From 5e9da6dc6361ffbf6fc14707a4c26a9cd0c658fa Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Kevin Veen-Birkenbach <kevin@veen.world>
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2026 15:09:55 +0100
Subject: [PATCH] feat: add headless replay support for recorded Playwright
 tests

- add replay target to Makefile
- introduce scripts/replay.sh for headless test execution
- document replay workflow in README
- clarify requirements and Arch Linux setup

https://chatgpt.com/share/6984a4ca-1118-800f-88f9-1bd0146e922d
---
 Makefile          |   6 +++
 README.md         |  30 +++++++++++--
 scripts/replay.sh | 106 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 3 files changed, 139 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 scripts/replay.sh

diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 8cbeea5..f695bd1 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -19,3 +19,9 @@ install:
 ## 🎥 Run Playwright Codegen (GUI recording)
 codegen:
 	bash scripts/codegen.sh
+
+.PHONY: replay
+
+## ▶ Replay recorded Playwright tests (headless)
+replay:
+	bash scripts/replay.sh
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d76f386..1bc831b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -37,12 +37,18 @@ Perfect for:
 
 ### 1️⃣ Requirements
 
-* Docker
-* X11 or XWayland (Wayland-only will NOT work)
-* `xhost`
+- Docker
+- X11 or XWayland (Wayland-only will NOT work)
+- `xhost`
 
 On Arch Linux:
 
+```bash
+sudo pacman -S --needed xorg-xhost
+```
+
+---
+
 ## ⚙️ Installation (one-time)
 
 Prepare the recorder script:
@@ -69,6 +75,24 @@ Or with a start URL:
 
 ---
 
+## ▶ Replay recorded tests (headless)
+
+Run all recorded tests:
+
+```bash
+make replay
+```
+
+Run a specific test file:
+
+```bash
+./scripts/replay.sh recordings/login.spec.ts
+```
+
+Replay runs **headless**, without X11, and does **not** require `xhost`.
+
+---
+
 ## 📤 Output
 
 * 📄 Generated test:
diff --git a/scripts/replay.sh b/scripts/replay.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..791f3e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/replay.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# playwright-recorder: Replay Playwright tests (headless)
+#
+# Purpose:
+# - Replay previously generated Playwright tests
+# - Run fully headless
+# - Use Docker + official Playwright image
+# - No GUI, no X11, no xhost
+#
+# Usage:
+#   ./scripts/replay.sh
+#   ./scripts/replay.sh recordings/login.spec.ts
+#
+# Optional env vars:
+#   PLAYWRIGHT_VERSION=1.58.1
+#   PLAYWRIGHT_IMAGE=mcr.microsoft.com/playwright:v1.58.1-jammy
+#   RECORDINGS_DIR=recordings
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+PLAYWRIGHT_VERSION="${PLAYWRIGHT_VERSION:-1.58.1}"
+PLAYWRIGHT_IMAGE="${PLAYWRIGHT_IMAGE:-mcr.microsoft.com/playwright:v${PLAYWRIGHT_VERSION}-jammy}"
+
+RECORDINGS_DIR="${RECORDINGS_DIR:-recordings}"
+TEST_FILE="${1:-}"
+
+die() { echo "ERROR: $*" >&2; exit 1; }
+
+require_cmd() {
+  command -v "$1" >/dev/null 2>&1 || die "Missing command: $1"
+}
+
+repo_root() {
+  git rev-parse --show-toplevel 2>/dev/null || pwd
+}
+
+require_cmd docker
+
+ROOT="$(repo_root)"
+REC_DIR="${ROOT}/${RECORDINGS_DIR}"
+
+[[ -d "${REC_DIR}" ]] || die "Recordings dir not found: ${REC_DIR}"
+
+# Build ephemeral workspace
+WORK_DIR="${REC_DIR}/.replay-work"
+
+rm -rf "${WORK_DIR}"
+mkdir -p "${WORK_DIR}/tests"
+
+cleanup() {
+  rm -rf "${WORK_DIR}" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+}
+trap cleanup EXIT
+
+# Copy recorded tests into workspace
+if [[ -n "${TEST_FILE}" ]]; then
+  [[ -f "${ROOT}/${TEST_FILE}" ]] || die "Test file not found: ${TEST_FILE}"
+  cp "${ROOT}/${TEST_FILE}" "${WORK_DIR}/tests/"
+else
+  shopt -s nullglob
+  cp "${REC_DIR}"/*.spec.ts "${WORK_DIR}/tests/" || die "No *.spec.ts found in ${REC_DIR}"
+fi
+
+# Minimal Playwright project
+cat > "${WORK_DIR}/package.json" <<EOF
+{
+  "name": "playwright-replay",
+  "private": true,
+  "type": "commonjs",
+  "devDependencies": {
+    "@playwright/test": "${PLAYWRIGHT_VERSION}"
+  },
+  "scripts": {
+    "test": "playwright test"
+  }
+}
+EOF
+
+cat > "${WORK_DIR}/playwright.config.ts" <<'EOF'
+import { defineConfig } from '@playwright/test';
+
+export default defineConfig({
+  testDir: './tests',
+  use: {
+    headless: true,
+    trace: 'retain-on-failure',
+  },
+});
+EOF
+
+echo "▶ Replaying Playwright tests"
+echo "Image        : ${PLAYWRIGHT_IMAGE}"
+echo "Workspace    : ${WORK_DIR}"
+echo "Tests        : ${TEST_FILE:-all recordings}"
+echo
+
+docker run --rm \
+  -v "${WORK_DIR}:/work" \
+  -w /work \
+  "${PLAYWRIGHT_IMAGE}" \
+  bash -lc "npm install --no-audit --no-fund && npx playwright test"
+
+echo
+echo "✔ Replay finished"