Playwright Tips

Store and Load Session Cookies to Speed Up Playwright Tests ​

When running multiple tests in Playwright, logging in repeatedly can slow down test execution. Instead, you can store session cookies after the first login and reuse them in subsequent tests. This approach removes the need to log in multiple times, significantly reducing test runtime.

‍

Solution ​

To persist authentication between tests, Playwright provides methods to get and set cookies. The idea is simple:

  1. The first test logs in and stores the session cookies in a file.
  2. Other tests load these cookies to avoid re-authentication.

‍

Example ​

Here’s how you can implement this in Playwright using JavaScript:

‍

1. Store Cookies After Login

After logging in, save the cookies to a file:

Tip 8.1

2. Load Cookies in Subsequent Tests

Before running a test, load the saved cookies to retain the session:

Tip 8.2

Summary ​

By storing and reloading cookies, you can bypass login steps in Playwright tests, improving execution speed. This is especially useful for CI pipelines and large test suites. Try implementing this technique to streamline your test automation! 🚀

​

Sapnesh Naik is the Head of QA at BlinqIO, where he leads quality assurance and client solution efforts. With deep expertise in test automation and software quality, Sapnesh focuses on solving real-world technical challenges and helping teams ship better software.

​ Want to contribute your own tips? Reach out to us at tips@playwright-user-event.org.