Geb vs Playwright: What are the differences?

Key Differences between Geb and Playwright

1. Implicit vs Explicit Waits: Geb uses an implicit wait strategy, where the framework automatically waits for certain conditions to be met before performing actions. This can be convenient for simple scenarios, but may lead to longer execution times or unexpected behavior in complex scenarios. On the other hand, Playwright relies on explicit waits, allowing developers to specify the exact conditions they want to wait for and configure the wait times accordingly, providing more control over the test execution flow and allowing for more robust tests.

2. Browser Support: Geb is primarily designed for testing web applications on the desktop-based browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer. Playwright, on the other hand, offers broader browser support including desktop-based browsers, mobile emulators, and headless browsers. This makes Playwright a more versatile choice for cross-browser and cross-platform testing.

3. Programming Language: Geb is built on top of the Groovy programming language, which offers a concise and expressive syntax. Playwright, on the other hand, supports multiple programming languages including JavaScript, Python, and .NET, making it more accessible to developers with different language preferences or existing test automation frameworks.

4. Community and Documentation: Geb has a smaller but dedicated community and user base, which can limit the availability of resources such as documentation, tutorials, and community support. Playwright, on the other hand, is backed by Microsoft and has gained significant popularity, leading to a larger and more active community. This translates into better support, frequent updates, and a wealth of online resources for developers getting started with Playwright.

5. Ecosystem and Integration: Geb integrates seamlessly with Groovy-based frameworks such as Spock, making it suitable for teams already using Groovy in their development stack. Playwright, on the other hand, provides out-of-the-box integration with popular testing frameworks such as Jest, Pytest, and NUnit, as well as various CI/CD tools, making it easier to incorporate Playwright into existing testing pipelines.

6. Debugging and Logging: Geb provides built-in support for logging and debugging, offering features like capturing screenshots, HTML source code, and detailed error reports. Playwright, on the other hand, provides rich debugging capabilities with features like step-through debugging, code coverage, and network traffic interception, making it easier to diagnose and troubleshoot issues during test execution.

In summary, Geb and Playwright differ in their approaches to waits, browser support, programming language, community support, integration options, and debugging capabilities. Playwright offers explicit waits, broader browser support, multiple programming language options, a larger community, seamless integration, and advanced debugging features, making it a more versatile and well-supported choice for web testing.