# Use the recorder

The recorder helps you capture a real browser journey and convert it into Gherkin you can review before saving.

Use it when describing a flow from memory would be slower than performing the flow once.

## When To Use The Recorder

The recorder is useful for:

| Situation                                | Why it helps                                            |
| ---------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| A flow has many clicks or fields         | Recording captures the journey while you perform it.    |
| The UI labels are hard to remember       | The recorded flow can help produce more concrete steps. |
| You are documenting an existing workflow | You can walk through the product and review the output. |
| You want a first draft                   | The generated Gherkin can be edited before saving.      |

Do not treat recorder output as final without review. It is a starting point.

## Start Recording

1. Open the **Test Suite**.
2. Select or create the feature you want to author.
3. Open the feature editor.
4. Choose **Record**.
5. Download or launch the recorder when TestVibe prompts you.
6. Open the target site and perform the workflow.
7. Return to TestVibe to review the generated Gherkin preview.

TestVibe may update the preview while recorder events are received.

## Review The Output

Before saving, check that the Gherkin:

| Review         | What to look for                                                         |
| -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Feature name   | It should describe the user journey, not the recording session.          |
| Scenario focus | It should cover one behavior, not every action you tried.                |
| Step wording   | Steps should be readable and user-facing.                                |
| Assertions     | The scenario should include clear `Then` outcomes.                       |
| Sensitive data | Passwords, tokens, and private values should not be saved in plain text. |

Edit the preview before saving when the wording needs cleanup.

## Recording Tips

* Start from a stable page.
* Use a test account, not a personal account.
* Pause and plan the journey before clicking.
* Avoid exploratory clicks that do not belong in the final test.
* Add or improve final assertions after recording.
* Remove any accidental sensitive text before saving.

## Save And Generate

After reviewing the recorded Gherkin:

1. Save the feature.
2. Generate Playwright code.
3. Run the test.
4. Use results to refine the feature.

If the generated test does too much, split the recorded journey into smaller scenarios.

## Related Pages

* [Write good test instructions](/create-tests/write-good-test-instructions.md)
* [Gherkin and feature files](/create-tests/gherkin-and-feature-files.md)
* [Generate Playwright code](/ai-generation/generate-playwright-code.md)


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