Vizzy
Vizzy is a free, MIT-licensed Ruby on Rails server for visual automation on Linux, through self-hosting or the web.
What Vizzy is
Vizzy is a free, MIT-licensed Ruby on Rails server for visual automation on Linux, through self-hosting or the web. It compares baseline screenshots with screenshots captured by tests pixel by pixel, then produces a third image marking differences in red. The intended setup includes a build pipeline that runs tests on pull requests and a client testing framework that captures and saves screenshots. Vizzy can post a GitHub status linking to a visual review containing differences, new or missing tests, test history, comments, and image approvals. Configurable integrations are described for Slack, Jira, Bamboo, and Jenkins. The server is Docker-ready, with Kubernetes and Heroku deployment options documented. Local registration is the default authentication method, with optional LDAP authentication and account lookup. Setup requires Ruby 2.3.7, Rails 5.1.6.2, ImageMagick 6, and PostgreSQL. Encrypted Rails secrets use the RAILS_MASTER_KEY environment variable.
Good
- Free and open source
- Pixel-by-pixel screenshot comparison
- GitHub visual approval workflow
- Docker, Kubernetes, and Heroku options
- Slack, Jira, Bamboo, and Jenkins plugins
Watch out
- Requires older Ruby and Rails versions
- Animations can create inconsistent screenshots
- Changing dates can cause visual differences
- Squash merges can break pre-approvals
Who it suits
Vizzy suits development teams whose pull-request pipeline captures screenshots and needs visual regression review. It is also relevant to teams wanting self-hosted deployment and integrations with their existing collaboration or CI tools.
Verdict
Vizzy combines automated screenshot diffs with a GitHub-centered approval process. Its documented prerequisites and visual-test caveats should be checked before deployment.
The facts
Each one read from Vizzy's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Authentication
- The README describes local authentication with user registration by default and LDAP authentication as an option.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Build prerequisites
- The README lists a build pipeline that runs tests on pull requests and a client testing framework that captures screenshots as prerequisites.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Configuration security
- The setup instructions use Rails encrypted secrets and say to keep the encryption key out of the repository in the RAILS_MASTER_KEY environment variable.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Dependencies
- The README lists Ruby 2.3.7, Rails 5.1.6.2, ImageMagick version 6, and PostgreSQL as setup requirements.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- The server is Docker-ready, and the README describes deployment with Kubernetes and Helm or Heroku.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Image comparison
- It compares matching screenshots pixel by pixel and generates a third image that highlights differences in red.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The plugin architecture includes configurable plugins for Slack, Jira, Bamboo, and Jenkins.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Intended use
- The README says Vizzy relies on a build pipeline that runs tests on pull requests and a client testing framework that captures and saves screenshots.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Known visual test caveats
- The README warns that animations and changing dates can cause inconsistent screenshots and visual diffs.checked 9 Oct 2026
- License
- The repository identifies Vizzy as MIT licensed.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Merge limitation
- The README says squash merging can break pre-approvals because Vizzy associates image approvals with pull request commit SHAs.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Notable limitation
- The README warns that squash merging breaks pre-approvals because approvals are associated with pull request commit SHAs.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Pull request workflow
- Vizzy can update a GitHub status with a visual overview showing diffs, new or missing tests, test history, comments, and image approval.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Vizzy is a Ruby on Rails web server for visual automation that compares screenshots to help prevent visual regressions.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Review workflow
- Vizzy posts a GitHub status linking to an overview of diffs, new and missing tests, test history, comments, and image approvals.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Screenshot comparison
- It compares baseline and test screenshots pixel by pixel and creates a third image that highlights differences in red.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Secrets
- The setup instructions use encrypted Rails secrets and say to keep the encryption key out of the repository in the RAILS_MASTER_KEY environment variable.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Setup requirements
- The documented prerequisites are Ruby 2.3.7, Rails 5.1.6.2, ImageMagick 6, and PostgreSQL.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Support
- The README invites developers to join the Vizzy developer Slack community.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Support and community
- The README links to a Vizzy developer Slack community.checked 4 Oct 2026
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