Web automation frameworks like Selenium WebDriver and Playwright are widely used for testing and automating web applications. While Selenium has been the industry standard for years, Playwright is a modern alternative offering faster execution, better browser control, and improved testing capabilities. Understanding their key differences helps developers choose the right tool for their automation needs.
| Feature | Selenium WebDriver | Playwright |
| Automation API | Uses WebDriver protocol to interact with browsers. | Uses WebSockets and CDP (Chrome DevTools Protocol) for faster execution. |
| Supported Browsers | Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, Internet Explorer. | Chromium, Firefox, WebKit. |
| Execution Speed | Slower due to communication with the browser via WebDriver. | Faster since it directly communicates with the browser without an intermediate driver. |
| Headless Mode | Supported but requires extra configurations. | Fully optimized for headless execution by default. |
| Multiple Tabs/Contexts | Limited support, requires handling multiple driver instances. | Native support for multiple browser contexts, mimicking real-world user sessions. |
| Auto-Wait Mechanism | Requires explicit waits like WebDriverWait. | Built-in auto-waiting for elements, reducing flaky tests. |
| Installation Complexity | Requires separate WebDriver installation for each browser. | Comes with built-in browsers, making setup easier. |
| Mobile Emulation | Limited, requires extra configurations. | Supports mobile emulation natively. |
| Network Interception | Requires third-party libraries. | Built-in support for request/response interception. |
| Parallel Execution | Needs external test runners like TestNG or PyTest. | Supports parallel execution natively. |
Both Selenium WebDriver and Playwright serve essential roles in web automation but cater to different requirements. Selenium remains a strong choice for compatibility with a wide range of browsers, while Playwright excels in speed, modern features, and built-in support for parallel execution. Selecting the right tool depends on project needs, browser support, and performance considerations.
Who Should Choose What?
Choose Selenium WebDriver if:
- You need to test on a wide range of browsers, including Internet Explorer and Safari.
- Your project is already built around WebDriver-based frameworks like TestNG, JUnit, or PyTest.
- You require strong community support and extensive documentation.
- You are working with legacy applications that require specific WebDriver capabilities.
Choose Playwright if:
- You need faster and more reliable automation with built-in auto-waiting and modern browser control.
- You want parallel execution and multiple browser context support out of the box.
- You need better mobile emulation and network interception for advanced testing.
- You are building new test automation from scratch and want an easy setup with modern features.
Final Recommendation
- If your project relies on legacy systems or has deep WebDriver dependencies, Selenium is a safe choice.
- If you need modern, high-performance web automation with better parallelization and efficiency, Playwright is the better option.