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To run Playwright on AWS EC2, connect to a Linux instance, install your application’s dependencies, install the browser binaries and Linux system packages required by your Playwright version, then run tests headlessly. For a typical npm project, the core setup is npm ci followed by npx playwright install --with-deps. Headed Linux runs need a virtual display such as Xvfb.
What you need before installing Playwright
EC2 provides a cloud virtual server; it does not prescribe a particular Linux image or instance size for Playwright. Choose an OS and CPU architecture supported by your project’s dependencies, and size the instance according to the tests you intend to run. The available guidance does not establish a universal minimum, best instance family, price, or performance benchmark.
- A running Linux EC2 instance and a way to connect to it.
- Your application source code and its dependency manifest and lockfile.
- A supported runtime for the project, such as Node.js for the npm example below.
- The Playwright package version pinned by the project. Playwright browser binaries are tied to Playwright releases, so install browsers after installing the package version you will run.
This guide’s concrete commands are for an npm project on Linux. Use the matching setup for your project’s language, package manager, operating system, and CPU architecture; do not assume every EC2 Linux distribution has identical compatibility.
Connect to your EC2 Linux instance
AWS documents SSH, EC2 Instance Connect, and Session Manager as ways to access Linux instances. Which one works depends on your account and instance configuration: SSH may require a key pair and suitable inbound network rules; Instance Connect and Session Manager have their own configuration and permissions requirements. Follow the access method supported for your instance in the AWS Linux instance connection documentation.
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Once connected, move to the application directory before running package commands. If the instance is new, install or enable the runtime and package manager required by the project using instructions for the selected Linux image.
Install the project, browsers, and Linux dependencies
For a project with a committed npm lockfile and Playwright declared as a dependency, use the project’s locked dependency set, then install the corresponding browsers and operating-system dependencies:
cd /path/to/your/projectnpm cinpx playwright install --with-deps
npm ci installs from the lockfile, making it appropriate for a reproducible CI-style setup. playwright install --with-deps installs Playwright’s browser binaries and the Linux dependencies needed to launch them. The official Playwright CI documentation uses this pattern.
Use npx playwright install --with-deps chromium if the project only needs Chromium and you want to install that engine’s browser and dependencies. You can also separate browser installation from OS dependency installation with the CLI options documented in Playwright’s browser installation guide. Use the documentation corresponding to the Playwright version pinned by your application: browser builds are version-specific, and updating the package may mean reinstalling its browsers.
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For Python, Java, or .NET projects, install dependencies using that project’s package manager and runtime rather than running the npm commands above. Then use the Playwright installation procedure for that language and pinned release. Do not mix browser binaries from one Playwright release with a different installed package version.
Run Playwright headlessly on EC2
Playwright launches browsers headlessly by default, so ordinary server-side tests do not need a desktop environment. Run the project’s test command from its application directory, for example:
npx playwright test
Use your project’s configured scripts, browser selection, and test settings if they differ. A successful test run should launch the installed browser and report the test results in the command output; the instance does not need a physical monitor.
Run headed tests on Linux with Xvfb
If a test specifically requires a visible browser window, Linux needs a display server. Playwright’s CI guidance uses Xvfb, a virtual display, and runs the command through xvfb-run:
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xvfb-run npx playwright test
This creates a virtual display for the process; it does not provide an interactive desktop by itself. Install Xvfb using the package manager for your Linux image if it is not already available. If you need to see and interact with a desktop, a virtual display alone is not equivalent to configuring remote graphical access.
Manual setup or a preconfigured AMI?
| Approach | When it fits | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| Install Playwright yourself | You want control over the OS image, project dependencies, and Playwright version. | You must maintain runtime, browser binaries, and system dependencies. Official Playwright documentation supports this route. |
| Vendor-preconfigured Marketplace AMI | You want to start from a listed Playwright environment, potentially with a GUI. | Marketplace examples are vendor listings, not an AWS or Playwright guarantee. Check the current listing, region, account eligibility, included software, and terms; an independent quality or cost comparison is not established. |
AWS Marketplace has listed vendor AMIs for headless and GUI Ubuntu Playwright environments. The listings accessed for this guide showed Ubuntu 24.04 LTS; the headless listing showed version 2026-05 and the GUI listing version 2026-07. These are listing details at the time they were accessed, not assurances that a listing or its terms remain unchanged. The GUI listing described a seven-day vendor free trial followed by usage-based pricing; verify current offer terms before choosing it. Marketplace availability and pricing can vary by account, region, contract, and current listing.
Troubleshoot browser launch and test failures
Browser executable is missing or does not launch
Install browser binaries after installing the project’s Playwright package: npx playwright install or, when needed, npx playwright install chromium. If Playwright was upgraded, rerun installation so the browser build matches the new package version.
Linux reports missing shared libraries or dependencies
Run npx playwright install --with-deps for the project’s browser set, or install the required system dependencies using the documented CLI procedure for your environment. Confirm that the Linux distribution and architecture match the assumptions of your project and Playwright release.
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Headed mode fails because there is no display
Use headless mode for normal server tests. If headed mode is necessary, install Xvfb and launch the test process with xvfb-run, as in xvfb-run npx playwright test.
Browser starts inconsistently or fails without a clear cause
Enable Playwright browser launch logging and rerun the failing command:
DEBUG=pw:browser npx playwright test
Use the output to investigate launch failures, then verify that the installed browser binaries correspond to the package version and that the system dependencies are present. The official CI documentation covers this debugging setting.
Installation or access commands do not work on the selected image
Do not assume package-manager commands for one Linux distribution apply to another. Check the image’s runtime and package-manager instructions, and confirm you connected using a method configured for the instance. AWS connection requirements differ among SSH, EC2 Instance Connect, and Session Manager.
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Performance, reliability, and cost considerations
There is no universally correct EC2 size in the available guidance. Browser count, test concurrency, page complexity, and the rest of the application all affect resource needs. Start with the requirements of your workload, observe the instance while representative tests run, and adjust capacity based on your own results rather than treating an unmeasured instance recommendation as a guarantee.
For repeatable runs, pin dependencies with the project lockfile, use the matching Playwright browser installation step when the package changes, and retain test and browser logs for failures. An EC2 instance’s price is separate from Playwright setup and varies with the selected instance and other AWS terms; no single cost estimate applies to all configurations.
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FAQ
Does EC2 need a GUI to run Playwright?
No. Playwright runs headlessly by default; install a virtual display only when a headed Linux run is required.
Should I use a Marketplace AMI or install Playwright manually?
Choose based on whether you prefer control over the environment or a vendor-provided starting image. Check the current listing and terms before relying on an AMI.
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