playwright-app-testing

---
name: playwright-app-testing
description: Test the Expensify App using Playwright browser automation. Use when user requests browser testing, after making frontend changes, or when debugging UI issues
alwaysApply: false
---

# Playwright App Testing

## When to Use This Skill

Use Playwright testing when:
- User requests testing the App in a browser
- Verifying fixes or improvements you've made to UI/frontend code
- Debugging UI issues

**Proactively use after making frontend changes** to verify your work functions correctly.

## Prerequisites Check

Before using Playwright tools, verify the dev server is running:
```bash
ps aux | grep "webpack" | grep -v grep
```

**If server not running**: Inform user to start with `cd App && npm run web`

## Dev Server Details
- **URL**: `https://dev.new.expensify.com:8082/`

## Playwright Testing Workflow

1. **Verify server**: Check webpack process is running
2. **Navigate**: Open `https://dev.new.expensify.com:8082/` in the browser
3. **Interact**: Use Playwright MCP tools to inspect, click, type, and navigate

Do NOT add arbitrary waits after actions. Instead, take a snapshot to check the result and only add short waits if the page hasn't updated yet.

## Dev Environment Sign-In

When signing in to dev environment:
- **Email**: Generate random Gmail address (e.g., `user+throwaway<random>@gmail.com`)
    - **New Account**: Press join to create account
    - **Existing Account**: Magic code: Always `000000`
- **Onboarding**: The `SKIP_ONBOARDING` env flag is set to `false` by default in `.env`. When `false`, onboarding screens will appear after sign-in for new accounts. Unless you are specifically asked to test onboarding, update the flag to `true` before starting the dev server so that onboarding is bypassed entirely:
    ```bash
    sed -i '' 's/SKIP_ONBOARDING=false/SKIP_ONBOARDING=true/' .env
    ```
    If you need to test onboarding flows, set it back to `false`:
    ```bash
    sed -i '' 's/SKIP_ONBOARDING=true/SKIP_ONBOARDING=false/' .env
    ```
    You can check the current value with:
    ```bash
    grep SKIP_ONBOARDING .env
    ```
    **Important**: After changing `SKIP_ONBOARDING` in `.env`, the web dev server must be restarted for the change to take effect.

## Example Usage

```
Scenario 1: User requests testing
User: "Test sign in to app"
→ Use this skill to verify server and test sign-in flow

Scenario 2: After making UI changes
You: "I've updated the expense form validation"
→ Proactively use this skill to verify the changes work in browser

Scenario 3: Investigating bug
User: "The submit button doesn't work on this page"
→ Use this skill to reproduce and verify the issue
```

## When NOT to Use This Skill

Skip Playwright for:
- Backend service testing
- Unit tests
- Type checking
- Mobile native app testing (requires emulators/simulators)