Playwright Skill: Claude Code Skill & Setup

When to choose it

Browser tasks where you want the automation script as an inspectable, reusable result.

Choose it if: you want a script you can inspect and run again.

Look elsewhere if: you only need the tool interface of an existing Playwright MCP integration.

What the source describes

Creates focused JavaScript browser scripts and runs them through the Skill’s executor.
Documents local-server discovery, screenshots and temporary or preserved script output.

Requirements

Skill runtime: Node.js 20+ and npm. The reviewed skills CLI 1.7.0 installer requires Node.js 22.20.0+.
Initial network access to download Playwright and Chromium.
A target URL or running development server; visible mode needs a display.

A focused automation Skill with a local executor. It is distinct from the Playwright MCP wrapper already in this directory.

Install the focused Skill

Choose the intended project. Run the focused install below from this project. The reviewed skills CLI 1.7.0 requires Node.js 22.20.0+ and npm. Read the upstream files and review the CLI’s installation scope and symlink or copy prompt.
Check discovery. Confirm the Skill is listed for Claude Code in the same project.
Shell • setup check
```
npx skills list --agent claude-code
```
Install browser dependencies. Find the actual installed Skill directory containing SKILL.md and package.json. Run this from that directory, not your application directory. It downloads Playwright and Chromium.
Shell • setup check
```
npm run setup
```
Choose a safe target. Use a local preview or authorized test site with test accounts and data. Inspect generated scripts before execution.

Run this command from the intended project folder after reviewing the source. The skills CLI targets Claude Code and defaults to project scope. Review its scope and symlink or copy prompt; use --global only if you want a user-wide installation.

Shell • project Skill install

npx skills add lackeyjb/playwright-skill --skill playwright-skill --agent claude-code

Installation and loading troubleshooting

How to use it

Ask for a concrete test. The documented executor is the Skill’s run.js; avoid running generated files as unrelated Node scripts.

An original example for a bounded task. This request example is written by ClaudeStack; it is not a transcript of a tested session.

Request example

Test the local contact form with test data, verify the success message, and capture desktop and mobile screenshots. Show me the script first and do not submit to a production endpoint.

The external skills CLI collects installation telemetry and makes public-repository security-audit requests. Its README documents DISABLE_TELEMETRY=1 or DO_NOT_TRACK=1 to disable both. ClaudeStack did not run this installer.

The upstream plugin alternative is playwright-skill@playwright-skill after adding lackeyjb/playwright-skill as a marketplace; the same dependency setup is required.

What to expect

The reviewed source describes these observations. ClaudeStack has not loaded or run this extension.

A generated Playwright script plus observed results and artifact paths after you authorize execution.
The source defaults file-based scripts to the OS temporary directory; PW_SCRIPT_DIR can preserve them.

Self-check: Check the actual target URL, assertions, output paths and observed browser results. A generated script alone is not a completed test.

Troubleshooting

Playwright or Chromium is missing

Run npm run setup from the installed Skill’s actual directory.

Node cannot resolve Playwright

Use the Skill’s run.js executor, which resolves dependencies from its own installation.

No visible browser appears

Check headless mode and display availability. The optional install-all-browsers script is for additional Firefox or WebKit downloads.

Disable or remove it

For a project installation, run npx skills remove playwright-skill --agent claude-code from the same project. Add --global only when removing a global installation.
Review any edits and generated artifacts separately; removing the Skill does not revert its work.
For the plugin alternative, uninstall playwright-skill in /plugin. Upstream does not document removal of separately downloaded browser caches.

Limitations & considerations

Generated JavaScript can submit forms and change real websites; inspect the script and target first.
Separate browser downloads and caches are not removed by uninstalling the Skill.

Source & review record

Our description is based on public documentation and manifests available on 2026-10-05. Installation formats were checked against Claude Code and the relevant installer documentation. No extension code was executed: this is a source review, not a runtime compatibility test or security audit.

Repository last pushed at the time of review: 2026-10-01T07:39:15Z. This date does not prove that the extension works with a particular Claude Code release.

Usage guide sources

Upstream revision checked for this guide: dd47a6a023e249eb1b36e9e943eab89d0900865d. Command names and behavior in this guide are documentation and registration-source findings, not runtime verification.

Playwright Skill