workshop-setup — zsh
$ whoami
attendee, playwright-automation-workshop
$ npm install
Get your laptop workshop-ready

A short, one-time setup so we spend workshop time writing tests — not fighting installers. Complete every step below before you arrive.

⏱ 15–20 min estimated setup 💻 Windows 10/11 or macOS 🔑 Admin access required
req

Prerequisites

Windows 10, Windows 11, or macOS
Stable internet connection
Administrator access to your laptop
install

Installation steps

Run through these in order — each one builds on the last.

01

Install Google Chrome

Chrome will be the browser we automate against during the workshop.

  • Download Chrome for your operating system
  • Run the installer and follow the setup wizard
  • Launch Chrome once to confirm it opens successfully
→ google.com/chrome
02

Install Visual Studio Code

VS Code is the editor we'll write and run test scripts in.

  • Download the build for your OS and run the installer
  • Keep all default installation options
  • Launch VS Code once after install
→ code.visualstudio.com
03

Install Node.js (LTS)

Playwright runs on Node.js — install the LTS version, not "Current."

  • Run the installer and click Next through the wizard
  • Leave all settings at their defaults
  • Keep "Add to PATH" enabled (on by default)
  • Click Install, finish, and you're done
→ nodejs.org
04

Verify Node.js & npm

npm installs automatically alongside Node — confirm both are on your PATH.

Open Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (macOS) and run:

$ node -v
v22.18.0
$ npm -v
10.9.3
05

Install VS Code extensions

In VS Code, open the Extensions panel in the left sidebar and install:

Playwright Test ms-playwright.playwright
→ install
ESLint dbaeumer.vscode-eslint
→ install
Prettier — Code Formatter esbenp.prettier-vscode
→ install
check

Final checklist

Google Chrome is installed
Visual Studio Code is installed and opens without errors
Node.js (LTS) is installed — node -v and npm -v both work
Playwright Test, ESLint, and Prettier extensions are installed
You have administrator access to your laptop
Laptop charger packed 🔌
fix

Troubleshooting

'node' is not recognized

Restart your computer first — this resolves most PATH issues. Still stuck? Uninstall Node.js, download the latest LTS build, reinstall, then restart again.

npm command not found

This almost always means Node.js didn't install cleanly. Reinstall the latest LTS version of Node.js and try again.

links

Quick downloads

Google Chrome Visual Studio Code Node.js (LTS)