Docs Menu

Setup & Installation

Getting Specter running in your project requires two steps: installing the Unreal Engine C++ Plugin, and setting up the TypeScript testing environment.

🏢 Enterprise B2B Licensing & Access

Specter is a commercial B2B framework distributed via private npm registry and enterprise C++ plugin repository access. To get access for your studio or set up a 30-Day Proof of Concept ($2,500), please schedule a technical walkthrough with our team.

🎮 Engine Version Compatibility Matrix

  • UE 5.3 – UE 5.8+ (Standard Support): Full native out-of-the-box C++ support for all modern Unreal Engine 5 releases.
  • UE 5.0 – UE 5.2 (Legacy Support): Backward-compatible preprocessor builds available upon request for legacy games in live service.
  • UE 6.0 Preview: Experimental zero-day compatibility for early Unreal Engine 6 builds.

1. Unreal Engine C++ Plugin

The SpecterEnginePlugin is a standard UE5 Runtime module plugin that can be installed as either a Project Plugin or an Engine Plugin.

  1. Project Plugin: Copy the Specter folder into the Plugins/ directory of your specific Unreal Project (YourGame/Plugins/Specter).
  2. Engine Plugin: Copy the Specter folder into your engine installation directory (UE_5.4/Engine/Plugins/Specter) to make automation automatically available across every project opened in that UE5 engine build.
  3. Open your project and verify that Specter is enabled under Edit → Plugins → Testing.
  4. The Specter.uplugin registers as a Runtime module initialized during the Default loading phase. Recompile your project if prompted.

2. Node.js Test Wrapper

Install the Playwright wrapper in your frontend or testing repository.

npm install @specter/test --save-dev

Because Specter is built entirely on @playwright/test, you run your tests exactly as you normally would using the Playwright CLI. The Specter fixtures automatically establish the real-time engine connection before every test block.