Playwright Roll

Rolling Playwright Python

The goal of a roll is to move the driver pin in DRIVER_VERSION to a new release, port every public API change introduced upstream during that interval, and suppress the rest, so that ./scripts/update_api.sh runs clean and the test suite still passes.

The previous human-facing summary lives in ../../../ROLLING.md. This skill is the operational playbook — read it end to end before starting.

Mental model

The Python port is hand-written code in playwright/_impl/, plus a generator (scripts/generate_*.py, scripts/documentation_provider.py) that:

1. introspects the Python _impl classes via inspect,
2. emits typed wrapper classes into playwright/{async,sync}_api/_generated.py, and
3. diffs the introspected surface against the Playwright api.json (generated from the upstream docs — see step 2).

Anything in api.json that is missing or differently typed in _impl/ causes generation to fail. Three resolutions:

• PORT — the new API is intended for Python (no langs.only filter, or langs.only includes "python"). Implement it in _impl/.
• MISMATCH — the API genuinely exists for Python but is shaped differently (a callback signature uses unions, a kwarg uses a legacy name, etc.) and there's a justified reason to keep the divergence. Add a precise line to scripts/expected_api_mismatch.txt with a comment explaining why.
• N/A — the commit only touches docs, has * langs: js (or any other filter that excludes Python), is server-side, Electron-only, or was reverted later in the same release. No action.

The upstream documentation source of truth is docs/src/api/*.md in the playwright repo. Every ## method: / ## property: / ## event: / ### option: / ### param: block has an optional * langs: js (or js, python, etc.) filter. The Python doclint resolves these into langs fields on each member of api.json. An empty langs: {} means "all languages including Python" — implement it, don't suppress it.

The mistake the 1.59 roll made twice over: classifying things as "internal tooling, N/A for Python" based on the name of the API (Screencast, Debugger, pickLocator, clearConsoleMessages, artifactsDir, …). Almost all of those had empty langs: {} in api.json and were real Python APIs. Sounding tooling-y is not a langs filter. The langs field on the member in api.json is the only authoritative signal. When in doubt, dump it (see "Verifying classifications" below).

Process

1. Set up the env

CONTRIBUTING.md covers this. Notes from past rolls:

• The repo requires Python 3.10+. If python3.10 isn't available, use python3 (3.12 is fine).
• If python3-venv is missing system-wide, use uv venv env instead, then uv pip install --python env/bin/python --upgrade pip. Don't try to apt install — sudo is denied in the harness.
• Always activate the venv before any pip, pytest, mypy, or pre-commit invocation.

2. Bump the driver pin, download it, and generate api.json

You need a nearby microsoft/playwright checkout for the docs walk and for api.json generation. Point PW_SRC_DIR at it and check out the new tag there:

export PW_SRC_DIR=../playwright
git -C "$PW_SRC_DIR" fetch --tags origin
git -C "$PW_SRC_DIR" checkout v<new>      # e.g. v1.62.0

Then bump the pins and assemble the driver:

# Edit DRIVER_VERSION (repo root): the playwright-core npm version for the new
# release, no "v" prefix, e.g.  1.62.0
python scripts/update_node_version.py     # refresh NODE_VERSION to the current LTS

source env/bin/activate
python -m build --wheel       # downloads playwright-core @ DRIVER_VERSION + Node.js, assembles the driver
playwright install chromium   # NOT --with-deps; sudo is denied

# api.json isn't in the bundle, and the walk below inspects `langs` from it.
# Generate a copy to inspect (update_api.sh generates its own temp copy in step 6):
API_JSON_MODE=1 node "$PW_SRC_DIR/utils/doclint/generateApiJson.js" > /tmp/api.json

The wheel build just downloads the playwright-core npm package at DRIVER_VERSION and the matching Node.js binary (no source build, no Node/npm/git toolchain), and unpacks the driver under playwright/driver/. api.json is the one piece not shipped in the bundle — it's generated from $PW_SRC_DIR on demand (here to /tmp/api.json for the walk, and into a temp file passed via PW_API_JSON by ./scripts/update_api.sh during codegen).

3. Identify the commit range

Use the nearby microsoft/playwright checkout at $PW_SRC_DIR (from step 2). Bring it up to date and ensure release branches/tags are present before walking the range:

git -C "$PW_SRC_DIR" fetch --tags
git -C "$PW_SRC_DIR" fetch origin 'release-*:release-*'

There is sometimes no vX.Y.0 tag for the latest release (the bots cut release branches first and tag later). Anchor on commits, not tags.

The diff range is "every commit on the new release branch since the previous release was cut". Anchor commits:

• Previous release end: the chore: bump version to vX.Y.0-next commit on main. That commit is the first commit after the previous release (X.Y-1) was cut. Use its parent (<sha>~1) as the lower bound.

  git -C "$PW_SRC_DIR" log --all --grep="bump version to v" --oneline | head
  

• New release end: the tip of release-<new> (or the matching tag if it exists).

Save the commit list, oldest first, scoped to docs/src/api/:

git -C "$PW_SRC_DIR" log <prev-anchor>~1..release-<new> --oneline --reverse -- docs/src/api > /tmp/roll-<new>-commits.md

A normal roll yields 50–100 commits. If you see 0 or thousands, the range is wrong.

Format the file as a markdown checklist and add the standard preamble (status legend, where to look up api.json etc.) — see the file from the 1.58→1.59 roll for the template.

4. Walk the commit list

For each commit, in chronological order:

git -C "$PW_SRC_DIR" show <sha> -- docs/src/api/

Look for:

• ## (async )?method: / ## property: / ## event: additions or removals;
• * langs: ... lines on those blocks;
• ### param: / ### option: additions or removals;
• new class-X.md files (whole new classes — usually langs: js);
• type changes in - returns: lines.

Classify and act.

Verifying classifications (do this before suppressing anything)

Before tagging anything as MISMATCH or N/A based on appearance, dump the actual langs from api.json:

import json
data = json.load(open("/tmp/api.json"))
classes = {c["name"]: c for c in data}
for cls_name in ["Page", "BrowserContext", "Screencast", "Debugger"]:
    cls = classes.get(cls_name)
    if not cls:
        continue
    print(f"\n{cls_name}: cls_langs={cls.get('langs', {})}")
    for m in cls["members"]:
        print(f"  {m['name']} kind={m.get('kind')} langs={m.get('langs', {})}")

For options/params nested inside an Object-typed arg, walk one level deeper:

for a in member.get("args", []):
    if a["name"] == "options":
        for prop in a.get("type", {}).get("properties", []):
            print(prop["name"], prop.get("langs", {}))

A few rules of thumb that catch most "actually a PORT" cases:

• If the containing class has empty langs: {} and the member has empty langs: {}, it's for Python — implement it.
• If the member is empty but a single option has langs: js, the method is for Python and you only skip that option (e.g. Screencast.start.size is langs: js while Screencast.start itself isn't).
• If you're about to add three or more Method not implemented: entries for the same class, stop — you almost certainly need to implement the class.

PORT

Implement the change in playwright/_impl/<module>.py. Use the upstream JS implementation as a reference: $PW_SRC_DIR/packages/playwright-core/src/client/<module>.ts. Translate idioms:

When implementing a new ChannelOwner subclass (one constructed by the protocol with (parent, type, guid, initializer)):

1. Register it in playwright/_impl/_object_factory.py:create_remote_object — otherwise the guid resolves to DummyObject and downstream code breaks mysteriously.
2. Import it and add it to generated_types in scripts/generate_api.py, plus add a XxxImpl import in the header string.

When implementing a non-ChannelOwner wrapper class (a plain class that holds a Page/Context reference, like Screencast, Clock):

• Set self._loop = parent._loop and self._dispatcher_fiber = parent._dispatcher_fiber in __init__. The generated AsyncBase/SyncBase wrappers read these; missing them gives AttributeError: 'X' object has no attribute '_loop' at first use.

When adding a new TypedDict in _api_structures.py:

• Add it to the from playwright._impl._api_structures import … line in scripts/generate_api.py so the generator can resolve it as a forward reference in type hints.
• Re-export it from both playwright/async_api/__init__.py and playwright/sync_api/__init__.py: assignment line plus an entry in __all__. Same pattern as ViewportSize, RemoteAddr.

If the new API was previously suppressed in expected_api_mismatch.txt, remove that line when implementing it.

If a doc rename involves a positional parameter (no default, before any *), users almost certainly call it positionally — you can rename freely. The 1.59 BrowserType.connect.wsEndpoint → endpoint is the canonical example. Don't suppress this kind of rename; just rename in _impl/. Important corollary: when docs rename a param, the wire-protocol field usually also changed in packages/protocol/src/protocol.yml and the server-side dispatcher in packages/playwright-core/src/server/dispatchers/*Dispatcher.ts. If so, you must also update the channel-send dict key (e.g. {"wsEndpoint": …} → {"endpoint": …}). A "Parameter not documented" suppression for a renamed param is a code smell hiding a wire-protocol bug.

MISMATCH

A MISMATCH is a justified, durable divergence between the docs and the Python surface. Use it sparingly — most apparent mismatches turn out to be PORTs you skipped. Legitimate examples in the current expected_api_mismatch.txt:

• Hidden internal kwargs (Browser.new_context(default_browser_type=)).
• Callback signatures where Python explicitly unions one-arg and two-arg variants but the docs document only the canonical form (Page.route(handler=), WebSocketRoute.on_close(handler=)).

Add a precise line to scripts/expected_api_mismatch.txt with a # comment group header explaining why the divergence is intentional. The exact wording comes from the generator's error message. Examples:

# One vs two arguments in the callback, Python explicitly unions.
Parameter type mismatch in Page.route(handler=): documented as Callable[[Route, Request], Union[Any, Any]], code has Union[Callable[[Route, Request], Any], Callable[[Route], Any]]

The generator removes lines from expected_api_mismatch.txt that no longer match an error. If you see "No longer there: …" in the script's stderr, delete that line.

Do not suppress these — they're PORTs in disguise:

• "Internal tooling" classes/methods whose langs field is empty (Screencast.*, Debugger.*, Page.pick_locator, BrowserContext.debugger, Browser.bind/unbind, Page.{clear,console}_*). The 1.59 roll suppressed all of these initially, then had to walk every one back. Verify langs first.
• A renamed positional parameter (Parameter not documented: X.y(old_name=) + Parameter not implemented: X.y(new_name=)). Just rename in _impl/ and update the channel-send dict key.
• A Parameter type mismatch in X.y(return=): documented as {field: T}, code has Dict[str, T]. Use a TypedDict.

N/A

Common N/A flavors:

• Whole new class with langs: js (Disposable, Inspector/Screencast, Debugger, Overlay).
• Members with langs: js (most "tooling" / MCP / agentic features).
• Doc-only edits (typo fixes, "Improve not property sections", etc.).
• Reverts that cancel an earlier add in the same range (always check the rest of the range before porting something that gets reverted).
• Java/C# langs: blocks.
• Electron-only changes (docs/src/api/class-electron.md).

Tick the box in /tmp/roll-<new>-commits.md with one line: [x] <sha> <subject> — <classification>: <one-liner>.

5. Regenerate

PW_SRC_DIR=../playwright ./scripts/update_api.sh   # PW_SRC_DIR already exported in step 2

The script does, in order:

1. generates api.json from $PW_SRC_DIR into a temp file and exports PW_API_JSON,
2. git checkout HEAD -- playwright/{async,sync}_api/_generated.py (resets to last committed),
3. runs scripts/generate_{sync,async}_api.py (they read api.json via PW_API_JSON), dumping to .x then renaming into place,
4. invokes pre-commit run --files on the generated files.

CI no longer verifies that _generated.py is in sync (the Lint job dropped the "Verify generated API is up to date" step so it needn't check out upstream). So regenerating here and committing the result is on you — don't skip it.

Failure modes and fixes:

After the script settles, run pre-commit run --all-files once more to confirm everything is idle.

6. Add tests

For each PORT, add one async test and a matching sync test. Conventions:

• Tests go in the existing topic file (test_page_network_request.py, test_browsercontext.py, test_dialog.py, …) — don't create new files unless there's no obvious home.
• Use from playwright.async_api import …, not from playwright._impl._page import Page (the impl class doesn't have the public wrappers like expect_console_message).
• For event-info objects, await message_info.value (it's an async property).
• Don't write tests that hang the page (e.g. page.evaluate(... fetch slow ...) followed by page.close() from a fixture) — the request task gets a TargetClosedError. Use page.on("event", handler) to capture state at event time instead.
• playwright install chromium (no --with-deps) is sufficient for the test suite under sandbox.

7. Update existing high-touch artifacts

• DRIVER_VERSION and NODE_VERSION: already done in step 2.
• README.md: gets the chromium/firefox/webkit version table updated automatically by scripts/update_versions.py (called from update_api.sh). Don't edit by hand.
• The "Backport changes" tracking issue on GitHub (filed by microsoft-playwright-automation) is the intent tracker, but it's frequently out of sync with what's actually been ported. Treat it as a starting point, not the source of truth — the docs/src/api/ commit walk is authoritative.

8. Final verification

pre-commit run --all-files
mypy playwright                 # 2 pre-existing errors in _json_pipe.py and _artifact.py are unrelated
pytest --browser chromium tests/async/<files-you-touched> tests/sync/<files-you-touched>

Then a smoke regression on a few neighboring suites (tests/async/test_browser*.py, test_cdp_session.py, test_tracing.py, test_dialog.py, test_page_*.py) to make sure nothing inherent to the port shifted.

Reference: expected_api_mismatch.txt line forms

Exact strings the generator emits (and that this file must contain to suppress):

Method not implemented: <Class>.<snake_method>
Parameter not implemented: <Class>.<snake_method>(<snake_param>=)
Parameter not documented: <Class>.<snake_method>(<snake_param>=)
Method vs property mismatch: <Class>.<snake_method>
Method not documented: <Class>.<snake_method>
Parameter type mismatch in <Class>.<snake_method>(<arg>=): documented as <T1>, code has <T2>

Class names use the upstream PascalCase (BrowserContext, BrowserType); method/param names are converted to snake_case matching the Python surface.

Tips & gotchas

• langs.only is your filter — and the only filter. Don't classify by name (Screencast, Debugger, pickLocator) or by intuition ("looks like internal tooling"). Always check langs in api.json. The 1.59 roll cost two extra audit passes by trusting names over langs.
• Audit your own classifications a second time. After the first walk through the commit range, before opening the PR, re-read every line in expected_api_mismatch.txt you added during this roll and ask "is this divergence justified, or did I skip a port?" Run the langs-dump snippet on each suspicious entry. The 1.59 roll's first PR had ~20 wrong suppressions; the second pass cut them to 0.
• A cluster of suppressions on the same class is a smell. If you're about to add five Method not implemented: Foo.* lines, you're almost certainly looking at a class that needs to be implemented. Implement the whole thing once and the suppressions disappear.
• Watch for revert pairs in the same range. 1.59 added and reverted Browser.isRemote (#39613 / #39620) inside the same release. Walking chronologically lets you skip the add when you see the revert later.
• Watch for rename-revert pairs. 1.59 had Locator.normalize → Locator.toCode (#39648) → Locator.normalize (#39754). Final state wins; only port the last.
• Doc renames almost always include a wire-protocol rename. Whenever you see ### param: X.y.oldName → ### param: X.y.newName in a doc commit, also git -C "$PW_SRC_DIR" show <sha> -- packages/protocol/src/protocol.yml and the corresponding *Dispatcher.ts file. If the wire field changed too, the channel-send dict key in _impl/ must change. Suppressing the doc-side mismatch is hiding a real bug — the previous Python code is silently sending an unknown field that the new server ignores.
• TypedDicts beat Dict[str, X] for any structured return. When the docs describe a return as [Object] with named fields (or even [Object=Foo]), define a TypedDict in _api_structures.py, re-export from both public __init__.py files, and use it. Zero runtime cost (it's still a dict), and the doc generator's type comparator matches by structure via get_type_hints.
• Positional renames are free. A param with no default before any * separator is positional-or-keyword in Python, but realistic call sites pass it positionally. Renaming such a param doesn't break callers.
• The "Backport changes" GitHub issue can be misleading. In the 1.59 roll its checkboxes were all marked [x] with annotations like "✅ IMPLEMENTED", but several of those features had not actually been merged into the Python port. Trust the docs/src/api/ walk over the issue.
• api.json may carry doclint quirks. 1.59 hit two: Promise<X>|X collapsed to a bare Promise with no templates, and void-typed events serialized as the literal string "void". Both are upstream artifacts; patch inner_serialize_doc_type to handle them rather than fighting the api.json side.
• Don't edit _generated.py to fix lint or typing. Fix _impl/, documentation_provider.py, or expected_api_mismatch.txt instead. Hand-editing the generated file is reverted on the next regen.
• /tmp/roll-<new>-commits.md is a working artifact, not a deliverable. Don't commit it. The commit message and PR description are where the audit summary belongs.