General Cypress Questions

1. What is Cypress?
   • Answer: Cypress is an open-source end-to-end testing framework designed for modern web applications. It enables developers to write tests that interact with the user interface and verify the application’s functionality.
2. How does Cypress differ from Selenium?
   • Answer: Unlike Selenium, which operates by interacting with the browser through WebDriver, Cypress runs inside the browser itself. This provides more reliable and faster test execution, automatic waiting, and easier debugging.
3. What are the core features of Cypress?
   • Answer: Core features include real-time browser preview, automatic waiting, easy setup, time-travel debugging, network stubbing, and support for both unit and integration testing.
4. How do you install Cypress?
   • Answer: Install Cypress using npm with the command npm install cypress --save-dev. You can then open Cypress with npx cypress open.
5. What is the Cypress Test Runner?
   • Answer: The Cypress Test Runner is an interactive UI that allows you to run and debug your tests directly in the browser. It provides real-time feedback and allows you to see the test execution as it happens.
6. What is a Cypress test suite?
   • Answer: A Cypress test suite is a collection of tests organized together. In Cypress, test suites are created using describe() blocks.
7. What is a Cypress test case?
   • Answer: A Cypress test case is an individual test within a suite, defined using the it() function. It contains the logic for a specific test scenario.
8. How do you write a basic test in Cypress?
   • Answer: A basic test might look like this:
     describe('My First Test', () => {
it('Visits the Cypress website', () => {
cy.visit('https://www.cypress.io');
cy.contains('Get Started').click();
});
});
9. What is cy.visit() used for in Cypress?
   • Answer: cy.visit() is used to navigate to a specific URL. It loads the page and allows you to interact with it.
10. How do you assert values in Cypress tests?
    • Answer: Use assertions provided by Cypress commands. For example, cy.get('selector').should('contain', 'text') checks if the element contains specific text.

Cypress Commands and Assertions

11. What is cy.get() used for?
    • Answer: cy.get() is used to select elements in the DOM based on a CSS selector. It is a core command for querying elements.
12. How do you interact with form elements in Cypress?
    • Answer: Use commands like cy.type(), cy.select(), cy.check(), and cy.uncheck() to interact with input fields, dropdowns, and checkboxes.
13. What is cy.contains() used for?
    • Answer: cy.contains() is used to find an element that contains specific text, which is useful for locating elements based on their displayed content.
14. How do you handle asynchronous operations in Cypress?
    • Answer: Cypress automatically waits for commands and assertions to complete. You do not need to use explicit waits or callbacks as Cypress handles asynchronous operations internally.
15. What is cy.wait() used for?
    • Answer: cy.wait() is used to wait for a specific period or for an XHR request to complete. It helps in scenarios where you need to wait for some operation to finish before proceeding.
16. How can you stub network requests in Cypress?
    • Answer: Use cy.intercept() to stub or modify network requests. This allows you to simulate responses and control the behavior of your application during tests.
17. What is the purpose of cy.fixture()?
    • Answer: cy.fixture() is used to load external files, such as JSON or text files, for use in tests. It helps in providing test data or mocking responses.
18. How do you handle file uploads in Cypress?
    • Answer: Use the cy.upload() plugin or simulate file uploads by setting the files input property using JavaScript.
19. What is cy.screenshot() used for?
    • Answer: cy.screenshot() is used to take screenshots of the current state of the application during a test, which is useful for debugging and visual validation.
20. How do you use custom commands in Cypress?
    • Answer: Define custom commands in cypress/support/commands.js using Cypress.Commands.add(). Custom commands help in reusing code and simplifying test scripts.

Advanced Topics

21. What is a Cypress fixture?
    • Answer: Fixtures are static files used to provide data to tests. They are stored in the cypress/fixtures folder and can be accessed using cy.fixture().
22. How do you manage environment variables in Cypress?
    • Answer: Manage environment variables using the cypress.json configuration file or by setting them directly in your test commands. They can be accessed using Cypress.env().
23. What is the role of cypress.json?
    • Answer: cypress.json is the configuration file for Cypress where you can define various settings such as base URL, environment variables, and default timeouts.
24. How do you run Cypress tests in headless mode?
    • Answer: Run Cypress tests in headless mode by using the command npx cypress run. This executes the tests without opening the Test Runner UI.
25. What is cy.exec() used for?
    • Answer: cy.exec() is used to execute system commands or scripts as part of the test process, allowing you to perform tasks like setting up or cleaning up the test environment.
26. How do you implement data-driven testing in Cypress?
    • Answer: Implement data-driven testing by using fixtures or external data sources and iterating over data in your tests. You can also use cy.each() to iterate through data sets.
27. What is the purpose of the cypress/plugins/index.js file?
    • Answer: The cypress/plugins/index.js file is used to configure plugins and extend Cypress functionality. It is where you can define custom behavior or integrations.
28. How do you use Cypress with CI/CD pipelines?
    • Answer: Integrate Cypress with CI/CD pipelines by configuring your pipeline scripts to install Cypress, run tests, and handle results. Most CI/CD tools have plugins or support for Cypress.
29. What are Cypress “before” and “after” hooks?
    • Answer: “before” and “after” hooks are used to run code before or after each test or test suite. before() runs before tests, and after() runs after tests. These hooks are useful for setup and teardown operations.
30. What is the cy.request() command used for?
    • Answer: cy.request() is used to make HTTP requests to an API endpoint directly, allowing you to test API responses and perform actions like authentication or data setup.

Troubleshooting and Debugging

31. How do you debug Cypress tests?
    • Answer: Use the Cypress Test Runner for interactive debugging, utilize cy.debug() to pause execution, inspect elements using browser dev tools, and use cy.screenshot() for visual feedback.
32. What is the role of cy.pause()?
    • Answer: cy.pause() is used to pause the test execution and allow manual interaction with the application during testing. It helps in debugging issues interactively.
33. How do you handle flaky tests in Cypress?
    • Answer: Address flaky tests by improving test reliability, using proper waits, handling dynamic content, and avoiding hardcoded timeouts. Review logs and debug to identify root causes.
34. What is cy.visit({ timeout: ... }) used for?
    • Answer: cy.visit({ timeout: ... }) allows you to specify a timeout for page load, which is useful for handling slow-loading pages and preventing tests from failing due to extended load times.
35. How do you use Cypress to test responsive design?
    • Answer: Test responsive design by using the cy.viewport() command to simulate different screen sizes and devices, and verify that the application behaves correctly across various viewports.
36. How do you handle browser compatibility in Cypress?
    • Answer: Cypress supports testing in Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. You can configure your tests to run in different browsers and ensure cross-browser compatibility by using the appropriate test settings and configurations.
37. How do you manage test data and state in Cypress?
    • Answer: Manage test data and state by using fixtures, stubbing network requests, and setting up application state before tests. You can also use cy.task() to perform backend operations.
38. What are some best practices for writing Cypress tests?
    • Answer: Best practices include writing clear and maintainable tests, using meaningful test names, avoiding hardcoded values, using fixtures for test data, and ensuring tests are isolated and independent.
39. How do you handle authentication in Cypress tests?
    • Answer: Handle authentication by stubbing authentication requests using cy.intercept() or by logging in programmatically using cy.request() to set authentication tokens or cookies.
40. How do you use cy.wrap() in Cypress?
    • Answer: cy.wrap() is used to wrap non-Cypress objects or values into a Cypress chainable object, allowing you to perform Cypress commands or assertions on them.

Advanced Topics and Integration

41. What is the purpose of Cypress plugins?
    • Answer: Cypress plugins extend the functionality of Cypress by providing additional features, integrating with other tools, or customizing test execution. They are configured in cypress/plugins/index.js.
42. How do you create a custom Cypress plugin?
    • Answer: Create a custom plugin by defining it in cypress/plugins/index.js and implementing the desired functionality. Plugins can be used to add custom commands, modify test behavior, or integrate with external tools.
43. What is cy.task() used for in Cypress?
    • Answer: cy.task() is used to run Node.js code from within a Cypress test. It allows you to perform tasks such as interacting with the file system, connecting to databases, or executing custom scripts.
44. How do you configure global test settings in Cypress?
    • Answer: Configure global test settings in cypress.json, where you can define base URL, timeouts, environment variables, and other global configuration options.
45. What is the purpose of Cypress’ cypress.json file?
    • Answer: The cypress.json file is used for global configuration settings for Cypress tests. It includes base URL, viewport settings, environment variables, and other configuration options.
46. How do you use Cypress for visual regression testing?
    • Answer: Use visual regression plugins like cypress-image-snapshot to compare screenshots of your application’s UI with baseline images and detect visual changes.
47. What is Cypress Dashboard?
    • Answer: Cypress Dashboard is a service provided by Cypress that offers advanced features such as test recording, parallelization, and detailed test analytics. It helps in tracking and managing test runs.
48. How do you implement parallel test execution in Cypress?
    • Answer: Implement parallel test execution by using the Cypress Dashboard service or CI/CD tools that support parallel test execution. Configure your CI/CD pipeline to distribute test runs across multiple agents.
49. What is the use of the cy.wrap() command?
    • Answer: cy.wrap() allows you to convert a non-Cypress object into a Cypress chainable object, enabling you to use Cypress commands and assertions on it.
50. How do you handle cookies in Cypress?
    • Answer: Handle cookies using commands like cy.getCookie(), cy.setCookie(), and cy.clearCookie(). These commands allow you to interact with cookies for tasks such as setting authentication tokens or clearing session data.