When building a website or app, you want it to work perfectly for every user. However, people use different browsers, such as Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. This is where cross browser testing in Playwright becomes important. It helps you check if your site works the same way in Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit. With Playwright, you can run tests in all major browsers using one automation tool.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to set up cross-browser tests, run them efficiently, and fix issues before they reach your users.
What is Cross Browser Testing?
Cross browser testing is the process of checking if a website or web application works correctly in different browsers, versions, and devices. The main goal is to give every user the same smooth experience, no matter which browser they choose.
Different browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, and Microsoft Edge use their own engines to display web pages. These engines process HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in slightly different ways. As a result, some elements may look different, load slower, or even stop working.
For example, a button may look perfect in Chrome but appear misaligned in Safari. Or a dropdown menu might work in Firefox but fail in Edge. These small issues can hurt the user experience.
With Playwright, cross browser testing becomes easier. You can run the same test scripts on Chromium (for Chrome and Edge), Firefox, and WebKit (for Safari). This helps you:
- Maintain visual consistency so your design looks the same everywhere.
- Ensure functional reliability so features like forms, menus, and buttons work in all browsers.
- Improve compatibility so more users can access your site without problems.
In short, cross browser testing in Playwright helps you find browser-specific issues before your users do, leading to a more professional and reliable website.
Why Cross Browser Testing is Important
Not all users browse the internet the same way. Some prefer Chrome, others rely on Firefox, and many use Safari or Edge. Each browser runs on a different engine. For instance, Chromium powers Chrome and Edge, Gecko powers Firefox, and WebKit powers Safari.
Because these engines work differently, the same web page can behave in unexpected ways. As a result, you might see:
- Broken layouts where images or text are out of place.
- Inconsistent functionality where buttons, forms, or dropdowns behave differently.
- Performance differences where animations lag or pages load more slowly in certain browsers.
However, these issues are not always easy to spot during development. That’s why cross browser testing in Playwright is so valuable. It helps you:
- Keep your design consistent so users see the same layout everywhere.
- Verify all features work as expected across all major browsers.
- Reach a wider audience by avoiding browser compatibility problems.
- Build trust with a polished, error-free experience.
In addition, catching problems early prevents costly fixes later. It also ensures that your website feels professional and dependable from the first visit. Therefore, making cross browser testing part of your workflow with Playwright is not just a good practice; it’s essential for long-term success.
Supported Browsers in Playwright
Playwright supports three major browser engines, which cover most modern browsers used today. This means you can run your tests across the main browsers without switching tools.
Here’s the list of supported browsers:
- Chromium: Powers Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge.
- Firefox: Uses the Gecko engine developed by Mozilla.
- WebKit: Powers Safari on macOS and iOS.
When you install Playwright, it automatically downloads these browsers. Therefore, you don’t need to install them manually. In addition, Playwright keeps these browsers updated so you can test on the latest stable versions.
Because these three engines power almost all popular browsers, you can cover a large percentage of your audience with just one testing framework. For example, testing on Chromium covers both Chrome and Edge users, while WebKit ensures Safari compatibility.
How to Do Cross Browser Testing in Playwright (JavaScript in VS Code)
Playwright makes cross-browser testing simple and fast. It supports major browsers like Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit out of the box. This means you can run the same test across multiple browsers in Playwright without writing separate scripts.
If you are just starting with Playwright, and want a step-by-step setup and configuration, you can follow this Playwright installation guide before moving ahead.
Step #1: Configure playwright.config.js for Multiple Browsers
To perform cross-browser testing in Playwright, you first need to configure the playwright.config.js file. This file tells Playwright which browsers to run your tests on. You can find the playwright.config.js file under your workspace folder in VS Code.
By using the projects option, you can define separate settings for Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit.
Add or update the following browser configuration lines in your playwright.config.js file to run tests in multiple browsers:
/* Configure projects for major browsers */
projects: [
{
name: 'chromium',
use: { ...devices['Desktop Chrome'] },
},
{
name: 'firefox',
use: { ...devices['Desktop Firefox'] },
},
{
name: 'webkit',
use: { ...devices['Desktop Safari'] },
},
],Explanation:
- projects: Defines multiple browser configurations.
- Here, devices[‘Desktop Chrome’] use predefined settings for Chrome in desktop mode, devices[‘Desktop Firefox’] use predefined settings for Firefox, and devices[‘Desktop Safari’] use predefined settings for Safari (WebKit).
Once this configuration is set, Playwright will automatically run your tests on all defined browsers with a single command.
Step #2: Create a Test File
Inside your tests folder, create a file named crossbrowsertestdemo.spec.js and add the following code to it.
// tests/crossbrowsertestdemo.spec.js
const { test, expect } = require('@playwright/test');
test('My first cross-browser test', async ({ page }) => {
//Opening URL and checking page title
await page.goto('https://www.google.com/');
const title = await page.title();
console.log('Title:', title);
await expect(page).toHaveTitle(/Google/);
});
Explanation:
- test(): Creates a test case.
- page.goto(): Opens the target website.
- page.title(): Fetches the page title.
- expect(): Verifies the title matches expectations.
Step #3: Run Cross-Browser Tests in VS Code
Open the terminal (Ctrl + `) in VS Code and run:
npx playwright test tests/crossbrowsertestdemo.spec.jsto run the test in headless mode.
or
npx playwright test tests/crossbrowsertestdemo.spec.js --headedto run the test in visual mode.
What Happens:
- Playwright runs the test in all browsers defined in playwright.config.js.
- The terminal will display separate results for each browser.
Tip: If prompted to install browsers, run:
npx playwright installStep #4: Run in a Single Browser (Optional)
To run the test in only one browser, use the –project flag:
npx playwright test tests/crossbrowsertestdemo.spec.js --project=ChromiumIt will run tests in the Chromium browser only.
Similarly, if you want to run tests in WebKit, use the flag –project=WebKit. To run tests in the Firefox browser, use –project=Firefox.
Run only in Firefox:
npx playwright test tests/crossbrowsertestdemo.spec.js --project=FirefoxRun only in WebKit:
npx playwright test tests/crossbrowsertestdemo.spec.js --project=WebKitWith these steps, you can perform cross-browser testing in Playwright using JavaScript directly from VS Code.
Step #5: Integrate into CI/CD
Running cross-browser tests locally is a great first step, but to ensure consistent quality, you should integrate these tests into your Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipeline. This ensures that every code change is automatically tested across all supported browsers before it reaches production.
Why CI/CD Integration is Important
- Early Bug Detection: Catch browser-specific issues before they impact users.
- Consistency: Tests run in the same environment every time.
- Automation: No manual triggering; tests run automatically on each push, pull request, or scheduled job.
How to Integrate Playwright Cross-Browser Tests into CI/CD
1. Choose Your CI/CD Tool
Playwright works with popular CI/CD platforms like GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Jenkins, Azure DevOps, and CircleCI.
2. Set Up Dependencies in the Pipeline
- First, Install Node.js
- Next, install Playwright
- and then install the browsers required for testing
3. Run Tests in All Browsers
In your CI/CD job, run:
npx playwright testThis will execute tests in Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit as per your playwright.config.js setup.
4. View Test Results
You can review the CI/CD logs for test pass/fail status.
Pro Tip: Keep browser tests parallelized in CI/CD to save time. Playwright’s test runner supports parallel execution out of the box, which is especially useful for large test suites.
Best Practices for Playwright Cross-Browser Testing
To get accurate and consistent results, follow these Playwright cross-browser testing best practices. They’ll help you improve speed, reliability, and maintainability.
- Start with a clean environment: Clear cookies, cache, and local storage before every test run. This ensures old session data won’t affect your results.
- Run tests in parallel: Playwright supports parallel execution across Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit. Running them together reduces test time and ensures faster feedback.
- Use isolated browser contexts: Always create a separate browser context for each test. This prevents data leakage between tests and avoids unexpected failures.
- Enable headless mode for CI/CD: In continuous integration setups like GitHub Actions, headless mode runs tests faster and consumes fewer resources.
- Maintain separate config files: Use environment-specific configurations for local, staging, and production. This makes switching between environments simple.
- Turn on detailed reports: Playwright can generate HTML or Allure reports. These give you a clear, visual summary of passed and failed tests.
Troubleshooting Common Playwright Testing Issues
Even a stable Playwright setup can face challenges. Here’s how to troubleshoot common cross-browser testing problems.
- Test works in one browser but fails in another: Different browsers render elements differently. Adjust your selectors or wait strategies to handle browser-specific quirks.
- Timeout errors: Dynamic elements may take longer to load. Increase the timeout in playwright.config.js or use page.waitForSelector() for more reliable waits.
- Broken selectors: Switch to Playwright’s recommended locators like getByRole, getByText, or getByLabel. Avoid overly complex CSS selectors that can break across browsers.
- Flaky tests in CI/CD: If tests pass locally but fail in GitHub Actions, check for slow network speeds, headless mode differences, and use the –repeat-each flag to reproduce issues.
- Missing reports in GitHub Actions: If HTML reports don’t appear, upload them as artifacts in your workflow. You can then download and open them directly in VS Code.
Final Words
Playwright cross browser testing is one of the most reliable ways to ensure your web application works perfectly on Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit. By following best practices, using the right locators, and troubleshooting issues early, you can build tests that are fast, stable, and easy to maintain.
With its powerful automation features, Playwright makes it simple to run tests locally or in CI/CD pipelines like GitHub Actions, while generating detailed reports for quick analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Playwright cross-browser testing?
Playwright cross-browser testing means running the same automated tests on multiple browsers like Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit to ensure consistent performance and compatibility.
2. How do I enable cross-browser testing in Playwright?
You can enable cross-browser testing by configuring the playwright.config.js file to include multiple browser projects and running npx playwright test.
3. Can I run Playwright tests on cloud services?
Yes, Playwright supports running tests on cloud platforms like BrowserStack and Sauce Labs for scalable cross-browser automation.
4. How do I integrate Playwright tests into CI/CD?
You can integrate Playwright into CI/CD by adding a GitHub Actions workflow or any CI service configuration that installs dependencies and runs npx playwright test automatically.
5. How can I view Playwright test reports?
After running tests, use npx playwright show-report to open the HTML report locally or store reports as artifacts in your CI/CD pipeline.
Hi, I’m Aravind — a seasoned Automation Test Engineer with over 17 years of hands-on experience in the software testing industry. I specialize in tech troubleshooting and tools like Selenium, Playwright, Appium, JMeter, and Excel automation. Through this blog, I share practical tutorials, expert tips, and real-world insights to help testers and developers improve their automation skills.In addition to software testing, I also explore tech trends and user-focused topics, including Snapchat guides, codeless test automation, and more.
