As a software tester, I have come across many testing frameworks, but Cypress stands out as one of the best. It is an end-to-end testing framework that makes it easy to write, run, and debug tests. One of the key features of Cypress is its before each aliases, which allows you to execute code before each test in a clean and organised way. In this article, I will explore the power of Cypress before each aliases, its benefits, and best practices for using it.

Introduction to Cypress and its Before Each Aliases #

Cypress is a JavaScript-based end-to-end testing framework that is widely used in the industry. It has a rich API that makes it easy to write tests and its powerful features such as time-travel debugging, automatic waiting, and real-time reload make it a top choice for many testers. Cypress before each aliases is a feature that allows you to execute code before each test in a clean and organised way.

Understanding Cypress Aliases and How They Work #

Cypress aliases are a way to reference elements in your application by assigning them to a variable. For example, if you have a button with the ID “submit”, you can create an alias for it using the following code:

cy.get('#submit').as('submitButton')

This creates an alias named “submitButton” that references the button with the ID “submit”. You can then use this alias in your tests instead of hard-coding the ID. This makes your tests more readable and maintainable.

Benefits of Cypress Aliases in Testing #

There are several benefits of using Cypress aliases in testing. Firstly, it makes your tests more readable and maintainable. Instead of hard-coding IDs and classes in your tests, you can create aliases that reference them. This makes it easier to update your tests when the application changes.

Secondly, Cypress aliases make your tests more robust. If you hard-code IDs and classes in your tests, they can break when the application changes. By using aliases, your tests are more resilient to changes in the application.

Finally, Cypress aliases make your tests faster. When you use aliases, Cypress caches the elements, so they don’t have to be looked up every time they are used. This can significantly speed up your tests.

Using Cypress Global Variables and Cypress As to Create Aliases #

Cypress global variables are variables that are available throughout your tests. You can use them to store data that needs to be shared between tests. You can create global variables using the following code:

Cypress.env('myVariable', 'myValue')

This creates a global variable named “myVariable” with the value “myValue”. You can then access this variable in your tests using the following code:

Cypress.env('myVariable')

Cypress as is a method that allows you to create aliases for elements. You can create an alias using the following code:

cy.get('#submit').as('submitButton')

This creates an alias named “submitButton” that references the button with the ID “submit”.

The Difference Between Cypress Variable and Cypress Command Return Value #

Cypress variable is a variable that is created using the let keyword. It can be used to store data that needs to be used within a test. Cypress command return value is the value returned by a Cypress command. For example, the cy.get() command returns a jQuery object that represents an element in the DOM.

The key difference between Cypress variable and Cypress command return value is that Cypress variable is synchronous, while Cypress command return value is asynchronous. This means that if you need to use the return value of a Cypress command, you need to use a callback function.

Cypress Commands Return Value and How to Use Them #

Cypress commands return value is the value returned by a Cypress command. For example, the cy.get() command returns a jQuery object that represents an element in the DOM. You can use the return value of a Cypress command in your tests by chaining commands together.

For example, if you want to click a button and verify that it has been disabled, you can use the following code:

cy.get('#submit').click().should('be.disabled')

This code uses the return value of the cy.get() command to click the button and then verifies that it has been disabled using the should() command.

Sharing Variables Between Tests in Cypress #

Sharing variables between tests in Cypress can be done using global variables or aliases. Global variables are useful when you need to share data between tests that are not related. Aliases are useful when you need to share data between tests that are related.

To share data between tests using aliases, you can create an alias in a beforeEach() hook and then use it in your tests. For example, if you want to share data between two tests, you can use the following code:

beforeEach(() => {  cy.get('#submit').as('submitButton')})it('Test 1', () => {  cy.get('@submitButton').click()})it('Test 2', () => {  cy.get('@submitButton').should('be.disabled')})

This code creates an alias for the button with the ID “submit” in the beforeEach() hook and then uses it in two tests.

Return Value from Command in Cypress #

The return value from a command in Cypress is the value returned by the command. For example, the cy.get() command returns a jQuery object that represents an element in the DOM. You can use the return value of a command in your tests by chaining commands together.

For example, if you want to get the text of an element and verify that it contains a certain string, you can use the following code:

cy.get('#element').invoke('text').should('contain', 'string')

This code uses the invoke() command to get the text of the element and then verifies that it contains a certain string using the should() command.

Best Practices for Using Cypress Before Each Aliases #

When using Cypress before each aliases, there are some best practices that you should follow. Firstly, you should use aliases to reference elements in your application instead of hard-coding IDs and classes. This makes your tests more readable and maintainable.

Secondly, you should use global variables to share data between tests that are not related and aliases to share data between tests that are related. This makes your tests more organised and easier to maintain.

Finally, you should use beforeEach() hooks to set up your tests. This makes your tests more structured and easier to understand.

Conclusion #

Cypress before each aliases is a powerful feature that makes it easy to execute code before each test in a clean and organised way. By using aliases, global variables, and Cypress commands return value, you can create robust and maintainable tests. When using Cypress before each aliases, it is important to follow best practices to ensure that your tests are organised and easy to maintain. If you want to learn more about automation testing with Cypress, join LSET today.