compare
Nightwatch vs Playwright
The same facts for both, read from GitHub every night, and the relation a person reviewed.
| Fact | Nightwatch | Playwright |
|---|---|---|
| Language | JavaScript | TypeScript |
| Licence | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Stars | 12k | 97k |
| Latest | v3.16.0 | v1.63.0 |
| Last push | 2026-05-25 | 2026-10-06 |
| Release cadence | about 36 days between releases | about 20 days between releases |
| Active contributors | 0 commit authors on the default branch in the last 90 days | 53+ commit authors on the default branch in the last 90 days |
| Flags | none | none |
How they relate
Both replace Cypress. Alternatives to Cypress →
Full replacementNightwatchEnd-to-end tests in JavaScript or TypeScript over WebDriver, in Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Edge.
Full replacementPlaywrightTests across Chromium, Firefox and WebKit, run in parallel by default.
Nightwatch
- v3.16.02026-05-25Bump minimum Node.js version to 18.20.5
- v3.15.02026-01-21Fix ESM support in Node >= 20.
- v3.14.02025-12-23bump mocha to v10.8.2
- v3.13.02025-12-09[BU] Changes to emit additional data in test events
- v3.12.32025-10-28Pass testEnvSettings to plugins' before hook to Reorder test cases for Smart Test Selection
Playwright
- v1.63.02026-09-04Tests that access a shared resource — an external service, a global account setting — can now declare a named lock.
- v1.62.12026-07-30
- v1.62.02026-07-24Component testing moves to a stories and galleries model.
- v1.61.12026-06-23
- v1.61.02026-06-15New Credentials virtual authenticator, available via browserContext.credentials, lets tests register passkeys and answe…
Nightwatch
unsigned The latest release, v3.16.0, carries no signature GitHub could verify.
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Playwright
✓ signed The latest release, v1.63.0, carries a signature GitHub verified.
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