Introduction
“It is estimated that 8.93 million mobile applications are created worldwide”. It’s pretty clear that mobile apps are taking over the digital scene, right? So, keeping them running smoothly is super important. That’s where automation testing comes in—it’s key to rolling out bug-free apps. Developers are really on the lookout for solid tools that make testing a whole lot easier!
Enter Playwright! It’s getting a lot of attention lately for its cool cross-browser testing capabilities. So, the big question is: Can Playwright handle mobile app testing too? Let’s dive into what Playwright has to offer, check out its pros and cons for mobile testing, and figure out if it’s the right choice for testers looking to level up their skills through an online Playwright or Mobile App Testing course.
Get to know Playwright,
Microsoft playwright is an open source tool for testing web application end to end. Playwright is a more efficient option for web automation, just like Selenium, and it has your back across multiple browsers like Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit. What sets Playwright apart is its efficiency; it offers cool features like auto-waiting, network interception, and the ability to run tests in parallel, making it a smart choice for saving time and effort.
Key Features of Playwright:
Cross-Browser Support – Automate tests across various browsers with ease.
Headless Mode – Execute tests more quickly without the need for UI rendering.
Auto-Waiting & Smart Assertions – Minimize flaky tests for more reliable outcomes.
Network Interception – Effectively simulate API responses during testing.
Parallel Test Execution – Accelerate the overall testing process.
While Playwright excels in web application testing, can it also be effectively used for mobile app testing? Let’s find out.
Can We Use Playwright for Mobile App Testing?
Playwright for Mobile Web Testing
Playwright is a good choice when it comes to mobile-friendly websites.
The best features it offers are simulating different mobile devices. It has native gestures such as swipes, taps, and pinches. In addition to testing responsive web design across screen sizes. It goes well in progressive web apps and is not suitable for Native apps.
Example:
javascript
const { chromium } = require(‘playwright’);
(async () => {
const browser = await chromium.launch();
const context = await browser.newContext({
viewport: { width: 375, height: 667 }, // iPhone SE resolution
userAgent: ‘Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 14_0 like Mac OS X)’,
});
const page = await context.newPage();
await page.goto(‘https://example.com’);
await page.screenshot({ path: ‘mobile_test.png’ });
await browser.close();
})();
This script simulates an iPhone SE browsing a website, making it ideal for mobile web testing.
2. Playwright for Native Mobile App Testing
Dissimilar Appium, which is specifically designed for native mobile app testing, Playwright does not support testing native mobile apps (iOS and Android). It cannot interact with native UI elements, gestures, or mobile-specific APIs.
Limitations of Playwright for Native Apps:
• It cannot automate apps built with Swift, Kotlin, React Native, or Flutter.
• There is no support for real-device testing.
• It lacks built-in integration with mobile testing frameworks.
Use Playwright for Mobile App Testing
If your application is a web-based mobile app (PWA).
If you need to test mobile-friendly websites across different devices.
If you want to automate mobile browser testing efficiently.
Don’t use Playwright if you need to test native Android/iOS applications.
However, for native mobile testing, a Mobile App Testing course focused on Appium or Espresso would be more beneficial.
If your goal is to test native mobile apps, consider these alternatives,
| Tool | Best For | Pros |
| Appium | Cross-platform mobile testing | Supports native, hybrid, and web apps on real & virtual devices. |
| Espresso | Android UI testing | Fast execution, integrated with Android Studio. |
| XCUITest | iOS UI testing | Native Apple framework, fast & reliable for iOS apps. |
Each of these tools provides better native mobile testing capabilities than Playwright.
Conclusion:
Definitely, Playwright is an excellent tool for mobile web and is a great choice if you are testing progressive web apps (PWAs) or mobile-friendly websites. But if you want to test a native mobile app, it is not the right choice.
Enrolling in a Playwright course online can help you master Web automation testing/Mobile web testing.
Want to get started with the Playwright automation tool? Check out Playwright automation course details