How to Install Playwright with Java Step by Step (2026 Beginner Guide)

Playwright has become one of the most popular automation frameworks for modern web applications. It offers fast execution, automatic waiting, multiple browser support, and excellent developer experience.

In this guide, you will learn how to install Playwright with Java from scratch and execute your first automated test.

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Prerequisites

Before installing Playwright, make sure you have:

• Java JDK 17 or higher installed
• Maven installed and configured
• IntelliJ IDEA or Eclipse IDE
• Internet connection to download browser binaries

You can verify your Java installation using:

java -version

You should see output similar to:

java version "17"

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Step 1: Create a Maven Project

Open your IDE and create a new Maven project.

Example project structure:

playwright-java-demo
 ├── src
 │   ├── main
 │   └── test
 ├── pom.xml

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Step 2: Add Playwright Dependency

Open your pom.xml file and add the Playwright dependency.

<dependencies>
    <dependency>
        <groupId>com.microsoft.playwright</groupId>
        <artifactId>playwright</artifactId>
        <version>1.55.0</version>
    </dependency>
</dependencies>

After adding the dependency, refresh the Maven project.

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Step 3: Install Browser Binaries

Playwright requires browser binaries to execute tests.

Run the following command:

mvn exec:java -e -D exec.mainClass=com.microsoft.playwright.CLI -D exec.args="install"

This installs:

• Chromium
• Firefox
• WebKit

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Step 4: Create Your First Playwright Test

Create a Java class inside the test folder.

Example:

import com.microsoft.playwright.*;

public class FirstPlaywrightTest {

    public static void main(String[] args) {

        try (Playwright playwright = Playwright.create()) {

            Browser browser = playwright.chromium().launch(
                    new BrowserType.LaunchOptions()
                            .setHeadless(false));

            Page page = browser.newPage();

            page.navigate("https://www.google.com");

            System.out.println(page.title());

            browser.close();
        }
    }
}

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Step 5: Run the Test

Execute the class.

You should see:

• Chromium browser launches
• Google homepage opens
• Page title is printed in the console
• Browser closes automatically

Congratulations! Your first Playwright test is now running successfully.

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Step 6: Understanding the Code

Playwright.create()

Creates a Playwright instance.

Playwright playwright = Playwright.create();

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playwright.chromium()

Launches the Chromium browser.

Browser browser = playwright.chromium().launch();

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newPage()

Creates a new browser tab.

Page page = browser.newPage();

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navigate()

Opens the specified URL.

page.navigate("https://www.google.com");

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Step 7: Running Tests in Headless Mode

For CI/CD pipelines, use headless mode.

.setHeadless(true)

This allows tests to execute without opening a visible browser window.

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Common Installation Issues

Browser executable doesn't exist

Solution:

playwright install

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Dependency download failure

Solution:

mvn clean install

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Java version mismatch

Verify Java version:

java -version

Playwright works best with Java 17 or later.

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Why Developers Prefer Playwright

Some advantages include:

• Auto waiting
• Faster execution
• Multiple browser support
• Network interception
• API testing support
• Better debugging tools

These features make Playwright an excellent choice for modern automation projects.

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Conclusion

Installing Playwright with Java is straightforward and takes only a few minutes.

In this tutorial, you learned how to:

• Create a Maven project
• Add Playwright dependencies
• Install browser binaries
• Execute your first test
• Troubleshoot common issues

In the next article, we will learn how to create a Playwright Page Object Model framework using Java.

If you're beginning your automation journey in 2026, Playwright is one of the best frameworks to invest your time in learning.