This page helps evaluate the options of using Selenium or Playwright for the element.

Key items to understand

Can we interact with html elements well, consistently, reliably
How is selenium interacting with:
1. shadowdom
2. servicenow
3. tables
4. nested iframes
5. aria selectors
6. visual validation
7. websocket support?
Are the selectors methods different from selenium vs. playwright? Which ones are more consistent and more reliable.

scenario	playwright	gtp

scenario	playwright	gtp
shadowdom	handles shadom dom natively	needs JavaScript handling with root path
servicenow	since newer version have shadow dom and service now generally has many iframes, both are taken care natively	since newer version have shadow dom and service now generally has many iframes, switching of iframes and shadwom root path is required
tables	select record in table based on primary field	select record based on position in table can break if records are in different order
nested iframes	automatically considers iframe part of the selector.	need to switch context to iframe
aria selectors	commonly supported, and very reliable because it is used by	css selector algorithm might consider, not explicitly supported.
visual validation	natively supports visual validation	third party java library integration for visual library
websocket support	yes	yes, while executing on cloud
deciem credit card fields
STC custom selector	records based on attributes preference of playwright	added support for custom tags from extension as requested by STC which will work for selenium as well
STC java applet
brambleberry ???
Auto-Wait	Natively waits for the action to be executed	Custom Implementation
Element selection	Playwright native debugger tool	Custom implementation
Execution speed	fast	slow
Support for multiple Front-End frame works (angular, react, etc.)	supports natively	custom implementation
Actions	support natively	custom implementation
API Step	custom implementation	custom implementation
Mobile support	mobile web browser support (android/chrome, IOS/safari)	mobile web browser support (android/chrome, IOS/safari)
MFA Authenticator	Custom Implementation	Custom implementation

?

References:

Selectors in playwright vs. selenium vs. cyprus:
Playwright vs Selenium vs Cypress: A Detailed Comparison | LambdaTest
Websocket support: WebSocket | Playwright Python

Aspect	Selenium	Playwright
Pros
Mature Ecosystem	Well-established ecosystem with extensive community support.	Modern architecture designed for fast, reliable automation.
	Supports a wide range of browsers and platforms.	Supports latest browser features out-of-the-box.
Language Support	Supports multiple programming languages (Java, C#, Python, Ruby, JavaScript).	Primarily supports JavaScript/TypeScript with bindings for Python, C#, Java.
Extensive Documentation	Comprehensive documentation and numerous tutorials, guides, and resources.	Provides detailed documentation and growing resource base.
Flexible Integration	Easy integration with CI/CD tools, test frameworks (JUnit, TestNG), and other QA tools.	Built-in features for handling modern web features (network interception, geolocation, etc.).
Rich Feature Set	Features like handling multiple windows, alerts, iframes, and executing JavaScript.	Handles dynamic content, auto-waits for elements, supports both headless and headed modes.
		Allows multi-context testing for parallel efficiency.
Cons
Performance	Slower compared to newer tools like Playwright, especially for complex interactions.	Limited language support compared to Selenium.
Element Handling	Challenging to handle dynamic elements, often requiring explicit waits and retries.	Ecosystem and community support are still growing.
API Complexity	Verbose and sometimes complex API for advanced interactions.	Integration with existing tools and frameworks might require more effort.

Decision Factors

Existing Infrastructure:
- If you already have a well-established Selenium setup and your team is proficient with it, the transition to Playwright might involve a learning curve and migration effort.
Performance Needs:
- For modern web applications requiring fast and reliable automation, Playwright could provide better performance and ease of handling dynamic content.
Language Preferences:
- If your team prefers working in languages other than JavaScript/TypeScript, Selenium offers better language support, especially for Java.
Future-Proofing:
- If you're looking to future-proof your automation framework with the latest web technologies and capabilities, Playwright is a strong contender.
Integration and Ecosystem:
- Selenium's mature ecosystem might offer more ready-to-use integrations and community support, which can be a significant advantage.

GoTestPro-KB

Spike - Selenium vs. Playwright

Key items to understand

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