# Nightwatch vs Selenium

**Leader by Vioscale score:** Selenium

| Attribute | Nightwatch | Selenium |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 57.4 (78% (high)) | 67.6 (76% (high)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | 0 | 95 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | 36,492 | - |
| adoption.github_stars | 11,956 | 34,397 |
| adoption.package_downloads_weekly | 122,500 | 13,857,103 |
| deployment.options | `{"cloud":true}` | `{"self_hosted":true}` |
| description.long | A comprehensive testing framework that supports unit, integration, and end-to-end testing across web browsers, mobile web, and native iOS and Android applications with built-in debugging tools, visual regression testing, and API testing capabilities. | Open-source tool that automates web browsers to enable automated testing of web applications, regression testing, and automation of repetitive web-based administrative tasks. Includes WebDriver for robust test automation, IDE for record-and-playback scripting, and Grid for distributed test execution. |
| features.capabilities | `{"mocking":true,"coverage":false,"protocol":"w3c_webdriver","languages":"JavaScript/Node.js","assertions":true,"open_source":true,"ci_integration":true,"auto_wait_retry":true,"no_code_recorder":true,"snapshot_testing":true,"cloud_grid_hosted":true,"real_device_cloud":true,"visual_regression":"pixel-diff","browser_automation":true,"parallel_execution":true,"network_interception":true,"ci_cd_integration_breadth":"moderate"}` | `{"languages":"Java, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, .NET","ci_integration":true,"browser_automation":true,"parallel_execution":true}` |
| integrations.count | 9 | 5 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"BrowserStack"},{"name":"Jenkins"},{"name":"Chrome"},{"name":"Mocha"},{"name":"Chai"},{"name":"Sinon"},{"name":"Express"},{"name":"Supertest"},{"name":"Axe"},{"name":"JIMP"},{"name":"Microsoft Edge"},{"name":"Percy"},{"name":"Drupal"}]` | `[{"name":"Chrome"},{"name":"Firefox"},{"name":"Edge"},{"name":"Appium"},{"name":"Chrome for Testing (CfT)"}]` |
| language.primary | JavaScript | Java |
| license.spdx | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| market.availability | - | `{"primaryMarkets":[],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` |
| platform.support | `{"ios":true,"web":true,"android":true}` | `{"cli":true,"mac":true,"linux":true,"windows":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"open_source","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://nightwatchjs.org","retrievedAt":"2026-08-24T22:39:51.928Z"}` | `{"type":"open_source","summary":"Free and open-source (Apache 2.0 license)","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://www.selenium.dev","retrievedAt":"2026-08-14T11:07:50.782Z"}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | open_source | open_source |
| pricing.price_level | free | free |
| pricing.transparent | - | yes |
| release.cadence_days | 19 | 30 |
| release.history | `[{"url":"https://github.com/nightwatchjs/nightwatch/releases/tag/v3.16.0","date":"2026-05-25T14:52:04Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.16.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/nightwatchjs/nightwatch/releases/tag/v3.15.0","date":"2026-01-21T16:03:35Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.15.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/nightwatchjs/nightwatch/releases/tag/v3.14.0","date":"2025-12-23T12:45:27Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.14.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/nightwatchjs/nightwatch/releases/tag/v3.13.0","date":"2025-12-09T14:25:04Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.13.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/nightwatchjs/nightwatch/releases/tag/v3.12.3","date":"2025-10-28T10:33:32Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.12.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/nightwatchjs/nightwatch/releases/tag/v3.12.2","date":"2025-06-06T10:37:24Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.12.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/nightwatchjs/nightwatch/releases/tag/v3.12.1","date":"2025-03-18T20:52:32Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.12.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/nightwatchjs/nightwatch/releases/tag/v3.12.0","date":"2025-03-06T19:06:20Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.12.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/nightwatchjs/nightwatch/releases/tag/v3.11.1","date":"2025-02-15T18:07:13Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.11.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/nightwatchjs/nightwatch/releases/tag/v3.11.0","date":"2025-01-16T18:45:31Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.11.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/nightwatchjs/nightwatch/releases/tag/v3.10.2","date":"2025-01-07T13:31:44Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.10.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/nightwatchjs/nightwatch/releases/tag/v3.10.1","date":"2025-01-06T10:52:31Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.10.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/nightwatchjs/nightwatch/releases/tag/v3.10.0","date":"2025-01-01T14:25:46Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.10.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/nightwatchjs/nightwatch/releases/tag/v3.9.0","date":"2024-11-11T18:42:17Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.9.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/nightwatchjs/nightwatch/releases/tag/v3.8.1","date":"2024-10-25T19:00:49Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.8.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/nightwatchjs/nightwatch/releases/tag/v3.8.0","date":"2024-10-22T16:48:09Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.8.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/nightwatchjs/nightwatch/releases/tag/v3.7.0","date":"2024-07-24T10:00:14Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.7.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/nightwatchjs/nightwatch/releases/tag/v3.6.4","date":"2024-07-09T09:47:09Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.6.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/nightwatchjs/nightwatch/releases/tag/v3.6.3","date":"2024-05-22T10:52:39Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.6.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/nightwatchjs/nightwatch/releases/tag/v3.6.2","date":"2024-05-10T11:51:25Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.6.2"}]` | `[{"url":"https://github.com/SeleniumHQ/selenium/releases/tag/nightly","date":"2026-08-26T00:14:38Z","type":"prerelease","version":"nightly"},{"url":"https://github.com/SeleniumHQ/selenium/releases/tag/selenium-4.47.0","date":"2026-08-10T18:00:07Z","type":"stable","version":"selenium-4.47.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/SeleniumHQ/selenium/releases/tag/selenium-4.46.0","date":"2026-07-11T00:47:53Z","type":"stable","version":"selenium-4.46.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/SeleniumHQ/selenium/releases/tag/selenium-4.45.0","date":"2026-06-16T13:59:48Z","type":"stable","version":"selenium-4.45.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/SeleniumHQ/selenium/releases/tag/selenium-4.44.0","date":"2026-05-12T23:58:59Z","type":"stable","version":"selenium-4.44.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/SeleniumHQ/selenium/releases/tag/selenium-4.43.0","date":"2026-04-10T06:52:53Z","type":"stable","version":"selenium-4.43.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/SeleniumHQ/selenium/releases/tag/selenium-4.42.0","date":"2026-04-09T11:53:47Z","type":"stable","version":"selenium-4.42.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/SeleniumHQ/selenium/releases/tag/selenium-4.41.0","date":"2026-02-20T15:57:35Z","type":"stable","version":"selenium-4.41.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/SeleniumHQ/selenium/releases/tag/selenium-4.40.0","date":"2026-01-18T23:53:16Z","type":"stable","version":"selenium-4.40.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/SeleniumHQ/selenium/releases/tag/selenium-4.39.0","date":"2025-12-06T22:53:26Z","type":"stable","version":"selenium-4.39.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/SeleniumHQ/selenium/releases/tag/selenium-4.38.0","date":"2025-10-25T05:01:29Z","type":"stable","version":"selenium-4.38.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/SeleniumHQ/selenium/releases/tag/selenium-4.37.0","date":"2025-10-18T05:02:55Z","type":"stable","version":"selenium-4.37.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/SeleniumHQ/selenium/releases/tag/selenium-4.36.0","date":"2025-10-02T15:37:23Z","type":"stable","version":"selenium-4.36.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/SeleniumHQ/selenium/releases/tag/selenium-4.35.0","date":"2025-08-12T15:44:30Z","type":"stable","version":"selenium-4.35.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/SeleniumHQ/selenium/releases/tag/selenium-4.34.0","date":"2025-06-29T18:25:54Z","type":"stable","version":"selenium-4.34.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/SeleniumHQ/selenium/releases/tag/selenium-4.33.0","date":"2025-05-23T17:42:58Z","type":"stable","version":"selenium-4.33.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/SeleniumHQ/selenium/releases/tag/selenium-4.32.0","date":"2025-05-02T20:34:32Z","type":"stable","version":"selenium-4.32.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/SeleniumHQ/selenium/releases/tag/selenium-4.31.0","date":"2025-04-05T02:49:03Z","type":"stable","version":"selenium-4.31.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/SeleniumHQ/selenium/releases/tag/selenium-4.30.0","date":"2025-03-21T22:33:48Z","type":"stable","version":"selenium-4.30.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/SeleniumHQ/selenium/releases/tag/selenium-4.29.0","date":"2025-02-20T12:14:50Z","type":"stable","version":"selenium-4.29.0"}]` |
| reliability.status_page | yes | yes |
| security.scorecard | 4 | 2.7 |
| security.vulnerabilities | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=npm&package_name=nightwatch&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` | - |

## Capabilities (Testing Tools)

| Capability | Nightwatch | Selenium |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Core** |  |  |
| Test types | - | - |
| Browser automation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Built-in assertion library | ✓ | - |
| Languages | JavaScript/Node.js | Java, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, .NET |
| **Isolation** |  |  |
| Mocking / stubbing | ✓ | - |
| **Techniques** |  |  |
| Snapshot testing | ✓ | - |
| **Performance** |  |  |
| Parallel execution | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Insight** |  |  |
| Code coverage | ✗ | - |
| **DX** |  |  |
| Watch mode | - | - |
| **Ops** |  |  |
| CI integration | ✓ | ✓ |

*Source: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T15:03:02.566Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*