As technology evolves, so does our need for efficient coding tools. The Cypress automation framework is one such tool that continues to provide developers with a wide range of features and commands to help speed up their workflows. Knowing the correct Cypress Testing commands can be hugely beneficial in helping you stay up-to-date with the latest trends

With that in mind, we will look look at the top 10 Cypress commands that will be especially useful in 2023. From time-saving features to improved debugging and testing capabilities, these powerful commands could make a massive difference in your development success. So let’s take a look at what the future holds for Cypress!

What is Cypress?

Cypress is a popular open-source JavaScript testing framework used for testing web applications. It is easy to set up and uses modern tools like Mocha and Chai to run tests.

Cypress can automate browser-based testing, such as navigating web pages, filling in forms, clicking on links and buttons, and verifying the correct output. It can also perform automated integration tests on APIs and backend services.

Examples of tests created with Cypress include verifying that search results are displaying correctly, ensuring a payment gateway works properly, validating data sent from an API response, or triggering password reset emails.

Features of Cypress

It has unique features and benefits to make testing more accessible and faster. These include its fast, real-time tests that run directly in the browser without additional setup; its powerful assertion library with commands such as “should,” “expect,” and “assert”; its full integration with popular CI/CD tools such as Jenkins, CircleCI and TravisCI; its ability to interact with the DOM elements natively using the Console log; its excellent debugging capabilities including time travel system for easy bug reproduction; and finally, its flexible architecture which makes it easy to customize.

These features combine to make Cypress an invaluable tool for software engineers developing web applications. Examples of its use can be seen in projects like Zillow’s mobile app, where Cypress was used for end-to-end testing providing reliability assurance for their users.

Top 10 Cypress Commands That Could Be Useful In 2023

In the coming years, Cypress commands will be growing and evolving to meet the development needs of the times. Here are some top 10 Cypress commands that could be useful in 2023:

1. cy.visit() – to open a web page within the test environment

The cy.visit() command is an essential Cypress tool that allows users to open a web page within the test environment, allowing them to perform various tests, such as checking and filling out form fields to prevent the application’s functionality and correctness.

This command opens up a website, can store essential cookies in the local storage, and simulate user behavior on a web page by taking input values sent through various inputs.

For example, cy.visit(‘https://example.com/’) will open the homepage of example.com, while cy.visit({url: ‘https://example.com/’, method:’GET’}) will send a GET request with additional configurations like headers or data body payloads if needed.

2. cy.get() – to interact with DOM elements and make assertions on them

The cy.get() command is useful for manipulating and making assertions on DOM elements, such as interactively accessing an element’s content, querying its attributes or classes, clicking on it, and more.

For example, we can use the command to access an element’s id attribute: cy.get(‘#element-id’). We can also use the command to click on a button: cy.get(‘#button-id’).click().

This command can be handy in 2023 as many web applications will depend heavily on manipulating DOM elements from within automated tests of their functionality.

The ability to quickly and accurately make assertions across different browsers with this single command will save time and effort when implementing continuous integration and testing technologies that require quick feedback loops.

3. cy.contains() – to check if a particular element is present in the DOM

The cy.contains() command is an essential Cypress tool used to check if a particular element is present in the DOM (Document Object Model). This command is useful as it allows you to verify that an element exists on your web application, such as a login button or other interactive element.

For example, you can use this command to check if the Text Field element with class’ username’ exists and then add code to log into the app. This allows for faster and more efficient testing processes since it eliminates manual checking of each HTML element.

In 2023, this command will be even more helpful as web applications become increasingly complex with higher levels of usability and interactivity. As such, cy.contains() will enable testers to quickly verify elements and their expected behavior, ensuring that all components within a web app are working correctly and efficiently before deployment.

4. cy.wait() – to wait for an action or a specific state change before proceeding with the rest of the test

Cy.wait() is an essential command used in Cypress automation tests to make the tests more reliable, as it allows the test to pause until an action or a specific state change occurs before the rest of the test can continue. This can be particularly useful for ensuring that an element appears on a page or that a page has finished loading before proceeding with further testing.

For example, if you were testing a web page for login functionality, you would use cy.wait() to ensure that the login credentials were accepted and the user was logged in before continuing further tests.

As websites become increasingly complex during 2022 and beyond, this command will become more valuable in 2023 and beyond due to its ability to simulate user behavior accurately and verify conditions before continuing with other aspects of testing.

Using cy.wait(), testers can ensure that their application is behaving correctly and reliably, preventing bugs from going unnoticed until it’s too late.

5. cy.fixture() –to load data from a fixture file and use it in the test

Cy.fixture() is a command used in Cypress to load data from a fixture file and use it in the test. Fixtures are JavaScript files containing any data, from JSON and XML to images.

With cy.fixture(), you can retrieve this data from a fixture file and use it in the test. For example, if you were testing an API endpoint for an e-commerce website and needed to provide different sample product IDs as input, you could store these IDs in a fixture file and then call cy.fixture() inside your tests to access them whenever they’re needed.

In 2023, this command will likely still be helpful as more developers strive for robust application testing with minimal setup time by utilizing pre-defined testing data stored inside separate files, making cy.fixture() a helpful tool for their workflow.

6. cy.exec() – to run custom commands on the command line before or after executing tests

cy.exec() is a powerful Cypress command which allows users to execute custom commands on the command line before or after tests are conducted. This can perform specific tasks like setting environment variables, making HTTP requests, running database queries, and more.

For example, in 2020, cy.exec() was used to make an HTTP request to populate a database with test data before running any tests. By 2023 it could be used for more complex tasks, such as triggering webhooks to pre-populate test data over APIs for automated integration testing or executing shell scripts that deploy applications into cloud environments for end-to-end testing.

cy.exec() is incredibly useful in automation because it removes the need for manual steps that can be error-prone and time-consuming when done manually, enabling developers and testers to get the most out of their Cypress test suite by automating tasks efficiently.

7. cy.spy() – to track calls to a function or an object method

Cy.spy() is a command that tracks calls to a function or an object method. This command helps debug and can provide valuable insights into how functions and processes are used. For example, looking at the number and types of arguments passed in a call can help identify potential bugs quickly.

By 2023, this command will be even more helpful as machine learning algorithms become increasingly prevalent, allowing developers to ensure that their models are being called properly – e.g., by verifying that the correct input arguments have been passed through. 

Overall, cy.spy() is a potent tool for tracking function and object method calls, making debugging simpler and faster, thereby proving its usefulness in 2023 and beyond.

8. cy.clock() – to mock the system clock for testing purposes

The cy.clock() command is used in Cypress test automation to mock the system clock for testing purposes. This command pauses, advances, or reverts the system’s clock under tests, allowing developers to test application behaviors predictably based on date and time.

For example, if a user needs to validate an action that happens at 8 am every morning, cy.clock() can be used to set the system’s clock to 8 am for testing purposes. To further illustrate this point, if a user wants to run a series of tests over multiple days or weeks of time passing, they can pause and advance time with additional arguments passed into this command to test what should happen if those situations occur within their application.

cy.clock() could prove helpful in 2023 as applications become more inherently reliant on dates and times for outputs; it will give developers the ability quickly and effectively simulate conditions occurring due to specific dates and times within their software, making it easier for them to debug any issues that may arise in production environments properly.

 

9. Cypress-retry-plugin – to retry failed tests from where they left off

The Cypress-retry-plugin is a valuable tool for retrying any failed tests in automation. It allows users to pick up where they left off if tests do not pass the first time, and it can also be used to re-run tests that have previously been executed. This command could prove especially useful in 2023 when the demand for reliable automation frameworks continues to rise.

For example, this plugin could help ensure that developers do not have to rebuild test cases from scratch every time a minor logic error slips through the cracks. Furthermore, if errors are encountered during an automated run of a more extensive system, re-running only those specific parts with Cypress-retry instead of restarting the entire process could save valuable development time.

10. cy.exec() – to run external scripts while running tests

The cy.exec() command is a handy tool for running external scripts during tests in Cypress. By allowing users to write their scripts and execute them at specific points, this command streamlines the testing process by allowing for greater control over the actions of individual tests.

For example, a user could write a script that checks for basic information on particular web pages and run that script each time a test visits those pages. This ensures that said pages have the correct information and allows automatic validation with each test. 

In 2023, cy.exec() will become even more valuable as it can be used to automate more complex tasks, such as collecting data across multiple sites or triggering automated prompts with varying outcomes based on the current state of a test subject’s profile page without manual intervention from testers themselves.

With its powerful capabilities, cy.exec() will undoubtedly become an invaluable asset come 2023!

These top 10 Cypress commands will continue being functional even in the year 2023. They can be used to enhance the user experience when writing automated tests, which is essential for ensuring that web applications provide reliable and secure services. With these helpful commands, you can easily create efficient and effective test cases for any application, regardless of its complexity.

Many online platforms are available in the market to perform Cypress testing and one such platform is LambdaTest. Cypress Framework capabilities can also be exploited using LambdaTest CLI. LambdaTest offers a cloud Cypress grid for testing across 50+ real browsers on the cloud.

Why choose LambdaTest for Cypress Testing?

As a developer, you want to ensure that your Cypress testing is performed optimally with suitable browser versions. However, manually testing across multiple browsers poses a significant challenge. 

If you don’t have access to different browsers, or if it is difficult and time-consuming to check compatibility across multiple browsers manually, then you are at risk of launching an application with bugs and glitches.

LambdaTest offers an easy solution – integrate LambdaTest with Cypress to perform comprehensive browser compatibility testing on the cloud in just minutes! With access to 40+ browsers and mobile devices, you can be sure that your applications will perform as expected when released into production.

LambdaTest’s advanced parallel testing capabilities allow you to accelerate your Cypress tests by running them in parallel and quickly reduce your test execution times. With LambdaTest, you can speed up your development process and quickly get feedback on your code to launch products faster with confidence. LambdaTest enables developers to perform automated testing with just a few clicks, ensuring high-quality software releases.

LambdaTest-Cypress CLI npm package provides an easy way to install and run Cypress-based tests on LambdaTest. This package simplifies the testing process as it gives users access to all the tools they need in one place, including a detailed test report, configuration, upload, and download abilities, debugging information, video recordings of test executions, and more.

With this solution, users can enjoy faster turnaround times on their Cypress tests while relying on the trustworthiness of LambdaTest’s cloud infrastructure. Additionally, the test environments available through this package are secure and reliable. With this package installed and running on your system, you’ll quickly test your applications without delays or setbacks.

Conclusion

The Cypress command-line tools are highly recommended to help developers quickly test and debug their applications before releasing them in 2023. With these ten powerful commands, testing websites, apps, and other web applications have never been more accessible. As technology evolves, so too should our approach to automated testing using Cypress, which will make development smoother and build trust with end users.