Show HN: Playwright Skill for Claude Code – Less context than playwright-MCP

2 weeks ago 1

General-purpose browser automation as a Claude Skill

A Claude Skill that enables Claude to write and execute any Playwright automation on-the-fly - from simple page tests to complex multi-step flows. Packaged as a Claude Code Plugin for easy installation and distribution.

Claude autonomously decides when to use this skill based on your browser automation needs, loading only the minimal information required for your specific task.

Any Automation Task - Claude writes custom code for your specific request, not limited to pre-built scripts
Visible Browser by Default - See automation in real-time with headless: false
Zero Module Resolution Errors - Universal executor ensures proper module access
Progressive Disclosure - Concise SKILL.md with full API reference loaded only when needed
Safe Cleanup - Smart temp file management without race conditions
Comprehensive Helpers - Optional utility functions for common tasks

This skill can be installed via the Claude Code plugin system or manually.

Option 1: Via Plugin System (Recommended)

# Add this repository as a marketplace /plugin marketplace add lackeyjb/playwright-skill # Install the plugin /plugin install playwright-skill@playwright-skill # Navigate to the skill directory and run setup cd ~/.claude/plugins/marketplaces/playwright-skill/skills/playwright-skill npm run setup

Verify installation by running /help to confirm the skill is available.

Option 2: Manual Git Clone

Install directly from GitHub to your skills directory:

Global Installation (Available Everywhere):

# Navigate to your Claude skills directory cd ~/.claude/skills # Clone the skill git clone https://github.com/lackeyjb/playwright-skill.git # Navigate into the skill directory (note the nested structure) cd playwright-skill/skills/playwright-skill # Install dependencies and Chromium browser npm run setup

Project-Specific Installation:

# Install in a specific project cd /path/to/your/project mkdir -p .claude/skills cd .claude/skills git clone https://github.com/lackeyjb/playwright-skill.git cd playwright-skill/skills/playwright-skill npm run setup

Option 3: Download Release

Download the latest release from GitHub Releases
Extract to:
- Global: ~/.claude/skills/playwright-skill
- Project: /path/to/your/project/.claude/skills/playwright-skill
Navigate to the skill directory and run setup:
cd playwright-skill/skills/playwright-skill npm run setup

Run /help to confirm the skill is loaded, then ask Claude to perform a simple browser task like "Test if google.com loads".

After installation, simply ask Claude to test or automate any browser task. Claude will write custom Playwright code, execute it, and return results with screenshots and console output.

"Test the homepage" "Check if the contact form works" "Verify the signup flow"

"Take screenshots of the dashboard in mobile and desktop" "Test responsive design across different viewports"

"Fill out the registration form and submit it" "Click through the main navigation" "Test the search functionality"

"Check for broken links" "Verify all images load" "Test form validation"

Describe what you want to test or automate
Claude writes custom Playwright code for the task
The universal executor (run.js) runs it with proper module resolution
Browser opens (visible by default) and automation executes
Results are displayed with console output and screenshots

Default settings:

Headless: false (browser visible unless explicitly requested otherwise)
Slow Motion: 100ms for visibility
Timeout: 30s
Screenshots: Saved to /tmp/

playwright-skill/ ├── .claude-plugin/ │ ├── plugin.json # Plugin metadata for distribution │ └── marketplace.json # Marketplace configuration ├── skills/ │ └── playwright-skill/ # The actual skill (Claude discovers this) │ ├── SKILL.md # What Claude reads (314 lines) │ ├── run.js # Universal executor (proper module resolution) │ ├── package.json # Dependencies & setup scripts │ └── lib/ │ └── helpers.js # Optional utility functions ├── API_REFERENCE.md # Full Playwright API reference (630 lines) ├── README.md # This file - user documentation ├── CONTRIBUTING.md # Contribution guidelines └── LICENSE # MIT License

Claude will automatically load API_REFERENCE.md when needed for comprehensive documentation on selectors, network interception, authentication, visual regression testing, mobile emulation, performance testing, and debugging.

Node.js >= 14.0.0
Playwright ^1.48.0 (installed via npm run setup)
Chromium (installed via npm run setup)

Playwright not installed? Navigate to the skill directory and run npm run setup.

Module not found errors? Ensure automation runs via run.js, which handles module resolution.

Browser doesn't open? Verify headless: false is set. The skill defaults to visible browser unless headless mode is requested.

Install all browsers? Run npm run install-all-browsers from the skill directory.

Skills are modular capabilities that extend Claude's functionality. Unlike slash commands that you invoke manually, skills are model-invoked—Claude autonomously decides when to use them based on your request.

When you ask Claude to test a webpage or automate browser interactions, Claude discovers this skill, loads the necessary instructions, executes custom Playwright code, and returns results with screenshots and console output.

Contributions are welcome. Fork the repository, create a feature branch, make your changes, and submit a pull request. See CONTRIBUTING.md for details.