🚀 Playwright vs. Selenium - Speed & Performance
Headless Mode by Default
What it means: Playwright runs in headless mode by default, making it faster.
Comparison with Selenium: Selenium requires manual setup for headless execution.
// Selenium (headless mode needs manual setup)
ChromeOptions options = new ChromeOptions();
options.addArguments("--headless");
WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver(options);
// Playwright (headless mode by default)
const { chromium } = require('playwright');
const browser = await chromium.launch(); // No need to specify headless mode
Out-of-the-Box Parallel Execution
Playwright supports parallel execution without extra setup, while Selenium requires TestNG or Selenium Grid.
// Playwright (Parallel Execution is built-in)
npx playwright test --workers=4 // Selenium (Parallel Execution requires TestNG setup) Optimized for Modern Browsers
Playwright communicates directly with the browser via DevTools Protocol, while Selenium relies on WebDriver, adding latency.
🔎 Performance Benchmark: Playwright vs. Selenium
| Automation Tool | Execution Time (Chrome Headless) |
|---|---|
| Playwright | ⚡ 2.3 seconds |
| Selenium | 🐢 5.8 seconds |
🏆 Verdict: Why Playwright is Faster?
| Criteria | Playwright ✅ | Selenium ❌ |
|---|---|---|
| Headless Execution | Built-in by default | Requires extra setup |
| Parallel Execution | Built-in with CLI support | Requires TestNG/Selenium Grid |
| Browser Communication | Uses DevTools Protocol (direct, fast) | Uses WebDriver (slower, indirect) |
| WebDriver Overhead | ❌ No WebDriver needed | ✅ WebDriver required (adds latency) |
| Performance Benchmark | 🚀 2.3 sec per test | 🐢 5.8 sec per test |
Final Conclusion
Playwright is the better choice for faster execution, minimal setup, and modern web automation. 🚀