwright-cli cookie-get <name> # Get specific cookie playwright-cli cookie-set <name> <value> [opts] # Set a cookie playwright-cli cookie-delete <name> # Delete a cookie playwright-cli cookie-clear # Clear all cookies playwright-cli localstorage-list # List localStorage items playwright-cli localstorage-get <key> # Get localStorage value playwright-cli localstorage-set <key> <val> # Set localStorage value playwright-cli localstorage-delete <key> # Delete localStorage item playwright-cli localstorage-clear # Clear all localStorage playwright-cli sessionstorage-list # List sessionStorage playwright-cli sessionstorage-get <key> # Get sessionStorage value playwright-cli sessionstorage-set <key> <val> # Set sessionStorage value playwright-cli sessionstorage-delete <key> # Delete sessionStorage item playwright-cli sessionstorage-clear # Clear all sessionStorage ``` ### Network Mocking ```bash playwright-cli route "<pattern>" [opts] # Intercept matching requests playwright-cli route-list # List active route overrides playwright-cli unroute "<pattern>" # Remove specific route playwright-cli unroute # Remove all routes ``` ### DevTools & Debugging ```bash playwright-cli console [level] # Show console messages playwright-cli network # Show network requests playwright-cli tracing-start # Start trace recording playwright-cli tracing-stop # Stop and save trace playwright-cli run-code "async page => {}" # Execute Playwright API code ``` ### Sessions & Configuration ```bash playwright-cli -s=<name> <command> # Run command in named session playwright-cli list # List all active sessions playwright-cli close-all # Close all browsers playwright-cli kill-all # Force kill all processes playwright-cli delete-data # Delete session user data playwright-cli open --browser=firefox # Use specific browser playwright-cli open --persistent # Persist profile to disk playwright-cli open --profile=/path # Custom profile directory playwright-cli open --config=config.json # Use config file playwright-cli open --extension # Connect via extension ``` ## Guide Index ### Getting Started | What you're doing | Guide | |---|---| | Core browser interaction | [core-commands.md](core-commands.md) | | Generating test code | [test-generation.md](test-generation.md) | | Screenshots, video, PDF | [screenshots-and-media.md](screenshots-and-media.md) | ### Testing & Debugging | What you're doing | Guide | |---|---| | Tracing and debugging | [tracing-and-debugging.md](tracing-and-debugging.md) | | Network mocking & interception | [request-mocking.md](request-mocking.md) | | Running custom Playwright code | [running-custom-code.md](running-custom-code.md) | ### State & Sessions | What you're doing | Guide | |---|---| | Cookies, localStorage, auth state | [storage-and-auth.md](storage-and-auth.md) | | Multi-session management | [session-management.md](session-management.md) | ### Advanced | What you're doing | Guide | |---|---| | Device & environment emulation | [device-emulation.md](device-emulation.md) | | Complex multi-step workflows | [advanced-workflows.md](advanced-workflows.md) |