visual-regression-tester

name	visual-regression-tester
description	Implements visual regression testing with screenshot comparison, diff detection, and CI integration using Playwright or Chromatic. Use when users request "visual testing", "screenshot testing", "UI regression", "visual diff", or "Chromatic setup".

Visual Regression Tester

Catch unintended UI changes with automated visual regression testing.

Core Workflow

1. Choose tool: Playwright, Chromatic, Percy
2. Setup baseline: Capture initial screenshots
3. Configure thresholds: Define acceptable diff
4. Integrate CI: Automated testing
5. Review changes: Approve or reject
6. Update baselines: Accept intentional changes

Playwright Visual Testing

Installation

npm install -D @playwright/test
npx playwright install

Configuration

// playwright.config.ts
import { defineConfig, devices } from '@playwright/test';

export default defineConfig({
  testDir: './tests/visual',
  testMatch: '**/*.visual.ts',
  fullyParallel: true,
  forbidOnly: !!process.env.CI,
  retries: process.env.CI ? 2 : 0,
  workers: process.env.CI ? 1 : undefined,
  reporter: [
    ['html', { open: 'never' }],
    ['json', { outputFile: 'test-results/results.json' }],
  ],

  // Snapshot configuration
  snapshotDir: './tests/visual/__snapshots__',
  snapshotPathTemplate: '{snapshotDir}/{testFilePath}/{arg}{ext}',

  expect: {
    toHaveScreenshot: {
      maxDiffPixels: 100,
      maxDiffPixelRatio: 0.01,
      threshold: 0.2,
      animations: 'disabled',
    },
    toMatchSnapshot: {
      maxDiffPixelRatio: 0.01,
    },
  },

  use: {
    baseURL: 'http://localhost:3000',
    trace: 'on-first-retry',
    screenshot: 'only-on-failure',
    video: 'retain-on-failure',
  },

  projects: [
    {
      name: 'Desktop Chrome',
      use: {
        ...devices['Desktop Chrome'],
        viewport: { width: 1280, height: 720 },
      },
    },
    {
      name: 'Desktop Firefox',
      use: {
        ...devices['Desktop Firefox'],
        viewport: { width: 1280, height: 720 },
      },
    },
    {
      name: 'Mobile Safari',
      use: {
        ...devices['iPhone 13'],
      },
    },
    {
      name: 'Tablet',
      use: {
        viewport: { width: 768, height: 1024 },
      },
    },
  ],

  webServer: {
    command: 'npm run start',
    url: 'http://localhost:3000',
    reuseExistingServer: !process.env.CI,
    timeout: 120 * 1000,
  },
});

Visual Test Examples

// tests/visual/homepage.visual.ts
import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';

test.describe('Homepage Visual Tests', () => {
  test.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
    await page.goto('/');
    // Wait for fonts and images to load
    await page.waitForLoadState('networkidle');
    // Disable animations for consistent screenshots
    await page.addStyleTag({
      content: `
        *, *::before, *::after {
          animation-duration: 0s !important;
          animation-delay: 0s !important;
          transition-duration: 0s !important;
        }
      `,
    });
  });

  test('full page screenshot', async ({ page }) => {
    await expect(page).toHaveScreenshot('homepage-full.png', {
      fullPage: true,
    });
  });

  test('hero section', async ({ page }) => {
    const hero = page.locator('[data-testid="hero-section"]');
    await expect(hero).toHaveScreenshot('hero-section.png');
  });

  test('navigation bar', async ({ page }) => {
    const nav = page.locator('nav');
    await expect(nav).toHaveScreenshot('navigation.png');
  });

  test('footer', async ({ page }) => {
    const footer = page.locator('footer');
    await footer.scrollIntoViewIfNeeded();
    await expect(footer).toHaveScreenshot('footer.png');
  });
});

Component Visual Tests

// tests/visual/components.visual.ts
import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';

test.describe('Button Component', () => {
  test('all variants', async ({ page }) => {
    await page.goto('/storybook/button');

    // Primary button
    const primary = page.locator('[data-testid="button-primary"]');
    await expect(primary).toHaveScreenshot('button-primary.png');

    // Secondary button
    const secondary = page.locator('[data-testid="button-secondary"]');
    await expect(secondary).toHaveScreenshot('button-secondary.png');

    // Hover state
    await primary.hover();
    await expect(primary).toHaveScreenshot('button-primary-hover.png');

    // Focus state
    await primary.focus();
    await expect(primary).toHaveScreenshot('button-primary-focus.png');

    // Disabled state
    const disabled = page.locator('[data-testid="button-disabled"]');
    await expect(disabled).toHaveScreenshot('button-disabled.png');
  });
});

test.describe('Form Components', () => {
  test('input states', async ({ page }) => {
    await page.goto('/storybook/input');

    const input = page.locator('[data-testid="input-default"]');

    // Default state
    await expect(input).toHaveScreenshot('input-default.png');

    // Focused state
    await input.focus();
    await expect(input).toHaveScreenshot('input-focused.png');

    // With value
    await input.fill('Test value');
    await expect(input).toHaveScreenshot('input-with-value.png');

    // Error state
    const errorInput = page.locator('[data-testid="input-error"]');
    await expect(errorInput).toHaveScreenshot('input-error.png');
  });
});

Responsive Testing

// tests/visual/responsive.visual.ts
import { test, expect, devices } from '@playwright/test';

const viewports = [
  { name: 'mobile', width: 375, height: 667 },
  { name: 'tablet', width: 768, height: 1024 },
  { name: 'desktop', width: 1280, height: 720 },
  { name: 'wide', width: 1920, height: 1080 },
];

for (const viewport of viewports) {
  test.describe(`${viewport.name} viewport`, () => {
    test.use({ viewport: { width: viewport.width, height: viewport.height } });

    test('homepage layout', async ({ page }) => {
      await page.goto('/');
      await page.waitForLoadState('networkidle');

      await expect(page).toHaveScreenshot(`homepage-${viewport.name}.png`, {
        fullPage: true,
      });
    });

    test('navigation menu', async ({ page }) => {
      await page.goto('/');

      if (viewport.width < 768) {
        // Mobile: test hamburger menu
        const menuButton = page.locator('[data-testid="mobile-menu-button"]');
        await menuButton.click();
        await expect(page.locator('[data-testid="mobile-menu"]')).toHaveScreenshot(
          `mobile-menu-${viewport.name}.png`
        );
      } else {
        // Desktop: test full nav
        await expect(page.locator('nav')).toHaveScreenshot(
          `nav-${viewport.name}.png`
        );
      }
    });
  });
}

Dark Mode Testing

// tests/visual/dark-mode.visual.ts
import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';

test.describe('Dark Mode', () => {
  test('homepage in dark mode', async ({ page }) => {
    await page.goto('/');

    // Enable dark mode via color scheme
    await page.emulateMedia({ colorScheme: 'dark' });

    await expect(page).toHaveScreenshot('homepage-dark.png', {
      fullPage: true,
    });
  });

  test('homepage in light mode', async ({ page }) => {
    await page.goto('/');

    await page.emulateMedia({ colorScheme: 'light' });

    await expect(page).toHaveScreenshot('homepage-light.png', {
      fullPage: true,
    });
  });

  test('theme toggle', async ({ page }) => {
    await page.goto('/');

    // Toggle theme via button
    const themeToggle = page.locator('[data-testid="theme-toggle"]');
    await themeToggle.click();

    // Wait for transition
    await page.waitForTimeout(300);

    await expect(page).toHaveScreenshot('homepage-toggled-theme.png');
  });
});

Chromatic Integration

Setup

npm install -D chromatic

Configuration

// .storybook/main.ts
export default {
  stories: ['../src/**/*.stories.@(js|jsx|ts|tsx)'],
  addons: ['@chromatic-com/storybook'],
};

CI Configuration

# .github/workflows/chromatic.yml
name: Chromatic

on:
  push:
    branches: [main]
  pull_request:
    branches: [main]

jobs:
  chromatic:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
        with:
          fetch-depth: 0

      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
        with:
          node-version: 20
          cache: 'npm'

      - run: npm ci

      - name: Publish to Chromatic
        uses: chromaui/action@latest
        with:
          projectToken: ${{ secrets.CHROMATIC_PROJECT_TOKEN }}
          exitZeroOnChanges: true
          exitOnceUploaded: true
          onlyChanged: true

Chromatic Story Configuration

// Button.stories.tsx
import type { Meta, StoryObj } from '@storybook/react';
import { Button } from './Button';

const meta: Meta<typeof Button> = {
  component: Button,
  parameters: {
    chromatic: {
      // Capture multiple viewports
      viewports: [375, 768, 1280],
      // Delay for animations
      delay: 300,
      // Disable animations
      pauseAnimationAtEnd: true,
    },
  },
};

export default meta;

export const Primary: StoryObj<typeof Button> = {
  args: { variant: 'primary', children: 'Button' },
};

export const AllStates: StoryObj<typeof Button> = {
  parameters: {
    chromatic: {
      // Test interaction states
      modes: {
        hover: { pseudo: { hover: true } },
        focus: { pseudo: { focus: true } },
        active: { pseudo: { active: true } },
      },
    },
  },
  render: () => (
    <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: '1rem' }}>
      <Button variant="primary">Primary</Button>
      <Button variant="secondary">Secondary</Button>
      <Button disabled>Disabled</Button>
    </div>
  ),
};

CI Integration

# .github/workflows/visual-tests.yml
name: Visual Regression Tests

on:
  pull_request:
    branches: [main]

jobs:
  visual-tests:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4

      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
        with:
          node-version: 20
          cache: 'npm'

      - run: npm ci

      - name: Install Playwright Browsers
        run: npx playwright install --with-deps chromium

      - name: Build application
        run: npm run build

      - name: Run visual tests
        run: npx playwright test --project="Desktop Chrome"

      - name: Upload test results
        if: always()
        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
        with:
          name: playwright-report
          path: |
            playwright-report/
            test-results/
          retention-days: 30

      - name: Upload diff images
        if: failure()
        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
        with:
          name: visual-diffs
          path: tests/visual/__snapshots__/*-diff.png
          retention-days: 7

Update Baselines Script

// package.json
{
  "scripts": {
    "test:visual": "playwright test --project='Desktop Chrome'",
    "test:visual:update": "playwright test --update-snapshots",
    "test:visual:ui": "playwright test --ui",
    "test:visual:report": "playwright show-report"
  }
}

Best Practices

1. Disable animations: Consistent screenshots
2. Wait for network: Ensure content loaded
3. Use stable selectors: data-testid attributes
4. Test multiple viewports: Responsive coverage
5. Set thresholds: Allow minor pixel differences
6. Review in CI: Block merges on failures
7. Organize snapshots: Clear naming convention
8. Update intentionally: Review all baseline changes

Output Checklist

Every visual testing setup should include:

• Playwright/Chromatic configuration
• Baseline screenshots
• Multi-viewport testing
• Dark mode coverage
• Component state testing
• Animation disabling
• CI integration
• Diff threshold configuration
• Baseline update workflow
• Artifact storage