Migrate from Applitools to Argos

Migrate visual testing from Applitools Eyes to Argos. Replace the eyes.check() lifecycle and the Ultrafast Grid with Argos screenshots for Playwright or Cypress.

This guide shows how to move a project from Applitools Eyes to Argos. The biggest change is the API shape: Applitools uses an open / check / close lifecycle per test, while Argos captures a screenshot with a single call.

How Applitools and Argos differ

• Applitools captures the DOM in your test and renders it in the Ultrafast Grid across the browsers and viewports you configure, then compares with Visual AI using match levels (Strict, Layout, Content, Exact).
• Argos captures the rendered screenshot in the browser your test runs and compares it with a pixel diff algorithm tuned to ignore anti-aliasing and sub-pixel noise. Cross-browser and multi-viewport coverage comes from your test framework (for example Playwright projects).

If you leaned heavily on Applitools' Layout match level and cloud grid, plan for two things in Argos: cover extra browsers/viewports by running your tests in them, and stabilize dynamic content so the pixel diff stays clean.

Concept mapping

Applitools	Argos
@applitools/eyes-playwright	@argos-ci/playwright
eyes.open() / eyes.check() / eyes.close()	argosScreenshot(page, "Name")
cy.eyesOpen / cy.eyesCheckWindow / cy.eyesClose	cy.argosScreenshot("Name")
APPLITOOLS_API_KEY	ARGOS_TOKEN
Ultrafast Grid (browsers & viewports)	Playwright projects / responsive viewports
Match levels (Strict, Layout, Content)	Diff algorithm + flaky-test stabilization
Batches	Builds
applitools.config.js	Argos reporter options in playwright.config.ts
Eyes dashboard	Review a build + PR comment

Migrate a Playwright project

1

Remove the Applitools packages

npm uninstall @applitools/eyes-playwright

2

Install the Argos Playwright SDK

npm

npm i --save-dev @argos-ci/playwright

yarn

yarn add --dev @argos-ci/playwright

pnpm

pnpm add --save-dev @argos-ci/playwright

bun

bun add --dev @argos-ci/playwright

3

Add the Argos reporter

Applitools is configured through applitools.config.js and custom fixtures. In Argos, configuration lives in the Playwright reporter:

playwright.config.ts

import { defineConfig } from "@playwright/test";
import { createArgosReporterOptions } from "@argos-ci/playwright/reporter";

export default defineConfig({
  reporter: [
    process.env.CI ? ["dot"] : ["list"],
    [
      "@argos-ci/playwright/reporter",
      createArgosReporterOptions({
        uploadToArgos: !!process.env.CI,
      }),
    ],
  ],
  use: {
    launchOptions: {
      args: ["--disable-lcd-text", "--font-render-hinting=none"],
    },
  },
});

4

Collapse the Eyes lifecycle into one call

Replace each open → check → close sequence with a single argosScreenshot call. There is no per-test session to open or close.

Before (Applitools)

import { Target } from "@applitools/eyes-playwright";
import { test } from "@applitools/eyes-playwright/fixture";

test("homepage", async ({ page, eyes }) => {
  await page.goto("http://localhost:3000");
  await eyes.check("Homepage", Target.window().fully());
  // eyes.open()/close() handled by the fixture
});

After (Argos)

import { test } from "@playwright/test";
import { argosScreenshot } from "@argos-ci/playwright";

test("homepage", async ({ page }) => {
  await page.goto("http://localhost:3000");
  await argosScreenshot(page, "Homepage");
});

If you used the plain (non-fixture) API — const eyes = new Eyes(runner); await eyes.open(...); await eyes.check(...); await eyes.close(); — remove all three lifecycle calls and keep one argosScreenshot per checkpoint.

5

Update the CI command

Rename the secret from APPLITOOLS_API_KEY to ARGOS_TOKEN and run your tests directly.

- run: npx playwright test
  env:
    ARGOS_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.ARGOS_TOKEN }}

On GitHub Actions you can use OIDC or tokenless authentication instead of a secret.

6

Delete Applitools config

Remove applitools.config.js, any Eyes fixtures/imports, and the APPLITOOLS_API_KEY secret.

Migrate a Cypress project

Replace @applitools/eyes-cypress with @argos-ci/cypress. The three-call lifecycle collapses the same way:

Before (Applitools)

cy.eyesOpen({ appName: "App", testName: "Homepage" });
cy.eyesCheckWindow("Homepage");
cy.eyesClose();

After (Argos)

cy.argosScreenshot("Homepage");

Full setup is in the Cypress quickstart.

Migrating Applitools features

Match levels (Layout / Content / Strict)

Argos uses a single pixel diff algorithm with tolerance for anti-aliasing and rendering noise, rather than selectable match levels. To handle content that legitimately changes (dates, avatars, ads), stabilize it before the screenshot — see the flaky test playbook and Argos helpers.

Ultrafast Grid (many browsers & viewports)

Argos captures the real browser your test runs in. Reproduce grid coverage by adding Playwright projects for chromium, firefox, and webkit, and by capturing multiple responsive viewports.

Regions to ignore / floating regions

Instead of ignore regions defined in the check call, hide or neutralize dynamic elements before the screenshot with injected CSS or the stabilization helpers.

Frequently asked questions

Does Argos use AI to compare screenshots?

Argos compares with a pixel diff algorithm tuned to ignore anti-aliasing and sub-pixel differences. It also offers AI-assisted review to help triage changes, but the diff itself is deterministic. See how Argos detects visual differences.

Do I need to open and close a session per test?

No. There is no session lifecycle. Call argosScreenshot wherever you want a checkpoint and the reporter handles the upload.

What happens to my Applitools baselines?

They don't transfer. The first Argos build on your reference branch becomes the baseline automatically, so run Argos on your default branch first.

Next steps

• How Argos detects visual differences
• Keep your screenshots stable
• Responsive viewports — reproduce Ultrafast Grid coverage.
• Argos vs Applitools — a side-by-side comparison.