How to ignore elements in a Playwright screenshot test
AI Summary
This video tutorial by Checkly teaches how to perform visual regression testing using Playwright, with a focus on selectively ignoring or focusing on specific parts of a web page to improve test accuracy.
Key points covered:
- Basic setup of a Playwright screenshot test to check visual differences against existing screenshots.
- Challenges when testing dynamic content, such as social media or news article listings that change frequently.
- How to use the “mask” parameter to ignore certain elements or selectors (e.g., specific table rows) that cause inconsistent test failures.
- Demonstrating updating snapshots after setting masks to ensure tests pass by ignoring dynamic content.
- Using focus on a single element selector to restrict visual checks to a stable part of the page like a header or toolbar, improving test reliability.
- Option to adjust maximum pixel difference thresholds for more tolerant checks.
The video provides practical code examples using selectors and multiple device runs, along with tips to balance test precision and tolerance for visual changes.