Test Automation - How to Sync Playwright Versions Between Python and GitHub Actions

Introduction

When running Playwright tests in CI/CD pipelines, version mismatches between installed browsers and the Playwright package can cause frustrating test failures. This common issue occurs when the browser installation command (`npx playwright install`) uses a version different from what's specified in your Python dependencies.

The solution presented in this article is exemplified in my Playwright Python example project, developed in collaboration with Elias Shourosh.

The Problem

Let's examine a typical scenario: Your pyproject.toml specifies Playwright version 1.49.1, but running npx playwright install --with-deps installs the latest version (1.50). This mismatch leads to compatibility issues and failed tests.

Why This Happens

• Different Version Sources: Playwright for Python and Playwright's npm package follow separate release cycles.
• Implicit Updates: npx playwright install fetches the latest version unless explicitly specified.
• Inconsistent Testing Environment: CI/CD pipelines might install mismatched dependencies, leading to test flakiness.

Implementing the Solution

The solution code can be found here.

Let's break down how this works:

1. Version Extraction: - Uses grep to find the Playwright version line in pyproject.toml - sed extracts just the version number and stores it in the PLAYWRIGHT_VERSION variable

2. Browser Installation: - Uses the extracted version with npx playwright@$PLAYWRIGHT_VERSION - Ensures browser version matches package version

Additional Considerations

1. Dependency Management

Our project already leverages Poetry for Python dependency management, making maintaining consistent versions across local development and CI environments easier.

2. Error Handling

Common errors due to version mismatches can occur. When troubleshooting, check both GitHub Actions logs and local Poetry environment logs. Look for discrepancies between Playwright package and browser versions.

3. Future Proofing

To keep dependencies updated, we use Renovate, which automatically creates pull requests when new versions are available. This ensures:

• Dependencies stay up-to-date.
• Changes are properly tested before merging.

Conclusion

Managing version consistency between Playwright packages and browsers is crucial for reliable test automation. By extracting the version from pyproject.toml and using it in browser installation, we ensure our CI pipeline maintains version parity and reduces unnecessary test failures.

Happy testing!