Best practices

  • Use explicit waits such as `page.wait_for_selector(selector, state='visible')` to ensure elements are visible before interacting with them.

  • Always specify a timeout in `wait_for_selector` to avoid indefinitely waiting for an element if it never becomes visible.

  • Utilize CSS selectors or XPath expressions in `wait_for_selector` to accurately target the specific elements you need to interact with.

  • Test visibility conditions on various screen sizes and resolutions to ensure your Playwright scripts are robust across different environments.

from playwright.sync_api import sync_playwright

# Initialize Playwright and start a browser
with sync_playwright() as p:
browser = p.chromium.launch()
page = browser.new_page()

# Navigate to the target website
page.goto('https://sandbox.oxylabs.io/products')

# Wait for an element to be visible using CSS selector
page.wait_for_selector('css=div.product', state='visible')

# Alternative: Wait for an element using XPath and visibility
page.wait_for_selector('xpath=//div[contains(@class, \'product\')]', state='visible')

# Perform actions after the element is visible
# For example, click the element
page.click('div.product')

# Close the browser
browser.close()

Common issues

  • Ensure that the element's visibility is not obstructed by other elements or styles that could affect its detectability by Playwright.

  • Verify that the page has fully loaded all dynamic content and scripts before attempting to wait for an element's visibility, as premature checks can lead to errors.

  • Consider using `page.wait_for_function` to check for more complex visibility conditions or states that are not directly supported by `wait_for_selector`.

  • Regularly update your selectors and visibility checks to adapt to changes in the web application's structure and design to maintain test reliability.

# Incorrect: Assuming element is visible without checking for obstructions
page.click('div.product')

# Correct: Ensure element is not only visible but also not covered by another element
page.wait_for_selector('div.product', state='visible')
if page.evaluate("element => window.getComputedStyle(element).opacity != '0'", page.query_selector('div.product')):
page.click('div.product')

# Incorrect: Trying to interact with elements before dynamic content has loaded
page.wait_for_selector('div.product', state='visible')
page.click('div.product')

# Correct: Wait for all dynamic scripts and content to load before interaction
page.wait_for_load_state('networkidle')
page.wait_for_selector('div.product', state='visible')
page.click('div.product')

# Incorrect: Using wait_for_selector for complex visibility conditions
page.wait_for_selector('div.product[data-loaded="true"]', state='visible')

# Correct: Use wait_for_function to handle complex conditions
page.wait_for_function("document.querySelector('div.product').getAttribute('data-loaded') === 'true'")
page.click('div.product')

# Incorrect: Using outdated or incorrect selectors which may not reflect current page structure
page.click('div.old-product-class')

# Correct: Regularly update and verify selectors to match current web application structure
page.wait_for_selector('div.new-product-class', state='visible')
page.click('div.new-product-class')

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