When it comes to visual regression testing, Playwright's .toHaveScreenshot() method has become a popular choice for developers.
However, Webshot Archive is a great alternative solution for screenshot comparison.
In addition to PR image diffs like this,
with Webshot Archive you dont have to store the screenshots in your repo or
deal with failing tests for insignificant changes.
The Core Difference: Centralized vs Distributed
Playwright's Approach
Playwright stores screenshot files directly in your Git repository alongside your test code. While this keeps everything in one place, it comes with several limitations:
- Repository Bloat: Screenshots accumulate over time, making your repository larger and slower to clone
- Limited Collaboration: Screenshots are tied to specific branches and commits, making it hard to share across teams
- Required Manual Step: Every time a developer checks in code that affects UI, they must remember to run the
--update-snapshots command to update baseline screenshots
- Manual Git Navigation: To view screenshots across history, you must checkout branches one at a time and navigate through commits manually
Webshot Archive's Approach
Webshot Archive provides a centralized, hosted repository for all your visual regression screenshots:
- Clean Repositories: Keep your code repository focused on code, not binary assets
- Dedicated Infrastructure: Optimized storage and retrieval for screenshot data
- Global Accessibility: Team members can access screenshots regardless of their local Git state
- Easy Historical Viewing: Browse and compare screenshots across commits without checking out different branches
