Dashcam

Overview

Dashcam provides automatic video recording and log aggregation for your tests. It captures screen recordings, application logs, and test execution details that can be reviewed later.

Basic Usage

With Presets

Most presets automatically include Dashcam:

import { test } from 'vitest';
import { chrome } from 'testdriverai/presets';

test('my test', async (context) => {
  const { testdriver, dashcam } = await chrome(context, {
    url: 'https://example.com'
  });
  
  // Test executes with recording automatically
  await testdriver.find('login button').then(el => el.click());
  
  // Dashcam URL available after test
  console.log('Replay:', dashcam.url);
});

Manual Setup

For more control, create a Dashcam instance directly:

import TestDriver from 'testdriverai';
import Dashcam from 'testdriverai/lib/core/Dashcam.js';

const client = await TestDriver.create({ os: 'linux' });
const dashcam = new Dashcam(client, {
  apiKey: process.env.DASHCAM_API_KEY
});

await dashcam.auth();
await dashcam.start();

// Run your tests

const url = await dashcam.stop();
console.log('Replay URL:', url);

Constructor

Create a new Dashcam instance:

new Dashcam(client, options)

Parameters

TestDriver

required

TestDriver client instance

object

Configuration options

Show options properties

string

Dashcam API key for authentication. Set via TD_API_KEY environment variable.

boolean

default:false

Automatically start recording after authentication

array

default:[]

Log configurations to add automatically

Methods

auth()

Authenticate with Dashcam service:

await dashcam.auth(apiKey)

string

Override the API key set in constructor

Returns: Promise<void> Example:

await dashcam.auth('your-api-key');

start()

Start recording:

await dashcam.start()

Returns: Promise<void> Example:

await dashcam.start();
console.log('Recording started');

stop()

Stop recording and retrieve replay URL:

await dashcam.stop()

Returns: Promise<string|null> - Replay URL if available Example:

const url = await dashcam.stop();
if (url) {
  console.log('Watch replay:', url);
} else {
  console.log('No replay URL available');
}

addFileLog()

Track a log file in the recording:

await dashcam.addFileLog(path, name)

string

required

Path to the log file

string

required

Display name for the log in Dashcam

Returns: Promise<void> Example:

// Linux/Mac
await dashcam.addFileLog('/tmp/app.log', 'Application Log');

// Windows
await dashcam.addFileLog('C:\\logs\\app.log', 'Application Log');

addApplicationLog()

Track application-specific logs:

await dashcam.addApplicationLog(application, name)

string

required

Application name to track

string

required

Display name for the log

Returns: Promise<void> Example:

await dashcam.addApplicationLog('Google Chrome', 'Browser Logs');

addWebLog()

Track web request logs by URL pattern:

await dashcam.addWebLog(pattern, name)

string

required

URL pattern to match (e.g., "*example.com*")

string

required

Display name for the log

Returns: Promise<void> Example:

await dashcam.addWebLog('*example.com*', 'Web Logs');

addLog()

Generic method to add any type of log:

await dashcam.addLog(config)

object

required

Log configuration

Show config properties

string

required

Display name for the log

string

required

Log type: 'file', 'application', or 'web'

string

File path (required for type=‘file’)

string

Application name (required for type=‘application’)

string

URL pattern to match (required for type=‘web’, e.g., "*example.com*")

Returns: Promise<void> Example:

await dashcam.addLog({
  name: 'Test Output',
  type: 'file',
  path: '/tmp/test.log'
});

await dashcam.addLog({
  name: 'Chrome Logs',
  type: 'application',
  application: 'Google Chrome'
});

await dashcam.addLog({
  name: 'Web Logs',
  type: 'web',
  pattern: '*example.com*'
});

isRecording()

Check if currently recording:

await dashcam.isRecording()

Returns: Promise<boolean> - True if recording is active Example:

if (await dashcam.isRecording()) {
  console.log('Recording in progress');
}

Properties

recording

Current recording state:

dashcam.recording // boolean

apiKey

Configured API key:

dashcam.apiKey // string

client

Associated TestDriver client:

dashcam.client // TestDriver instance

Complete Examples

Basic Recording

import { test } from 'vitest';
import TestDriver from 'testdriverai';
import Dashcam from 'testdriverai/lib/core/Dashcam.js';

test('record test execution', async () => {
  const client = await TestDriver.create({ os: 'linux' });
  const dashcam = new Dashcam(client);
  
  await dashcam.auth();
  await dashcam.start();
  
  // Run your test
  await client.find('button').then(el => el.click());
  
  const url = await dashcam.stop();
  console.log('Replay:', url);
  
  await client.cleanup();
});

With Log Tracking

test('record with logs', async () => {
  const client = await TestDriver.create({ os: 'linux' });
  const dashcam = new Dashcam(client);
  
  await dashcam.auth();
  
  // Add log files before starting
  await dashcam.addFileLog('/tmp/testdriver.log', 'TestDriver Log');
  await dashcam.addFileLog('/tmp/app.log', 'Application Log');
  
  await dashcam.start();
  
  // Test execution
  await client.find('login button').then(el => el.click());
  
  const url = await dashcam.stop();
  console.log('Replay with logs:', url);
  
  await client.cleanup();
});

Auto-start Configuration

test('auto-start recording', async () => {
  const client = await TestDriver.create({ os: 'linux' });
  const dashcam = new Dashcam(client, {
    autoStart: true,
    logs: [
      {
        name: 'App Log',
        type: 'file',
        path: '/tmp/app.log'
      }
    ]
  });
  
  await dashcam.auth(); // Automatically starts recording
  
  // Test execution
  await client.find('submit button').then(el => el.click());
  
  const url = await dashcam.stop();
  console.log('Replay:', url);
  
  await client.cleanup();
});

Using with Presets

import { chrome } from 'testdriverai/presets';

test('preset with dashcam', async (context) => {
  const { testdriver, dashcam } = await chrome(context, {
    url: 'https://example.com',
    dashcam: true // Enabled by default
  });
  
  // Test runs with automatic recording
  await testdriver.find('button').then(el => el.click());
  
  // URL automatically available
  console.log('Replay:', dashcam.url);
});

Disabling Dashcam in Presets

test('without dashcam', async (context) => {
  const { testdriver } = await chrome(context, {
    url: 'https://example.com',
    dashcam: false // Disable recording
  });
  
  // Test runs without recording (faster)
  await testdriver.find('button').then(el => el.click());
});

Platform Differences

Windows

On Windows, Dashcam uses PowerShell commands and installs via npm:

// Windows-specific paths
await dashcam.addFileLog(
  'C:\\Users\\testdriver\\Documents\\testdriver.log',
  'TestDriver Log'
);

Linux/Mac

On Linux/Mac, Dashcam uses shell commands:

// Unix-specific paths
await dashcam.addFileLog('/tmp/testdriver.log', 'TestDriver Log');

Overview

Guide

Scaling

Actions

SDK Reference

Overview

Basic Usage

With Presets

Manual Setup

Constructor

Parameters

Methods

auth()

start()

stop()

addFileLog()

addApplicationLog()

addWebLog()

addLog()

isRecording()

Properties

recording

apiKey

client

Complete Examples

Basic Recording

With Log Tracking

Auto-start Configuration

Using with Presets

Disabling Dashcam in Presets

Platform Differences

Windows

Linux/Mac

​Overview

​Basic Usage

​With Presets

​Manual Setup

​Constructor

​Parameters

​Methods

​auth()

​start()

​stop()

​addFileLog()

​addApplicationLog()

​addWebLog()

​addLog()

​isRecording()

​Properties

​recording

​apiKey

​client

​Complete Examples

​Basic Recording

​With Log Tracking

​Auto-start Configuration

​Using with Presets

​Disabling Dashcam in Presets

​Platform Differences

​Windows

​Linux/Mac

Overview

Basic Usage

With Presets

Manual Setup

Constructor

Parameters

Methods

auth()

start()

stop()

addFileLog()

addApplicationLog()

addWebLog()

addLog()

isRecording()

Properties

recording

apiKey

client

Complete Examples

Basic Recording

With Log Tracking

Auto-start Configuration

Using with Presets

Disabling Dashcam in Presets

Platform Differences

Windows

Linux/Mac