Cypress vs. Selenium vs. Playwright: Choose the Right Automation Tool

Cypress

Selenium

Playwright

Pros

• Simple and intuitive API
• Automatic waiting for elements and retrying
• Real-time reloading and debugging
• Built-in capabilities for recording videos and taking screenshots
• Comprehensive documentation and active community support

• Supports all major browsers and multiple programming languages
• Adheres to open-source standards and governance
• Offers a variety of grid options for parallel test execution
• Extensive community support and resources
• No restrictions on the domain, multiple windows, or Iframe

• Simple setup and modern API
• Multiple programming languages support
• Cross-browser and cross-platform support
• Auto-wait, web-first assertions, and tracing features
• Speedy and efficient

Cons

• Limited to Chromium-based browsers
• Supports only JavaScript
• No native Support for Parallel Execution
• Limited support for cross-browser testing
• Requires third-party integrations for features like Xpath and reporting

• Setup can get complex and time-consuming
• No built-in automatic waiting, leading to flaky tests
• Slower performance due to architecture and latency
• Missing built-in reporting facility  
• Requires external runner

• Comparatively new on the market
• Smaller community and fewer resources
• Multi-threaded architecture may impact testing speed
• Tests browser engines as opposed to full browsers
• Limited browser support 
• Doesn't support native mobile apps

Recommendations

An apt choice for web applications requiring fast and interactive testing, Cypress is particularly suitable for teams focusing on JavaScript-based web applications that prioritize browser-specific testing and looking for an easy-to-use, well-documented testing framework.

Overall, Cypress's streamlined process and developer-friendly features make it an invaluable tool.

Selenium is a robust choice for a flexible testing environment with multi-language support. It is also suitable for teams that require cross-browser and cross-platform testing.

It provides extensive flexibility and integration options, making it ideal for complex testing scenarios and larger projects.

Playwright is ideal for teams prioritizing speed and efficiency in their testing processes. It is a good fit for projects requiring modern web applications with cross-browser compatibility or mobile testing.

Its extensive automation capabilities make it suitable for complex scenarios and teams proficient in JavaScript or other supported programming languages.

Features

Cypress

Selenium

Playwright

Language Support

JavaScript

Multi-Language Support (Java, C#, Python, JavaScript, Perl and PHP)

Multi-Language Support (Java, C#, Python, JavaScript and TypeScript)

Browser Support

Multiple-Browser Support

(Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Electron)

Multiple-Browser Support (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge and Opera)

Multiple-Browser Support (Chrome & Edge with Chromium, Safari with Webkit and Firefox)

Architecture

Single-Threaded, Built-In Queuing

Multi-Threaded, Driver-Based

Single-Threaded, Built-In Queuing

Execution Speed

Comparatively Fast

Comparatively Slow

Comparatively Fast

DOM Manipulation

Powerful, Built-In Commands

Limited, Relies On Webdriver APIs

Powerful, Built-In Commands

Cross-Browser Testing

Built-In Support

Requires Browser Configuration

Built-In Support

Headless Testing

Built-In Support

Requires Headless Mode Configuration

Built-In Support

Test Runner

Built-In

Requires External Test Runners

Built-In

Debugging Support

Easy Debugging With Chrome Devtools

Limited Debugging Capabilities

Easy Debugging With Devtools

Parallel Execution

Supports Using CI/CD Tool

Requires Additional Setup

Built-In Support

/ loginTest.js
describe("Login Test", () => {
it("should log in successfully", () => {
cy.visit("https://the-internet.herokuapp.com/login");
// Enter the username and password
cy.get("#username").type("tomsmith");
cy.get("#password").type("SuperSecretPassword!").type("{enter}");
// Verify that the login was successful
cy.get("#flash").should("contain", "You logged into a secure area");
});
});

// loginTest.js

const { Builder, By, Key, until } = require('selenium-webdriver');
const assert = require('assert');
async function loginTest() {
const driver = new Builder().forBrowser('chrome').build();
try {
await driver.get('https://the-internet.herokuapp.com/login');
// Enter the username and password
await driver.findElement(By.id('username')).sendKeys('tomsmith');
await driver.findElement(By.id('password')).sendKeys('SuperSecretPassword!', Key.RETURN);
// Verify that the login was successful
const successMessage = await driver.findElement(By.id('flash')).getText();
assert.ok(successMessage.includes('You logged into a secure area'), 'Login failed');
} finally {
// Quit the browser
await driver.quit();
}
}
loginTest();

// loginTest.js

const { chromium } = require('playwright');
const assert = require('assert');
async function loginTest() {
const browser = await chromium.launch({ headless: false });
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://the-internet.herokuapp.com/login');
// Enter the username and password
await page.fill('#username', 'tomsmith');
await page.fill('#password', 'SuperSecretPassword!');
await page.press('#password', 'Enter');
// Wait for the dashboard/secure page to load
await page.waitForSelector('#flash');
// Verify that the login was successful
const successMessage = await page.innerText('#flash');
assert.ok(successMessage.includes('You logged into a secure area'), 'Login failed');
await browser.close();
}
loginTest();