# class: Tracing

API for collecting and saving Playwright traces. Playwright traces can be opened using the [CLI]('./cli.md') after
Playwright script runs.

Start with specifying the folder traces will be stored in:

```js
const browser = await chromium.launch({ traceDir: 'traces' });
const context = await browser.newContext();
await context.tracing.start({ name: 'trace', screenshots: true, snapshots: true });
const page = await context.newPage();
await page.goto('https://playwright.dev');
await context.tracing.stop();
await context.tracing.export('trace.zip');
```

```java
Browser browser = chromium.launch(new BrowserType.LaunchOptions().setTraceDir("trace"));
BrowserContext context = browser.newContext();
context.tracing.start(page, new Tracing.StartOptions()
  .setName("trace")
  .setScreenshots(true)
  .setSnapshots(true);
Page page = context.newPage();
page.goto("https://playwright.dev");
context.tracing.stop();
context.tracing.export(Paths.get("trace.zip")))
```

```python async
browser = await chromium.launch(traceDir='traces')
context = await browser.new_context()
await context.tracing.start(name="trace", screenshots=True, snapshots=True)
await page.goto("https://playwright.dev")
await context.tracing.stop()
await context.tracing.export("trace.zip")
```

```python sync
browser = chromium.launch(traceDir='traces')
context = browser.new_context()
context.tracing.start(name="trace", screenshots=True, snapshots=True)
page.goto("https://playwright.dev")
context.tracing.stop()
context.tracing.export("trace.zip")
```

## async method: Tracing.export

Export trace into the file with the given name. Should be called after the
tracing has stopped.

### param: Tracing.export.path
- `path` <[path]>

File to save the trace into.

## async method: Tracing.start

Start tracing.

```js
await context.tracing.start({ name: 'trace', screenshots: true, snapshots: true });
const page = await context.newPage();
await page.goto('https://playwright.dev');
await context.tracing.stop();
await context.tracing.export('trace.zip');
```

```java
context.tracing.start(page, new Tracing.StartOptions()
  .setName("trace")
  .setScreenshots(true)
  .setSnapshots(true);
Page page = context.newPage();
page.goto('https://playwright.dev');
context.tracing.stop();
context.tracing.export(Paths.get("trace.zip")))
```

```python async
await context.tracing.start(name="trace", screenshots=True, snapshots=True)
await page.goto("https://playwright.dev")
await context.tracing.stop()
await context.tracing.export("trace.zip")
```

```python sync
context.tracing.start(name="trace", screenshots=True, snapshots=True)
page.goto("https://playwright.dev")
context.tracing.stop()
context.tracing.export("trace.zip")
```

### option: Tracing.start.name
- `name` <[string]>

If specified, the trace is going to be saved into the file with the
given name inside the [`option: traceDir`] folder specified in [`method: BrowserType.launch`].

### option: Tracing.start.screenshots
- `screenshots` <[boolean]>

Whether to capture screenshots during tracing. Screenshots are used to build
a timeline preview.

### option: Tracing.start.snapshots
- `snapshots` <[boolean]>

Whether to capture DOM snapshot on every action.

## async method: Tracing.stop

Stop tracing.