Playwright vs. Selenium: Which One is Best for Automated Testing?

3 min readFeb 20, 2025

When it comes to automated testing, the choice of the right tool can make or break your testing strategy. Imagine you’re building a high-performance car — would you choose an older, reliable engine or a cutting-edge, turbocharged one? That’s the debate between Selenium, the veteran in test automation, and Playwright, the rising star. Both have their strengths, but which one truly fits your testing needs?

This article will take a deep dive into their features, performance, and usability, helping you decide which framework is best for your automation goals.

What is Selenium?

Selenium is an open-source automation framework widely used for web application testing. It provides a suite of tools, including Selenium WebDriver, Selenium Grid, and Selenium IDE, allowing testers to automate web applications across multiple browsers and operating systems.

Key Features of Selenium:

Cross-Browser Support: Works with Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, and more.
Multiple Language Support: Compatible with Java, Python, C#, JavaScript, and Ruby.
Integration with CI/CD: Easily integrates with Jenkins, Azure DevOps, and other CI/CD tools.
Large Community & Ecosystem: Extensive support, documentation, and third-party integrations.
Flexible and Scalable: Suitable for both simple and complex test automation needs.

What is Playwright?

Playwright, developed by Microsoft, is a relatively new automation framework that provides powerful capabilities for web testing. It is designed to handle modern web applications efficiently with features such as built-in parallel execution and auto-waiting.

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Key Features of Playwright:

Modern and Developer-Friendly: Supports testing of dynamic web applications with fast execution.
Headless and Headful Mode: Runs tests in both visible and headless modes.
Cross-Browser & Cross-Platform: Works on Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit across Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Auto-Wait Mechanism: Reduces flakiness by automatically handling element wait times.
Native Mobile Emulation: Simulates mobile browsers without additional configurations.

Playwright vs. Selenium: A Detailed Comparison

1. Performance & Speed

Selenium: Due to its reliance on WebDriver, Selenium’s execution speed may be slower, especially for complex interactions.
Playwright: Offers faster execution with a single API for multiple browsers, reducing overhead.

2. Ease of Use

Selenium: Requires additional setup and WebDriver configurations.
Playwright: Provides an easy-to-use API with automatic setup, reducing configuration efforts.

3. Cross-Browser Testing

Selenium: Supports a wider range of browsers, including Internet Explorer.
Playwright supports major modern browsers (Chromium, Firefox, WebKit) but does not support Internet Explorer.

4. Parallel Execution

Selenium: Parallel execution requires Selenium Grid, which adds complexity.
Playwright: Built-in parallel execution with worker processes.

5. Mobile Testing

Selenium: Requires third-party tools like Appium for mobile automation.
Playwright: Has built-in mobile emulation features for responsive web testing

6. Integration with CI/CD

Selenium: Well-integrated with most CI/CD pipelines but requires WebDriver setup.
Playwright: Seamlessly integrates with CI/CD and runs efficiently in Docker containers.

7. Community Support & Documentation

Selenium: Large, well-established community with extensive documentation.
Playwright: Growing community with detailed documentation but smaller compared to Selenium.

When to Choose Playwright or Selenium?

Use Selenium if:

You need to support legacy browsers like Internet Explorer.
You require extensive integrations with third-party tools.
You have an existing Selenium-based automation framework.

Use Playwright if:

You need faster test execution with minimal setup.
You want built-in mobile emulation and auto-wait mechanisms.
You are working with modern web applications requiring robust automation.

Find More Insights Here: In-Depth Comparison: Playwright Vs Other Automation Testing Tools

Conclusion

Both Playwright and Selenium are powerful tools for web automation, but they cater to different needs. Selenium remains the best choice for organizations with legacy systems and broad browser support, while Playwright is ideal for teams seeking a modern, fast, and efficient testing framework.

At Testrig Technologies, we specialize in both Playwright automation testing and Selenium-based testing Services to help businesses ensure robust and efficient test automation. Contact us today to leverage the best testing framework for your needs!