16.2Playwright Codegen

Playwright's built-in code generator is the simplest form of AI-assisted test creation: record browser interactions and generate test code automatically.

npx playwright codegen https://example.com

This opens a browser and a code inspector. As you click, type, and navigate, Playwright generates test code in real time.

What Codegen Produces

// Generated by codegen — a solid starting point
test('test', async ({ page }) => {
  await page.goto('https://example.com/login');
  await page.getByLabel('Email').fill('user@example.com');
  await page.getByLabel('Password').fill('password');
  await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Sign in' }).click();
  await expect(page.getByRole('heading', { name: 'Dashboard' })).toBeVisible();
});

Where Codegen Falls Short

• Generated tests are linear scripts, not structured with page objects
• No test data management or parameterization
• No error handling or edge case coverage
• Locators may not follow your team's strategy (e.g., using testId vs role)

Best practice: Use codegen to bootstrap, then refactor into your framework's patterns.