Playwright vs Selenium

Selenium's smarter cousin meets the og web automation tool that makes you feel like a wizard, until you're debugging flaky tests at 2 am. Here's our take.

Playwright

Nice Pick

Selenium's smarter cousin. Write once, test everywhere, and actually enjoy it.

Pros

• Single API for Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit with built-in auto-waiting
• Multi-language support (JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, Java, .NET)
• Fast and reliable with automatic retries and network interception

Cons

• Steeper learning curve compared to simpler tools like Puppeteer
• Can be overkill for basic scripting tasks

Selenium

The OG web automation tool that makes you feel like a wizard, until you're debugging flaky tests at 2 AM.

Pros

• Supports multiple programming languages (Java, Python, C#, JavaScript) for flexible test scripting
• Selenium WebDriver provides robust browser automation across Chrome, Firefox, and others
• Selenium Grid enables parallel test execution for faster feedback loops

Cons

• Tests can be flaky and require significant maintenance due to dynamic web elements
• Setup and configuration for advanced features like Grid can be complex and time-consuming

The Verdict

Use Playwright if: You want single api for chromium, firefox, and webkit with built-in auto-waiting and can live with steeper learning curve compared to simpler tools like puppeteer.

Use Selenium if: You prioritize supports multiple programming languages (java, python, c#, javascript) for flexible test scripting over what Playwright offers.

The Bottom Line

Playwright wins

Selenium's smarter cousin. Write once, test everywhere, and actually enjoy it.