> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/microsoft/playwright/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Installation

> Install Playwright and set up your testing environment for end-to-end browser automation

Playwright is a framework for Web Testing and Automation that allows testing Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit with a single API. It's built to enable cross-browser web automation that is ever-green, capable, reliable, and fast.

## System requirements

<Info>
  Playwright requires Node.js version 18 or higher.
</Info>

Playwright supports the following platforms:

* **Linux**: Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit
* **macOS**: Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit
* **Windows**: Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit

Headless execution is supported for all browsers on all platforms.

## Installation methods

There are two ways to install Playwright: using the init command (recommended) or manual installation.

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Using init command">
    The easiest way to get started with Playwright Test is to run the init command. This is the recommended approach for new projects.

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Run the init command">
        From your project's root directory, run:

        ```bash theme={null}
        npm init playwright@latest
        ```

        Or create a new project:

        ```bash theme={null}
        npm init playwright@latest new-project
        ```
      </Step>

      <Step title="Configure your setup">
        The init command will prompt you to:

        * Choose which browsers to install (Chromium, Firefox, WebKit)
        * Set up TypeScript or JavaScript
        * Add example tests
        * Configure GitHub Actions workflow
      </Step>

      <Step title="Verify installation">
        After installation completes, you'll have:

        * A `playwright.config.ts` (or `.js`) configuration file
        * A `tests/` directory with example test files
        * Browser binaries installed in your system
        * Optional GitHub Actions workflow in `.github/workflows/`
      </Step>
    </Steps>

    <Note>
      This method automatically creates a configuration file, adds example tests, and sets up GitHub Actions workflow for CI/CD.
    </Note>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Manual installation">
    If you prefer more control over the setup process, you can install Playwright manually.

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Install the test package">
        Add Playwright Test as a dev dependency:

        ```bash theme={null}
        npm i -D @playwright/test
        ```
      </Step>

      <Step title="Install browser binaries">
        Install the supported browsers:

        ```bash theme={null}
        npx playwright install
        ```

        <Accordion title="Install specific browsers only">
          You can optionally install only selected browsers:

          ```bash theme={null}
          # Install Chromium only
          npx playwright install chromium

          # Install multiple specific browsers
          npx playwright install chromium firefox
          ```

          Available browser options:

          * `chromium` - Installs Chrome for Testing
          * `firefox` - Installs Firefox
          * `webkit` - Installs WebKit (Safari)
        </Accordion>
      </Step>

      <Step title="Create configuration file">
        Create a `playwright.config.ts` file in your project root:

        ```typescript theme={null}
        import { defineConfig, devices } from '@playwright/test';

        export default defineConfig({
          testDir: './tests',
          timeout: 30000,
          expect: {
            timeout: 5000
          },
          fullyParallel: true,
          forbidOnly: !!process.env.CI,
          retries: process.env.CI ? 2 : 0,
          workers: process.env.CI ? 1 : undefined,
          reporter: 'html',
          use: {
            trace: 'on-first-retry',
          },
          projects: [
            {
              name: 'chromium',
              use: { ...devices['Desktop Chrome'] },
            },
          ],
        });
        ```
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Browser versions

Playwright uses the following browser versions:

* **Chromium**: 146.0.7680.31 (Chrome for Testing)
* **Firefox**: 146.0.1
* **WebKit**: 26.0

<Tip>
  Playwright uses Chrome for Testing by default, which is a dedicated Chrome build for testing purposes.
</Tip>

## Using existing browser channels

Instead of downloading browser binaries, you can use existing browser installations on your system:

```typescript theme={null}
import { defineConfig } from '@playwright/test';

export default defineConfig({
  projects: [
    {
      name: 'Google Chrome',
      use: { channel: 'chrome' },
    },
    {
      name: 'Microsoft Edge',
      use: { channel: 'msedge' },
    },
  ],
});
```

## Package information

The main Playwright package includes:

* **playwright**: Full Playwright library with browser automation and test runner
* **playwright-core**: Core library without browser binaries (version 1.59.0-next)
* **@playwright/test**: Test runner for end-to-end tests

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Quick start" icon="rocket" href="/quickstart">
    Run your first Playwright test
  </Card>

  <Card title="Writing tests" icon="code" href="/writing-tests">
    Learn how to write effective tests
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Troubleshooting

<Accordion title="Browser installation fails">
  If browser installation fails, try:

  * Check your internet connection
  * Run with `--force` flag: `npx playwright install --force`
  * Check system dependencies on Linux: `npx playwright install-deps`
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Node version error">
  Playwright requires Node.js 18 or higher. Update your Node.js version:

  ```bash theme={null}
  node --version
  ```

  If below 18, upgrade using nvm or download from nodejs.org
</Accordion>

<Warning>
  On Linux systems, you may need to install system dependencies for browsers. Run:

  ```bash theme={null}
  npx playwright install-deps
  ```
</Warning>