Playwright vs Splash: What are the differences?

Introduction

In this article, we will explore the key differences between Playwright and Splash. Both Playwright and Splash are popular tools used for web scraping and automation. However, there are several distinct differences between the two.

1. Execution Environment: Playwright is a JavaScript library that can automate web browsers such as Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit. It provides a high-level API for browser automation and supports multiple programming languages. On the other hand, Splash is a headless browser specifically designed for web scraping. It uses Lua scripting language and can be used as a standalone service or integrated with other tools.

2. Rendering: Playwright offers full browser automation, including rendering of dynamic content. It can handle JavaScript execution and interact with complex web applications. Playwright ensures that the website is fully rendered before performing any actions. In contrast, Splash is primarily focused on rendering web pages. It uses a lightweight rendering engine and provides a way to interact with the rendered HTML. Splash is capable of executing JavaScript, but it may not handle some complex websites as effectively as Playwright.

3. Speed: Playwright is known for its speed and efficiency. It utilizes modern browser technologies and optimizations to provide fast execution. Playwright can parallelize execution across multiple pages or contexts, making it well-suited for high-performance scenarios. On the other hand, Splash is relatively slower compared to Playwright. It uses a single-threaded architecture, which may impact the performance when dealing with large-scale scraping tasks.

4. Community and Ecosystem: Playwright has gained popularity due to its extensive community support and a wide range of resources available. It is actively maintained by Microsoft and has a growing ecosystem of plugins, frameworks, and integrations. Playwright also has rich documentation and examples, which makes it easier for developers to get started. Meanwhile, Splash has a smaller community compared to Playwright, with a limited number of resources and integrations available.

5. Compatibility: Playwright supports multiple browsers, making it versatile and suitable for various web automation scenarios. It provides consistent APIs across different browsers, allowing developers to write code once and run it on different browsers effortlessly. On the other hand, Splash is a standalone headless browser, which means it is limited to its own rendering engine. This may result in differences in rendering and behavior compared to mainstream web browsers.

6. Ease of Use: Playwright offers a simple and intuitive API, making it easy to write automation code. It provides high-level functions for common actions, such as clicking elements, filling forms, and taking screenshots, which reduces the amount of boilerplate code required. Splash, on the other hand, uses Lua scripting language, which may have a steeper learning curve for developers who are not familiar with Lua.

In summary, Playwright is a versatile browser automation library with a strong community and extensive browser support. It excels in speed, rendering capabilities, and ease of use. On the other hand, Splash is a specialized headless browser focused on rendering web pages and providing flexibility for web scraping tasks. While both tools have their own strengths, the choice between Playwright and Splash depends on the specific requirements and use cases of the project.