`playwright install` is added to `prepare` script on unsupported systems.

[bnn1]

Problem

When I create a new sveltekit application with playwright, or install any library afterwards an error flashes but it disappears immediately leaving me confused.

image

The cause

When you run playwright install on an unsupported system (like Arch) it fails. playwright install is added to prepare script which runs every time you install a new library.

It was implemented recently to address this issue #1038

@Rich-Harris wrote

I just set up a project with Playwright, tried pnpm test and hit a giant wall of console spam. The pnpm exec playwright install instruction was buried in the middle of a bunch of other junk — if I didn't know better I could well have missed it. Made me think we should just do this automatically when installing the Playwright add-on?

But after bootstrapping a SvelteKit application there's an instruction that says "install playwright bro"

image

If you use Storybook addon it installs browsers for you if you choose so.

The solution

Remove playwright install from the prepare script and either:

1. make "Run npx playwright install to download browsers" text bigger so it's easier to spot the instruction
2. ask if user wants to install playwright as an additional installation step (similar to when Storybook addon is used - and remove playwright installation from storybook step)

OR
Conditionally add playwright install to prepare script on systems that support it.

OR
Add an instruction to remove playwright install from prepare script on unsupported systems to avoid confusing errors.

[jycouet]

The issue with install playwright bro is that it's written only once when using sv. When you clone the repo 2 months after or by your teammate, you don't have this instruction anymore.

The strange thing about asking if you want to install it or not is that you do add playwright but don't install it bro and I can't run it :D (So you need to know that it will not work!)

I'm not sure we want to track what system is working in playwright or not.

All in all, not easy! Not sure what's the best.

[paoloricciuti]

I think we could just make the error better by "checking if it's supported" and displaying a nicer error message (should be doable in bash)

[bnn1]

@jycouet haven't thought that you need to install it on all working machines when working in a team, good point.

but then again, playwright is a part of your development environment, much like node and npm, and the developer should know to install these tools before using them.