How Do E2E Tests Navigate Pages? An Ice Skating Analogy

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I’m an ice skater at an enormous rink, each section representing a different webpage in an E2E test. The rink is with activity, each skater like a line of code, gliding smoothly to ensure everything flows perfectly. These skates are my tool, much like JavaScript, agile and precise, allowing me to shift seamlessly from one page to the next.

As I push off from the starting point, I glide effortlessly across the rink, arriving at the first section, the homepage. Here, I perform a graceful spin, checking that everything looks perfect—like verifying the homepage loads correctly. With a swift nod, I signal that all is well.

With a burst of speed, I skate towards the next section, the login page. Like checking credentials in an E2E test, I need to maneuver carefully here. I execute a series of elegant footwork movements, ensuring every detail is spot-on as I input my imaginary username and password. The ice beneath me feels smooth, reassuring me that the login functions are flawless.

Now, I aim for the product page, accelerating with confidence. I crouch low to gain speed, feeling the exhilarating rush as I transition smoothly, a metaphor for navigating between pages in an E2E test. Each glide represents a successful page load, ensuring the user journey is uninterrupted.

Finally, I reach the checkout section, the last stop on my rink tour. Here, I execute a triumphant leap, akin to completing a transaction. My landing is flawless, signaling that everything works perfectly from start to finish.

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Starting at the Homepage:

Just as I pushed off from the starting point on the rink, I initiate my test at the homepage. In Cypress, this would look like:

describe('E2E Test - Ice Skating Journey', () => {
  it('Visits the homepage', () => {
    cy.visit('https://example.com');
    cy.contains('Welcome').should('be.visible');
  });

Here, I’m ensuring that the rink (or the homepage) is ready for my performance.

Transitioning to the Login Page:

Next, I skate to the login section. This transition is smooth and requires authentication:

  it('Logs in successfully', () => {
    cy.get('#login-button').click();
    cy.url().should('include', '/login');
    cy.get('#username').type('skater');
    cy.get('#password').type('securepassword');
    cy.get('#submit').click();
    cy.contains('Dashboard').should('be.visible');
  });

This snippet represents my careful maneuvers on the ice, ensuring the login works seamlessly.

Gliding to the Product Page:

With speed and precision, I head towards the product page, ensuring everything loads correctly:

  it('Navigates to product page', () => {
    cy.get('#products-link').click();
    cy.url().should('include', '/products');
    cy.contains('Products').should('be.visible');
  });

Here, I transition smoothly, just like a skater moving to the next section of the rink.

Leaping to Checkout:

Finally, I perform a leap to the checkout, ensuring the transaction completes without a hitch:

  it('Completes checkout process', () => {
    cy.get('#checkout-button').click();
    cy.url().should('include', '/checkout');
    cy.get('#confirm').click();
    cy.contains('Thank you for your purchase!').should('be.visible');
  });
});

This leap signifies the successful conclusion of my journey across the rink.

Key Takeaways:

• Seamless Transitions: Just like skating smoothly across the rink, it’s crucial to ensure seamless navigation between pages in an E2E test.
• Precision and Verification: Each step, spin, and leap corresponds to precise actions and checks in the test script, verifying that every aspect of the application functions correctly.
• User Experience: Ultimately, the goal is to emulate the user experience, ensuring that the application delivers a smooth and uninterrupted journey.