[Part 8]Introduction to TypeScript for Playwright – Preparation for UI Automation

Introduction

Playwright is a modern UI automation framework that integrates well with TypeScript. This module introduces Playwright, setting up TypeScript for UI automation, and performing basic web interactions.

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Lesson 1: Introduction to Playwright and TypeScript for UI Automation

Concept:
Playwright enables browser automation across multiple platforms using TypeScript.

Key Topics:

• Playwright Overview: Understanding its cross-browser automation capabilities.
• Why TypeScript for Playwright? Strong typing and enhanced debugging.
• Key Automation Concepts: Handling selectors, navigation, and assertions.

Example:

import { chromium } from 'playwright';

(async () => {
    const browser = await chromium.launch();
    const page = await browser.newPage();
    await page.goto('https://example.com');
    console.log(await page.title());
    await browser.close();
})();

Pro Tip: Use Playwright’s built-in debugging tools for easier script troubleshooting.

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Lesson 2: Setting up Playwright with TypeScript and WebDriver Basics

Concept:
Installing and configuring Playwright for TypeScript-based UI testing.

Key Topics:

• Installing Playwright: Using npm to install Playwright.
• Configuring TypeScript for Playwright: Setting up tsconfig.json.
• Writing a Basic Playwright Test: Launching browsers and interacting with pages.
• Running Tests: Executing Playwright tests via CLI.

Example Setup:

npm init -y
npm install -D playwright @playwright/test typescript
npx playwright install

Example Script:

import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';

test('Check page title', async ({ page }) => {
    await page.goto('https://example.com');
    await expect(page).toHaveTitle('Example Domain');
});

Pro Tip: Use Playwright’s built-in test runner for parallel execution and reporting.

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Lesson 3: Web Element Interaction with Playwright

Concept:
Interacting with web elements like buttons, forms, and links using Playwright.

Key Topics:

• Locating Elements: page.locator(), CSS selectors, XPath.
• Clicking and Typing: Simulating user interactions.
• Extracting Text and Attributes: Validating UI elements.
• Handling Dynamic Content: Dealing with AJAX and lazy-loaded elements.

Example:

import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';

test('Login Test', async ({ page }) => {
    await page.goto('https://example.com/login');
    await page.fill('#username', 'testuser');
    await page.fill('#password', 'password123');
    await page.click('#loginButton');
    await expect(page.locator('#welcomeMessage')).toContainText('Welcome');
});

Pro Tip: Use await page.waitForSelector() to handle dynamic elements before interacting with them.

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Lesson 4: Transitioning to Advanced UI Automation with Playwright and TypeScript

Concept:
Preparing for advanced automation by structuring Playwright test suites effectively.

Key Topics:

• Advanced Selectors: Using Playwright’s powerful locators.
• Wait Strategies: Implementing page.waitForSelector(), timeouts, and automatic retries.
• Page Object Model (POM): Structuring reusable page objects.
• Testing Framework Integration: Using Playwright with Jest, Mocha, or Cucumber.

Example (Page Object Model):

class LoginPage {
    constructor(private page) {}
    async login(username: string, password: string) {
        await this.page.fill('#username', username);
        await this.page.fill('#password', password);
        await this.page.click('#loginButton');
    }
}

Pro Tip: Use Playwright’s built-in tracing feature to debug failing tests with screenshots and logs.

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Conclusion

This module introduced Playwright with TypeScript, setting up UI automation, and performing basic web interactions.

Key Takeaways:

• Playwright automates browser interactions with fast execution and cross-browser support.
• TypeScript enhances Playwright’s capabilities with static typing and better debugging.
• Locating and interacting with web elements is crucial for UI test automation.
• Structuring Playwright test suites using best practices ensures maintainability.

What’s Next?
This concludes the TypeScript test automation fundamentals. You can now advance to building structured UI automation frameworks, handling complex interactions, and integrating Playwright with CI/CD pipelines for production-ready automation.

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