---
title: "Generate Playwright Tests — Agent Skill & Codex Plugin"
description: "Generate Playwright tests. Use when user says 'write tests', 'generate tests', 'add tests for', 'test this component', 'e2e test', 'create test for'. Agent skill for Claude Code, Codex CLI, Gemini CLI, OpenClaw."
---

# Generate Playwright Tests

<div class="page-meta" markdown>
<span class="meta-badge">:material-code-braces: Engineering - Core</span>
<span class="meta-badge">:material-identifier: `generate`</span>
<span class="meta-badge">:material-github: <a href="https://github.com/alirezarezvani/claude-skills/tree/main/engineering-team/playwright-pro/skills/generate/SKILL.md">Source</a></span>
</div>

<div class="install-banner" markdown>
<span class="install-label">Install:</span> <code>claude /plugin install engineering-skills</code>
</div>


Generate production-ready Playwright tests from a user story, URL, component name, or feature description.

## Input

`$ARGUMENTS` contains what to test. Examples:
- `"user can log in with email and password"`
- `"the checkout flow"`
- `"src/components/UserProfile.tsx"`
- `"the search page with filters"`

## Steps

### 1. Understand the Target

Parse `$ARGUMENTS` to determine:
- **User story**: Extract the behavior to verify
- **Component path**: Read the component source code
- **Page/URL**: Identify the route and its elements
- **Feature name**: Map to relevant app areas

### 2. Explore the Codebase

Use the `Explore` subagent to gather context:

- Read `playwright.config.ts` for `testDir`, `baseURL`, `projects`
- Check existing tests in `testDir` for patterns, fixtures, and conventions
- If a component path is given, read the component to understand its props, states, and interactions
- Check for existing page objects in `pages/`
- Check for existing fixtures in `fixtures/`
- Check for auth setup (`auth.setup.ts` or `storageState` config)

### 3. Select Templates

Check `templates/` in this plugin for matching patterns:

| If testing... | Load template from |
|---|---|
| Login/auth flow | `templates/auth/login.md` |
| CRUD operations | `templates/crud/` |
| Checkout/payment | `templates/checkout/` |
| Search/filter UI | `templates/search/` |
| Form submission | `templates/forms/` |
| Dashboard/data | `templates/dashboard/` |
| Settings page | `templates/settings/` |
| Onboarding flow | `templates/onboarding/` |
| API endpoints | `templates/api/` |
| Accessibility | `templates/accessibility/` |

Adapt the template to the specific app — replace `{{placeholders}}` with actual selectors, URLs, and data.

### 4. Generate the Test

Follow these rules:

**Structure:**
```typescript
import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
// Import custom fixtures if the project uses them

test.describe('Feature Name', () => {
  // Group related behaviors

  test('should <expected behavior>', async ({ page }) => {
    // Arrange: navigate, set up state
    // Act: perform user action
    // Assert: verify outcome
  });
});
```

**Locator priority** (use the first that works):
1. `getByRole()` — buttons, links, headings, form elements
2. `getByLabel()` — form fields with labels
3. `getByText()` — non-interactive text content
4. `getByPlaceholder()` — inputs with placeholder text
5. `getByTestId()` — when semantic options aren't available

**Assertions** — always web-first:
```typescript
// GOOD — auto-retries
await expect(page.getByRole('heading')).toBeVisible();
await expect(page.getByRole('alert')).toHaveText('Success');

// BAD — no retry
const text = await page.textContent('.msg');
expect(text).toBe('Success');
```

**Never use:**
- `page.waitForTimeout()`
- `page.$(selector)` or `page.$$(selector)`
- Bare CSS selectors unless absolutely necessary
- `page.evaluate()` for things locators can do

**Always include:**
- Descriptive test names that explain the behavior
- Error/edge case tests alongside happy path
- Proper `await` on every Playwright call
- `baseURL`-relative navigation (`page.goto('/')` not `page.goto('http://...')`)

### 5. Match Project Conventions

- If project uses TypeScript → generate `.spec.ts`
- If project uses JavaScript → generate `.spec.js` with `require()` imports
- If project has page objects → use them instead of inline locators
- If project has custom fixtures → import and use them
- If project has a test data directory → create test data files there

### 6. Generate Supporting Files (If Needed)

- **Page object**: If the test touches 5+ unique locators on one page, create a page object
- **Fixture**: If the test needs shared setup (auth, data), create or extend a fixture
- **Test data**: If the test uses structured data, create a JSON file in `test-data/`

### 7. Verify

Run the generated test:

```bash
npx playwright test <generated-file> --reporter=list
```

If it fails:
1. Read the error
2. Fix the test (not the app)
3. Run again
4. If it's an app issue, report it to the user

## Output

- Generated test file(s) with path
- Any supporting files created (page objects, fixtures, data)
- Test run result
- Coverage note: what behaviors are now tested
