Screenshot Handling

Screenshot Handling

⚠️ CRITICAL REQUIREMENT ⚠️

SAVING SCREENSHOTS TO PROJECT ROOT IS FORBIDDEN.

ALL screenshots MUST be saved to the screenshots/ folder. There are NO exceptions.

Validation Checklist

Before capturing ANY screenshot, verify:

1. ✅ screenshots/ folder exists (create with mkdir -p screenshots/)
2. ✅ Screenshot command includes screenshots/ in the path
3. ✅ Path format: screenshots/filename.png (NOT filename.png)

Correct vs Incorrect Examples

✅ CORRECT - Screenshots in screenshots/ folder:

• screenshots/mainmenu-verification.png
• screenshots/timer-test.png
• screenshots/game-over-state.png
• screenshots/ui-validation.png

❌ INCORRECT - Screenshots in project root (FORBIDDEN):

• mainmenu-verification.png (project root)
• timer-test.png (project root)
• game-over-state.png (project root)
• verification.png (project root)

If you discover screenshots in the project root, move them immediately to screenshots/ folder.

Screenshot path: Use project root or absolute path for the screenshot directory so CWD does not cause wrong locations. When saving to screenshots/, ensure CWD is project root.

Pre-completion (web tasks): For frontend/web tasks, do not skip browser verification; if agent-browser is loaded, at least one browser action (open, navigate, submit, or capture) must be performed before marking complete, unless documented as impossible (e.g. backend down) with fallback. For scaffold-only tasks, at least open the app URL and capture one screenshot to confirm the shell renders.

Overview

Screenshots should always be saved to a dedicated screenshots/ folder instead of the project root directory. This keeps the project root clean and organized, making it easier to manage and locate screenshot files.

Problem: Screenshots saved to project root create clutter and make it difficult to manage project files.

Solution: Always save screenshots to screenshots/ folder, creating it if it doesn't exist.

Required Behavior

ALWAYS save screenshots to the screenshots/ folder:

• ✅ screenshots/mainmenu-verification.png
• ✅ screenshots/timer-test.png
• ✅ screenshots/game-over-state.png
• ❌ mainmenu-verification.png (project root)
• ❌ timer-test.png (project root)

Folder Creation

Always ensure the screenshots/ folder exists before saving screenshots.

Bash/Shell

mkdir -p screenshots/
agent-browser screenshot screenshots/mainmenu-verification.png

Node.js/TypeScript

import fs from 'fs';

// Create folder if it doesn't exist
fs.mkdirSync('screenshots', { recursive: true });

// Then capture screenshot
await page.screenshot({ path: 'screenshots/mainmenu-verification.png' });

Python

import os

# Create folder if it doesn't exist
os.makedirs('screenshots', exist_ok=True)

# Then capture screenshot
page.screenshot(path='screenshots/mainmenu-verification.png')

Methods Covered

agent-browser Screenshot Commands

CRITICAL: ALWAYS create the screenshots/ folder FIRST, then specify the screenshots/ folder path:

# STEP 1: Create folder first (MANDATORY)
mkdir -p screenshots/

# STEP 2: Capture screenshot to screenshots/ folder (path MUST include screenshots/)
agent-browser screenshot screenshots/mainmenu-verification.png
agent-browser screenshot screenshots/timer-test.png
agent-browser screenshot screenshots/game-over-state.png

# Full page screenshot (also in screenshots/ folder)
agent-browser screenshot --full screenshots/full-page.png

❌ FORBIDDEN - Never save to project root:

# WRONG - Missing screenshots/ folder in path
agent-browser screenshot mainmenu-verification.png  # ❌ Saves to project root
agent-browser screenshot verification.png             # ❌ Saves to project root

✅ CORRECT - Always include screenshots/ in path:

# RIGHT - Includes screenshots/ folder in path
mkdir -p screenshots/                                 # ✅ Create folder first
agent-browser screenshot screenshots/mainmenu-verification.png  # ✅ Saves to screenshots/

Reference: See agent-browser skill for complete screenshot command syntax.

Playwright Screenshot Methods

Always use screenshots/ folder path:

import { chromium } from 'playwright';
import fs from 'fs';

// Create folder if it doesn't exist
fs.mkdirSync('screenshots', { recursive: true });

const browser = await chromium.launch();
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('http://localhost:5173');

// Capture screenshot to screenshots/ folder
await page.screenshot({ path: 'screenshots/mainmenu-verification.png' });

// Full page screenshot
await page.screenshot({ 
  path: 'screenshots/full-page.png',
  fullPage: true 
});

await browser.close();

Puppeteer Screenshot Methods

Always use screenshots/ folder path:

import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
import fs from 'fs';

// Create folder if it doesn't exist
fs.mkdirSync('screenshots', { recursive: true });

const browser = await puppeteer.launch();
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('http://localhost:5173');

// Capture screenshot to screenshots/ folder
await page.screenshot({ path: 'screenshots/mainmenu-verification.png' });

// Full page screenshot
await page.screenshot({ 
  path: 'screenshots/full-page.png',
  fullPage: true 
});

await browser.close();

Other Screenshot Capture Tools

For any other screenshot capture method:

1. Create screenshots/ folder if it doesn't exist
2. Always specify screenshots/filename.png as the output path
3. Never save to project root

Naming Conventions

Use descriptive filenames with context:

• ✅ screenshots/mainmenu-verification.png - Clear purpose
• ✅ screenshots/timer-test-10seconds.png - Includes test context
• ✅ screenshots/game-over-state.png - Describes state
• ✅ screenshots/ui-validation-mainmenu.png - Includes validation context
• ✅ screenshots/2026-01-25-mainmenu.png - Includes date if needed
• ❌ screenshots/screenshot.png - Too generic
• ❌ screenshots/test.png - Not descriptive

Recommended patterns:

• screenshots/{feature}-{state}.png - e.g., mainmenu-default.png
• screenshots/{feature}-{test-context}.png - e.g., timer-test-5seconds.png
• screenshots/{validation-type}-{scene}.png - e.g., ui-validation-mainmenu.png

Migration

When discovering screenshots in project root, move them to screenshots/ folder:

Manual Migration

# Create screenshots folder
mkdir -p screenshots/

# Move existing screenshots from root to screenshots/
mv *.png screenshots/ 2>/dev/null || true

# Or move specific files
mv mainmenu-verification.png screenshots/
mv timer-test.png screenshots/

Automated Migration Script

#!/bin/bash
# migrate-screenshots.sh

# Create screenshots folder
mkdir -p screenshots/

# Find PNG files in project root (excluding node_modules, .git, etc.)
find . -maxdepth 1 -name "*.png" -type f ! -path "./node_modules/*" ! -path "./.git/*" -exec mv {} screenshots/ \;

echo "Screenshots migrated to screenshots/ folder"

Verification

After migration, verify screenshots are in the correct location:

# List screenshots in screenshots/ folder
ls -la screenshots/

# Verify no PNG files remain in project root (excluding node_modules, .git, etc.)
find . -maxdepth 1 -name "*.png" -type f ! -path "./node_modules/*" ! -path "./.git/*"

Troubleshooting

Screenshots Ended Up in Wrong Location

If you discover screenshots in the project root instead of screenshots/ folder:

1. Verify the issue:

   # Check for PNG files in project root
   find . -maxdepth 1 -name "*.png" -type f
   

2. Create screenshots folder if missing:

   mkdir -p screenshots/
   

3. Move misplaced screenshots:

   # Move all PNG files from root to screenshots/
   mv *.png screenshots/ 2>/dev/null || true
   
   # Or move specific files
   mv mainmenu-verification.png screenshots/
   mv timer-test.png screenshots/
   

4. Verify migration:

   # List screenshots in correct location
   ls -la screenshots/
   
   # Verify no PNG files remain in project root
   find . -maxdepth 1 -name "*.png" -type f
   

5. Prevent future issues:

   • Always run mkdir -p screenshots/ before capturing screenshots
   • Always include screenshots/ in the screenshot path
   • Review this skill's instructions before capturing screenshots

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Forgetting to create folder

# ❌ WRONG - Folder doesn't exist, screenshot may fail or save to root
agent-browser screenshot screenshots/test.png

# ✅ CORRECT - Create folder first
mkdir -p screenshots/
agent-browser screenshot screenshots/test.png

Mistake 2: Missing screenshots/ in path

# ❌ WRONG - Path doesn't include screenshots/
agent-browser screenshot test.png

# ✅ CORRECT - Path includes screenshots/
agent-browser screenshot screenshots/test.png

Mistake 3: Using relative path without screenshots/

# ❌ WRONG - Relative path without folder
page.screenshot({ path: 'verification.png' })

# ✅ CORRECT - Path includes screenshots/
page.screenshot({ path: 'screenshots/verification.png' })

Screenshot Freshness Verification

Verify Screenshots Are Current

Always verify screenshots are current before using them for verification:

# Force browser refresh before capturing verification screenshots
agent-browser reload
agent-browser wait 2000  # Wait for reload

# Then capture screenshot
agent-browser screenshot screenshots/verification.png

Timestamp Verification Techniques

Pattern 1: Check File Timestamp

# Check screenshot file timestamp
ls -l screenshots/verification.png

# Verify file was created recently (within last 10 seconds)
file_age=$(($(date +%s) - $(stat -f %m screenshots/verification.png)))
if [ $file_age -lt 10 ]; then
  echo "Screenshot is fresh"
else
  echo "Screenshot may be stale"
fi

Pattern 2: Timestamp in Filename

# Include timestamp in filename
timestamp=$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M%S)
agent-browser screenshot "screenshots/verification-${timestamp}.png"

Pattern 3: Browser State Verification

# Verify browser state before screenshot
agent-browser eval "
  const state = {
    url: window.location.href,
    timestamp: Date.now(),
    testSeamReady: window.__TEST__?.ready || false
  };
  JSON.stringify(state)
"

# Capture screenshot
agent-browser screenshot screenshots/verification.png

Detecting Stale Screenshots

Check for stale screenshots:

# Check if screenshot exists and is recent
check_screenshot_freshness() {
  local screenshot=$1
  local max_age=30  # 30 seconds max age
  
  if [ ! -f "$screenshot" ]; then
    echo "Screenshot not found"
    return 1
  fi
  
  local file_age=$(($(date +%s) - $(stat -f %m "$screenshot")))
  if [ $file_age -gt $max_age ]; then
    echo "Screenshot is stale (${file_age}s old)"
    return 1
  fi
  
  echo "Screenshot is fresh"
  return 0
}

Force Browser Refresh Before Capture

Always refresh browser before capturing verification screenshots:

# Force refresh before screenshot
agent-browser reload
agent-browser wait 2000  # Wait for reload

# Verify HMR has applied changes (if applicable)
agent-browser eval "
  const lastReload = window.__HMR_LAST_RELOAD__ || 0;
  const now = Date.now();
  const timeSinceReload = now - lastReload;
  timeSinceReload < 5000 ? 'Recently reloaded' : 'Stale state'
"

# Then capture screenshot
agent-browser screenshot screenshots/verification.png

Timing Considerations

When to Wait for Scene Transitions/Updates

Wait for scene transitions before capturing:

# Navigate to scene
agent-browser eval "window.__TEST__.commands.goToScene('GameScene')"

# Wait for transition (don't capture immediately)
agent-browser wait 500  # Wait for scene transition

# Wait for scene initialization
agent-browser eval "
  new Promise((resolve) => {
    const check = () => {
      if (window.__TEST__?.ready) {
        resolve(true);
      } else {
        setTimeout(check, 100);
      }
    };
    check();
  })
"

# Now capture screenshot
agent-browser screenshot screenshots/gamescene-ready.png

Verify HMR Has Applied Changes Before Screenshots

Always verify HMR has applied changes before capturing:

# Make code change (outside browser)

# Wait for HMR to apply
agent-browser eval "
  const lastReload = window.__HMR_LAST_RELOAD__ || 0;
  const now = Date.now();
  const timeSinceReload = now - lastReload;
  timeSinceReload < 5000 ? 'HMR applied' : 'HMR not applied'
"

# If HMR not applied, force refresh
if [ "$hmr_status" != "HMR applied" ]; then
  agent-browser reload
  agent-browser wait 2000
fi

# Then capture screenshot
agent-browser screenshot screenshots/after-change.png

Explicit Wait Patterns for Dynamic Content

Wait for dynamic content before capturing:

# Wait for content to load
agent-browser eval "
  new Promise((resolve) => {
    const check = () => {
      if (document.querySelector('.content-loaded')) {
        resolve(true);
      } else {
        setTimeout(check, 100);
      }
    };
    check();
  })
"

# Wait for animations to complete
agent-browser wait 1000  # Wait for animation

# Then capture screenshot
agent-browser screenshot screenshots/content-loaded.png

Pattern for Phaser Games:

# Wait for scene ready
agent-browser eval "window.__TEST__?.ready || false"

# Wait for game state initialized
agent-browser eval "
  const state = window.__TEST__?.gameState?.();
  state && state.initialized ? true : false
"

# Wait for any animations
agent-browser wait 500

# Then capture screenshot
agent-browser screenshot screenshots/game-ready.png

Batch Screenshot Operations

Patterns for Capturing Multiple Screenshots Efficiently

Pattern 1: Sequential Screenshots with Minimal Waits

# Capture multiple screenshots efficiently
mkdir -p screenshots/

# Screenshot 1: Main menu
agent-browser open "http://localhost:5173?scene=MainMenu"
agent-browser wait 1000
agent-browser screenshot screenshots/mainmenu.png

# Screenshot 2: Game scene (navigate and capture)
agent-browser eval "window.__TEST__.commands.goToScene('GameScene')"
agent-browser wait 500
agent-browser screenshot screenshots/gamescene.png

# Screenshot 3: Game over (trigger and capture)
agent-browser eval "window.__TEST__.commands.triggerGameOver()"
agent-browser wait 500
agent-browser screenshot screenshots/gameover.png

Pattern 2: Batch Screenshots with State Verification

# Capture screenshots with state verification
capture_screenshot_with_state() {
  local scene=$1
  local filename=$2
  
  # Navigate to scene
  agent-browser eval "window.__TEST__.commands.goToScene('$scene')"
  agent-browser wait 500
  
  # Verify state
  agent-browser eval "window.__TEST__?.sceneKey === '$scene'"
  
  # Capture screenshot
  agent-browser screenshot "screenshots/$filename"
}

# Batch capture
capture_screenshot_with_state "MainMenu" "mainmenu.png"
capture_screenshot_with_state "GameScene" "gamescene.png"
capture_screenshot_with_state "GameOverScene" "gameover.png"

When to Use Comparison Screenshots (Before/After)

Use before/after screenshots for verification:

# Before screenshot
agent-browser screenshot screenshots/before-change.png

# Make change (code modification)

# Wait for HMR
agent-browser reload
agent-browser wait 2000

# After screenshot
agent-browser screenshot screenshots/after-change.png

# Compare screenshots (using imgdiff or visual comparison)

When to Use Before/After:

• Verifying code changes
• Testing visual regressions
• Documenting changes
• Debugging layout issues

Caching Strategies to Avoid Redundant Captures

Pattern 1: Check Screenshot Age Before Capture

# Check if screenshot exists and is recent
should_capture_screenshot() {
  local screenshot=$1
  local max_age=60  # 60 seconds max age
  
  if [ ! -f "$screenshot" ]; then
    return 0  # Screenshot doesn't exist, should capture
  fi
  
  local file_age=$(($(date +%s) - $(stat -f %m "$screenshot")))
  if [ $file_age -gt $max_age ]; then
    return 0  # Screenshot is stale, should capture
  fi
  
  return 1  # Screenshot is fresh, skip capture
}

# Use caching
if should_capture_screenshot "screenshots/mainmenu.png"; then
  agent-browser screenshot screenshots/mainmenu.png
else
  echo "Using cached screenshot"
fi

Pattern 2: Hash-Based Caching

# Check if state has changed before capturing
get_state_hash() {
  agent-browser eval "
    const state = {
      scene: window.__TEST__?.sceneKey,
      score: window.__TEST__?.gameState?.()?.score
    };
    JSON.stringify(state)
  " | md5sum | cut -d' ' -f1
}

# Capture only if state changed
current_hash=$(get_state_hash)
if [ "$current_hash" != "$last_hash" ]; then
  agent-browser screenshot screenshots/state-${current_hash}.png
  last_hash=$current_hash
fi

Pattern 3: Timestamp-Based Caching

# Cache screenshots with timestamps
capture_with_cache() {
  local scene=$1
  local cache_file="screenshots/.cache-${scene}.txt"
  local screenshot="screenshots/${scene}.png"
  
  # Check cache
  if [ -f "$cache_file" ]; then
    local cached_time=$(cat "$cache_file")
    local current_time=$(date +%s)
    local age=$((current_time - cached_time))
    
    if [ $age -lt 30 ]; then
      echo "Using cached screenshot for $scene"
      return 0
    fi
  fi
  
  # Capture new screenshot
  agent-browser eval "window.__TEST__.commands.goToScene('$scene')"
  agent-browser wait 500
  agent-browser screenshot "$screenshot"
  echo $(date +%s) > "$cache_file"
}

Best Practices

1. Always create folder first: Use mkdir -p screenshots/ or equivalent before capturing
2. Use descriptive names: Include feature, state, or test context in filename
3. Consistent location: Always use screenshots/ folder, never project root
4. Clean up root: Move any screenshots found in root to screenshots/ folder immediately
5. Add to .gitignore: Consider adding screenshots/*.png to .gitignore if screenshots are temporary
6. Validate before completion: Verify all screenshots are in screenshots/ folder before marking task complete
7. Verify freshness: Always refresh browser before capturing verification screenshots
8. Wait for transitions: Wait for scene transitions and HMR before capturing
9. Use batch operations: Capture multiple screenshots efficiently with minimal waits
10. Cache when appropriate: Use caching to avoid redundant captures

Examples

Example 1: UI Validation Screenshot

# Create folder
mkdir -p screenshots/

# Capture main menu for UI validation
agent-browser open http://localhost:5173
agent-browser wait 2000
agent-browser screenshot screenshots/ui-validation-mainmenu.png

Example 2: Timer Test Screenshot

# Create folder
mkdir -p screenshots/

# Navigate and capture timer state
agent-browser open http://localhost:5173
agent-browser eval "window.__TEST__.commands.goToScene('GameScene')"
agent-browser eval "window.__TEST__.commands.setTimer(5)"
agent-browser wait 1000
agent-browser screenshot screenshots/timer-test-5seconds.png

Example 3: Playwright Test Screenshot

import { test } from '@playwright/test';
import fs from 'fs';

test('capture main menu screenshot', async ({ page }) => {
  // Create folder
  fs.mkdirSync('screenshots', { recursive: true });
  
  await page.goto('http://localhost:5173');
  await page.waitForTimeout(2000);
  
  // Capture to screenshots/ folder
  await page.screenshot({ path: 'screenshots/mainmenu-test.png' });
});

Resources

• agent-browser skill - Browser automation and screenshot commands
• Project root should remain clean and organized
• Screenshots in root should be moved to screenshots/ folder when discovered