Compare · Beta
WinAppDriver & FlaUI alternative — record Windows UI tests visually
If you are tired of hand-writing selectors for Windows apps, Lighthouse attaches to a process,
shows a live UI map, and turns clicks into replayable steps. Prefer ids over bounds —
same AutomationId can run on Android too.
The problem
Windows UI testing without a wall of selectors
WinAppDriver, raw FlaUI, and similar stacks are powerful — and often start from code and XPath-ish locators. That is fine for CI experts; it is slow when you just need to capture a flow from a real window.
Typical pain
- Guessing AutomationIds / names until playback flakes
- No live map of what UIA actually sees
- Separate tools for inspect vs record vs run
- Hard to share a flow with someone who does not write C# all day
What Lighthouse does instead
- Attach → visual inspector map of the UI tree
- Record clicks / asserts from the map (or edit as script)
- Replay in-app, Dashboard, or headless CLI / local API
- Prefer shared AutomationId for portable Windows ↔ Android steps
Honest compare
When to use what
| Need | WinAppDriver / FlaUI code | Lighthouse (beta) |
|---|---|---|
| See the UI tree visually | Inspectors / custom tooling | Built-in map + properties |
| Record a flow quickly | Usually hand-written | Map recording + script edit |
| Deep custom C# control | Full programming model | Not a FlaUI library replacement |
| CI / headless runs | Your framework | CLI + local HTTP API |
| Same ids on Android | Separate stack | Switch platform; shared AutomationId |
| Maturity / signing | Established ecosystems | Early beta · unsigned Setup · SmartScreen |
Lighthouse is a desktop product for inspect → record → play, not an open-source drop-in for every WinAppDriver session. If you need maximum code-level control, keep FlaUI. If you want a visual recorder that still exports runnable suites, try the beta.
Who it fits
Built for these searches
- “Record Windows UI tests” without starting from boilerplate
- “WinAppDriver alternative” with a visual map
- “FlaUI recorder” / inspect what UIA sees, then replay
- .NET MAUI / Flutter apps that share one AutomationId across Windows and Android
Not for: iOS yet, unsigned enterprise-only policies without SmartScreen override, or games/DirectX UIs with little UIA surface — see limits.
Beta · Windows installer
Try the visual recorder
Free 30-day trial on first Setup install. No Visual Studio required to run the app.