Playwright CLI
A token-efficient CLI for browser automation. Use Bash tool to run these commands.
Installation
npm install -g @playwright/cli@latest
Core Workflow
# 1. Open a page
playwright-cli open https://example.com
# 2. Capture snapshot (accessibility tree with element refs)
playwright-cli snapshot
# 3. Interact using refs from snapshot
playwright-cli click e15
playwright-cli fill e20 "hello@example.com"
# 4. Re-snapshot to verify state
playwright-cli snapshot
Command Reference
Navigation & Core
| Command | Description |
|---|
playwright-cli open <url> | Open URL in browser |
playwright-cli open <url> --headed | Open in visible browser |
playwright-cli close | Close browser |
playwright-cli snapshot | Capture accessibility tree with element refs |
playwright-cli screenshot [ref] | Take screenshot (viewport or element) |
playwright-cli screenshot --full-page | Full-page screenshot |
playwright-cli pdf | Save page as PDF |
Interactions
| Command | Description |
|---|
playwright-cli click <ref> | Click element |
playwright-cli fill <ref> "<text>" | Fill input field |
playwright-cli type "<text>" | Type text sequentially |
playwright-cli hover <ref> | Hover over element |
playwright-cli select <ref> "<value>" | Select dropdown option |
playwright-cli check <ref> | Check checkbox |
playwright-cli uncheck <ref> | Uncheck checkbox |
playwright-cli upload <ref> <file> | Upload file |
playwright-cli drag <startRef> <endRef> | Drag and drop |
Keyboard & Mouse
| Command | Description |
|---|
playwright-cli press <key> | Press key (e.g., Enter, ArrowDown) |
playwright-cli keydown <key> | Key down |
playwright-cli keyup <key> | Key up |
playwright-cli mousemove <x> <y> | Move mouse |
playwright-cli mousedown | Mouse button down |
playwright-cli mouseup | Mouse button up |
Navigation
| Command | Description |
|---|
playwright-cli go-back | Go back |
playwright-cli go-forward | Go forward |
playwright-cli reload | Reload page |
Tabs
| Command | Description |
|---|
playwright-cli tab-list | List tabs |
playwright-cli tab-new [url] | Open new tab |
playwright-cli tab-close [index] | Close tab |
playwright-cli tab-select <index> | Switch to tab |
DevTools
| Command | Description |
|---|
playwright-cli console | View console messages |
playwright-cli network | View network requests |
playwright-cli eval "<js>" | Execute JavaScript |
playwright-cli run-code "<js>" | Run Playwright code |
Dialogs
| Command | Description |
|---|
playwright-cli dialog-accept | Accept dialog |
playwright-cli dialog-dismiss | Dismiss dialog |
Tracing & Video
| Command | Description |
|---|
playwright-cli tracing-start | Start trace recording |
playwright-cli tracing-stop | Stop trace recording |
playwright-cli video-start | Start video recording |
playwright-cli video-stop | Stop video recording |
Sessions
| Command | Description |
|---|
playwright-cli open <url> --session=<name> | Use named session |
playwright-cli session-list | List sessions |
playwright-cli session-stop <name> | Stop session |
playwright-cli session-delete <name> | Delete session |
Snapshot Output
When you run playwright-cli snapshot, you get an accessibility tree:
- button "Create Strategy" [ref: e12]
- textbox "Search" [ref: e13]
- grid [ref: e14]
- button "Filters" [ref: e15]
Use the ref values (e.g., e12) to interact with elements.
Configuration
Create playwright-cli.json for custom settings:
{
"browser": "chromium",
"headless": false,
"timeout": 30000
}
