Playwright vs WebdriverIO: What are the differences?

Playwright and WebdriverIO are both popular tools for automating web browsers, but they have some key differences. Here are the main differences between the two.

1. Architecture: Playwright is built on top of a new web automation protocol called the "CDP" (Chrome DevTools Protocol). It supports multiple browsers (Chrome, Firefox, and WebKit) and provides a more efficient and consistent way to interact with web browsers. WebdriverIO, on the other hand, is built on top of the WebDriver protocol, which is more widely supported but can sometimes be less performant and have browser-specific limitations.

2. Multi-Tab Support: Playwright has built-in support for handling multiple tabs or windows in a browser, making it easier to perform actions in different browser contexts. WebdriverIO also supports multi-tabs, but it requires additional setup and custom code to achieve the same functionality.

3. Parallel Execution: Playwright supports parallel execution out of the box, allowing you to run tests concurrently and speed up the execution time. WebdriverIO also supports parallel execution, but it requires additional setup and configuration.

4. Debugging: Playwright provides a powerful debugging experience with built-in support for recording and capturing screenshots or videos during test execution. It also offers the ability to pause and inspect the state of the browser at any point in your tests. WebdriverIO does not provide these debugging features out of the box, although it can be achieved with additional tools and workarounds.

5. Automation Capabilities: Playwright offers advanced automation capabilities, such as the ability to interact with iframes, shadow DOM elements, and native file dialogs. WebdriverIO also supports these features but may require additional configuration or workarounds to achieve the same level of automation.

6. Community and Ecosystem: WebdriverIO has a larger community and ecosystem compared to Playwright, which means there are more resources, plugins, and integrations available for WebdriverIO. However, Playwright has been rapidly gaining popularity and has a growing community and ecosystem as well.

In summary, Playwright offers a more modern and efficient approach to web automation with its new protocol and advanced features, while WebdriverIO provides a more widely supported solution with a larger community and ecosystem. The choice between the two depends on your specific requirements and preferences.