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Put Playwright Test settings in a playwright.config.ts file at the project root, import defineConfig from @playwright/test, and export a configuration object. Place test-runner settings such as retries and workers at the top level, browser settings in use, and separate browser or test variants in projects. The example below is a practical starting point; check option names and defaults against the Playwright version installed in your project.
Create the configuration file
In the root of the project where you run Playwright Test, create playwright.config.ts. The TypeScript format is common, but Playwright supports other configuration file formats too. Import the helpers from @playwright/test and export one configuration object as the default export.
This starter configuration sets a test directory, CI-aware execution options, a shared base URL, a Chromium project, and a local web server:
import { defineConfig, devices } from '@playwright/test';
export default defineConfig({
testDir: './tests',
fullyParallel: true,
forbidOnly: !!process.env.CI,
retries: process.env.CI ? 2 : 0,
workers: process.env.CI ? 1 : undefined,
reporter: 'html',
use: {
baseURL: 'http://localhost:3000',
trace: 'on-first-retry',
},
projects: [
{
name: 'chromium',
use: { ...devices['Desktop Chrome'] },
},
],
webServer: {
command: 'npm run start',
url: 'http://localhost:3000',
reuseExistingServer: !process.env.CI,
},
});Change testDir, the server command, and the URL to match your repository and application. The example illustrates the documented configuration shape; it is not a claim that the command or settings have been tested in your specific project.
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What the sample does
testDirtells Playwright where to find tests.fullyParallelopts into parallel execution across tests.forbidOnlymakes a CI run fail if a test was left focused withtest.only.retriesandworkersvary with theCIenvironment variable.reporterselects the HTML reporter.usesupplies shared browser/test environment options.projectsnames a Chromium run using the Desktop Chrome device profile.webServerstarts the local app and waits for its readiness URL.
Put each option at the right level
A frequent configuration mistake is nesting an option in the wrong place. Top-level settings control test collection or the overall run. The use object configures the browser and test context. A project can override shared settings for one named group of tests.
| Location | Typical settings | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Top level | testDir, timeout, globalTimeout, reporter, retries, workers, fullyParallel, forbidOnly, webServer |
Test discovery and run-wide behavior. |
use |
baseURL, browser name, viewport, storage state, tracing, video |
Settings shared by tests, unless a narrower scope overrides them. |
projects |
A project name and its own use settings |
Distinct browsers, devices, environments, or test groups. |
For example, put retries at the top level, not inside use. Put a shared viewport or storage state in use; put a browser-specific override in the relevant project. The official configuration reference and guide document the supported options, but their availability and defaults can change over time.
Configure projects for browsers, devices, or test groups
Use projects when the same test suite needs to run with different browser or device profiles, or when groups of tests need distinct settings. Each project has a name and can provide its own use values. The starter example defines one project, chromium, based on devices['Desktop Chrome'].
To add another profile, add another object to the projects array and give it a distinct name. Decide first what the project represents: a browser, a device, an environment, or a test group. This makes the run results easier to interpret and helps avoid hiding meaningful differences behind a generic project name.
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Top-level options are shared unless a project-level setting overrides them. Use that distinction deliberately: keep genuinely common behavior shared, and set a project-specific value only where that project needs a different behavior. Check the installed Playwright version before copying options from documentation for a different release.
Choose parallelism, workers, and retries deliberately
Playwright runs test files in parallel by default. Tests within an individual file run in order in one worker unless you configure parallel execution differently. workers limits concurrent worker processes; setting it to 1 disables parallelism. fullyParallel: true opts the run into parallel execution across tests.
More concurrent workers can increase throughput, but parallel tests run in separate worker processes. They cannot rely on shared in-memory state or global variables to communicate or coordinate. If tests interfere with one another, reduce concurrency while you identify and remove the dependency; simply increasing or decreasing workers is not a substitute for making test setup independent.
Retries default to zero. The example enables two retries when CI is set and none otherwise, but that is a policy choice, not a universal best setting. A test that fails on its first attempt and passes on retry is flaky evidence worth investigating. A retry can help reveal instability; it does not repair the underlying cause or make the test reliable.
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Choose a starting point
- Use
workers: 1when you need to disable parallel scheduling while diagnosing order or resource conflicts. - Use a deliberate worker limit when the test environment has constrained resources or parallel activity causes interference.
- Enable retries only when you have a reason to collect evidence about intermittent failures, and inspect the first failure rather than treating the final pass as proof.
- Keep local and CI settings explicit so the difference in execution policy is visible in the configuration.
Start a local app and set the base URL
Use webServer when a test run should start the application it tests. Its command starts the process, and its url tells Playwright which address to check for readiness. In the example, npm run start is the command and http://localhost:3000 is the readiness URL. Replace both with values that are valid for your project.
Set use.baseURL when tests should navigate with relative paths. With the sample value, a test can use page.goto('/login'); Playwright resolves the path against the configured base URL. If you configure an array of multiple web servers, explicitly set baseURL.
The sample sets reuseExistingServer: !process.env.CI: outside CI, it can reuse an existing server; in CI, it does not request that reuse behavior. Confirm that this matches how your local and CI environments are managed, especially if an existing process could point tests at the wrong application instance.
Run the configuration and verify its behavior
Run Playwright Test using the test command already configured in your project, or the command supplied by your package scripts. The exact script name is project-specific, so this example does not assume one. Verify that Playwright discovers tests under the configured directory, launches the expected server, and uses the intended project and browser settings.
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- Check the installed Playwright Test version and confirm the configuration options it supports.
- Confirm
testDirpoints to the directory containing your tests. - Check that the web-server command starts successfully and that its readiness URL responds.
- Run a small representative test and inspect the selected project and reporter output.
- For CI, verify the
CIenvironment variable is set as expected so the conditional workers, retries, andforbidOnlybehavior take effect.
Troubleshoot common configuration problems
Playwright does not find the tests
Check that the configured testDir is correct relative to the configuration file and that test files are located there. If your repository uses a different directory layout, change testDir rather than moving tests to match an arbitrary sample.
A setting appears to have no effect
Check its location first. Runner options such as retries and workers belong at the top level; browser context settings belong in use. Then check whether a project-specific value overrides the shared value, and confirm that your installed version supports the option.
Navigation to a relative path fails
Set use.baseURL to the application origin the tests should use. When the run starts multiple web servers, explicitly define baseURL so relative navigation has an unambiguous base.
The web-server readiness check does not complete
Confirm that the configured command starts the application, that the configured URL and port match the running service, and that the service becomes reachable at that URL. A mismatch between the app’s actual address and the readiness URL prevents the run from reaching the expected ready state.
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Tests fail intermittently or only in parallel
Use a single worker as a diagnostic, then look for shared state, shared external resources, or ordering assumptions among tests. Parallel workers are separate processes, so global variables are not a cross-worker coordination mechanism. If retries turn failures into passes, investigate the original failures as flakiness rather than considering the retry a fix.
A focused test makes CI behave unexpectedly
In the sample, forbidOnly is enabled when CI is truthy. Confirm that the variable is present in CI and that no committed test is restricted with test.only. Locally, the sample does not enable that guard unless CI is set.
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Keep the configuration maintainable
- Keep run-wide controls at the top level and browser context defaults in
use. - Use named projects to make different browser or environment runs explicit.
- Choose parallelism based on test isolation and the resources available, not just a desire for a faster run.
- Treat a pass after retry as a signal to investigate intermittent behavior.
- Recheck the configuration against the version installed in the project when upgrading Playwright.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a Playwright config file format other than TypeScript?
Yes. Playwright supports configuration file formats other than playwright.config.ts; use a format supported by the Playwright version installed in your project.
Do I need a separate config file for each browser?
No. A single configuration can define multiple named projects, each with its own settings.
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