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Recorder

Help URL: /reference/forms/recorder-help

Purpose​

Capture a real browser journey with the TestVibe Recorder browser extension and turn the recorded steps into reviewable Gherkin, then regenerate the test through the standard engine, without leaving TestVibe.

Common Tasks​

  • Install the TestVibe Recorder extension (the drawer links to the store when it's missing).
  • Choose the environment to record against in-app before launch; TestVibe checks the site is reachable from a cloud browser first (offering Connect a tunnel / Record anyway if not).
  • On the read-only launch page, click the single Begin recording button.
  • Record a journey against the project's test site; steps stream into the drawer timeline live. Full-page and cross-origin navigation is captured as a step — a recording survives leaving the starting page.
  • Review the Gherkin, then Save & Validate to persist it and regenerate the Playwright code, or Discard.

Key UI Elements​

  • Record drawer: A live timeline of captured steps that renders each Gherkin line with its Playwright code.
  • Gherkin draft: An editable draft of the recorded journey.
  • Review-state actions: Save & Validate / Discard.
  • Credential confirmation line: names the secret/variable tokens captured from password / username fields (values are stored, never shown).
  • "Extension required" state: A Get the extension button when the recorder is not installed.

Notes​

  • Save & Validate always regenerates. It persists the reviewed Gherkin, then dispatches a normal generation seeded with the recording — there is no separate Verify step and no cold replay of recorded selectors. The feature's button reads "Fixing…" while the regeneration runs, and clicking it opens the standard generation drawer.
  • Closing or dismissing the drawer during review discards the recording (with a confirm when there are unsaved steps) — the steps are only kept once you choose Save & Validate.
  • Credentials typed into password / username fields are tokenized as {{secret:PASSWORD}} / {{var:USERNAME}} and auto-stored as project secrets/vars; plaintext is never saved.
  • A recording that finishes with no actionable steps (only scrolling/navigating, no clicks or typed input) shows an honest empty state — Discard or Record again.
  • The recorder is launched from the feature editor's Record action.