[BUG] Browser binary caching does not work in GitHub actions

[nefrob]

System info

• Playwright Version: v1.39.0
• Operating System: Ubuntu
• Browser: All
• Other info: Github Actions

Source code

• I provided exact source code that allows reproducing the issue locally.

GitHub Action file

Following the approach outlined in this issue for the node version of playwright: microsoft/playwright#7249.

name: Demo

on:
    workflow_dispatch:

env:
    PLAYWRIGHT_BROWSERS_PATH: '~/.cache/ms-playwright'

jobs:
    test:
        runs-on: 'ubuntu-22.04'

        steps:
            - name: Git - Get Sources
              uses: actions/checkout@v3
              with:
                  fetch-depth: 0

            - name: Set up Python 3.11
              uses: actions/setup-python@v4
              with:
                  cache-dependency-path: "requirements.txt"
                  cache: "pip"
                  python-version: "3.11"

            - name: Install Python dependencies
              run: pip install -r requirements.txt

            - name: Set playwright version
              run: |
                PLAYWRIGHT_VERSION=$(playwright --version)
                echo "PLAYWRIGHT_VERSION=$PLAYWRIGHT_VERSION" >> $GITHUB_ENV

            - name: Cache playwright browser binaries
              uses: actions/cache@v3
              id: playwright-cache
              with:
                path: ~/.cache/ms-playwright
                key: ${{ runner.os }}-playwright-${{ env.PLAYWRIGHT_VERSION }}

            - name: Install playwright OS dependencies
              if: steps.playwright-cache.outputs.cache-hit == 'true'
              run: playwright install-deps

            - name: Install playwright browser binaries & OS dependencies
              if: steps.playwright-cache.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
              run: playwright install --with-deps chromium

            - name: Run tests
              run: pytest

Steps

• Run the action via manual dispatch

Expected

• First run install the dependencies and browsers
• Repeated runs skips the browser installs
• Tests successfully run either way

Actual

Dependencies and browsers are installed but playwright complains:

E       playwright._impl._api_types.Error: Executable doesn't exist at /home/runner/work/tilt-repo/tilt-repo/automation/~/.cache/ms-playwright/chromium-1084/chrome-linux/chrome
E       ╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
E       ║ Looks like Playwright was just installed or updated.       ║
E       ║ Please run the following command to download new browsers: ║
E       ║                                                            ║
E       ║     playwright install                                     ║
E       ║                                                            ║
E       ║ <3 Playwright Team                                         ║
E       ╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

If this behavior is not intended please update the docs: https://playwright.dev/python/docs/ci-intro#on-pushpull_request.

[mxschmitt]

We strongly discourage caching browsers as per here. If you want to have the browsers pre-installed, we recommend using our container: https://playwright.dev/python/docs/ci-intro#via-containers

[nefrob]

Thanks for the info.