Migrating from Selenium to Playwright doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing move. Many teams hesitate to begin the transition because their existing test suite is too important to pause or modify abruptly.
This guide provides a clear approach to creating a hybrid testing setup that executes Selenium and Playwright tests side-by-side within the same CI pipeline using simple shell scripts.
This ensures a smooth migration process with zero downtime, while keeping the current testing workflow fully operational.
Why Run Both Frameworks Together?
1. Zero down time: Continue running your existing Selenium tests while migration begins.
2. Gradual migration: Convert tests at your own pace without pressure.
3. Risk mitigation: Test Playwright in CI environments without abandoning Selenium.
4. Team flexibility: Allow different team members to work on different frameworks during the transition.
5. Functional parity validation: Run the same test in both frameworks to verify consistency and confirm results.
Project Structure
test-automation/
├── selenium-tests/
│ └── test_login.py
├── playwright-tests/
│ └── test_login.spec.js
└── scripts/
└── run_all_tests.sh
Note: Each framework maintains its own dependencies, configuration, and test runner to avoid version conflicts during migration.
The Shell Script Solution
Below is a simple shell script to execute Selenium and Playwright tests together.
#!/bin/bash
echo “=========================================”
echo “Running Hybrid Test Suite”
echo “=========================================”
# Run Selenium Tests
echo “Running Selenium Tests…”
cd selenium-tests || exit 1
python -m pytest test_login.py
SELENIUM_EXIT=$?
# Run Playwright Tests
echo “Running Playwright Tests…”
cd ../playwright-tests || exit 1
npx playwright test
PLAYWRIGHT_EXIT=$?
# Summary
echo “=========================================”
echo “Selenium: $([ $SELENIUM_EXIT -eq 0 ] && echo ‘PASSED’ || echo ‘FAILED’)”
echo “Playwright: $([ $PLAYWRIGHT_EXIT -eq 0 ] && echo ‘PASSED’ || echo ‘FAILED’)”
# Exit with failure if either suite failed
[ $SELENIUM_EXIT -eq 0 ] && [ $PLAYWRIGHT_EXIT -eq 0 ]
This simple script:
- Executes Selenium tests.
- Executes Playwright tests.
- Reports the status of both frameworks.
- Returns appropriate exit codes for seamless CI/CD integration.
Example
Selenium Test (Python)
# test_login.py
from selenium import webdriver
def test_login():
driver = webdriver.Chrome()
driver.get(“https://example.com”)
driver.find_element(“id”, “username”).send_keys(“user”)
assert “Welcome” in driver.page_source
driver.quit()
Playwright Test (JavaScript)
// test_login.spec.js
const { test, expect } = require(‘@playwright/test’);
test(‘login test’, async ({ page }) => {
await page.goto(‘https://example.com’);
await page.fill(‘#username’, ‘user’);
await expect(page.locator(‘text=Welcome’)).toBeVisible();
});
Running Your Tests
Make the script executable and run it:
chmod +x scripts/run_all_tests.sh
./scripts/run_all_tests.sh
CI/CD Integration
Add this to your GitHub Actions, Jenkins, or any CI tool:
# .github/workflows/tests.yml
– name: Install Playwright Browsers
run: npx playwright install –with-deps
– name: Run Tests
run: ./scripts/run_all_tests.sh
Migration Strategy: Step-by-Step
Weeks 1–2: Setup
- Establish the hybrid project structure.
- Add the shell script to run both frameworks.
- Verify that Selenium and Playwright tests execute successfully.
Weeks 3–4: Start Small
- Begin writing new tests in Playwright only.
- Keep all existing Selenium tests running without disruption.
Months 2–3: Migrate Critical Tests
- Convert the most important test cases to Playwright.
- Run both Selenium and Playwright versions in parallel to validate results.
- Remove the Selenium version once confidence is established.
Month 4 and Beyond: Complete Migration
- Gradually convert remaining Selenium tests to Playwright.
- Delete Selenium tests as their Playwright tests stabilize.
- Eventually remove all Selenium dependencies entirely.
Advanced: Selective Execution
Add a parameter to run specific frameworks:
#!/bin/bash
MODE=${1:-both}
if [ “$MODE” = “selenium” ] || [ “$MODE” = “both” ]; then
cd selenium-tests && python -m pytest
fi
if [ “$MODE” = “playwright” ] || [ “$MODE” = “both” ]; then
cd playwright-tests && npx playwright test
fi
Usage:
./run_all_tests.sh selenium # Run only Selenium
./run_all_tests.sh playwright # Run only Playwright
./run_all_tests.sh both # Run both (default)
Key Benefits of This Approach
- No special tools required: Runs using simple shell scripts.
- Cross-platform compatibility: Works on Linux, Mac, Windows (Git Bash), and CI/CD environments.
- Easy to maintain: Straightforward for any team member to understand and manage.
- Flexible: Supports additional features like logging, reporting, and notifications as needed.
- Safe: Allows testing with Playwright without impacting existing Selenium tests.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Avoid running tests concurrently: Execute tests sequentially to prevent port conflicts.
- Don’t skip validation: Continue running both versions of migrated tests for a period to ensure accuracy.
- Avoid migrating everything at once: A gradual approach is safer and more reliable.
- Don’t ignore flaky tests: Address and fix flaky tests during the migration process.
Conclusion
Running Selenium and Playwright side-by-side removes the uncertainty often associated with migration. This approach allows teams to transition gradually, test thoroughly, and maintain confidence throughout the process.
By starting with a simple shell script, a hybrid testing framework can be up and running within minutes—no complex setup, no framework lock-in, just a practical and efficient path forward.
Next Steps
- Copy the shell script structure.
- Add a single Playwright test.
- Run both Selenium and Playwright tests together.
- Begin the gradual migration process with confidence.
Amid today’s accelerated development cycles, migration delays and test gaps can slow releases and impact product quality.
Building a robust hybrid framework that bridges legacy Selenium with modern Playwright is the solution—a challenge our team at Testrig Technologies handles with expertise.
We help teams:
- Design hybrid Selenium + Playwright frameworks tailored to specific business needs.
- Implement seamless migration strategies with zero disruption to CI/CD pipelines.
- Accelerate test modernization through reliable and maintainable automation practices.
- Train QA engineers on Playwright best practices and advanced testing patterns.
Ready to transform your testing into a strategic business advantage?
Whether you need a team to kickstart your Migrate Tests from Selenium to Playwright initiative or modernize legacy test automation, Testrig Technologies, a leading automation testing company, is your trusted partner for seamless transitions and sustained quality excellence.
