myHotTake

Tag: web automation

  • Cypress vs Playwright: Which Testing Tool Should You Use?

    Hey folks, if you enjoy this little tale of mine, feel free to give it a like or share with your pals!


    I’m a director, and I’m about to film a short movie, scene by scene, with two different crews: Cypress and Playwright. Each crew has its own unique style, just like our JavaScript testing tools.

    With Cypress, I feel like I’m working with a team that’s incredibly focused on getting every scene right in real-time. As I shoot each scene, my Cypress crew is like a close-knit group, constantly giving me instant feedback. They have this amazing ability to show me the playback immediately, so I know right away if the lighting is off or if an actor missed their cue. It’s all about being in the moment, capturing every detail as it unfolds, which makes me feel like I’m in the director’s chair, totally immersed in what’s happening right now.

    Now, when I switch over to the Playwright crew, it feels like I’m working with a team that’s more like a well-oiled machine. They’re incredibly versatile, almost as if they can film multiple scenes simultaneously across different sets.


    Cypress in Action:

    I’m testing a web application’s login feature. With Cypress, I script my test to focus on the user experience, much like capturing a scene with all its intricate details.

    describe('Login Feature', () => {
      it('should allow a user to login', () => {
        // Visit the login page
        cy.visit('https://example.com/login');
    
        // Enter username and password
        cy.get('input[name="username"]').type('myUser');
        cy.get('input[name="password"]').type('myPassword');
    
        // Submit the form
        cy.get('button[type="submit"]').click();
    
        // Verify successful login
        cy.url().should('include', '/dashboard');
        cy.get('.welcome-message').should('contain', 'Welcome, myUser!');
      });
    });

    In this Cypress script, everything is happening in real-time, with feedback coming back as each action is performed, much like reviewing each film scene immediately.

    Playwright in Action:

    Now, let’s switch gears to Playwright, where I have the flexibility and power to run tests across multiple browsers.

    const { chromium, firefox, webkit } = require('playwright');
    
    (async () => {
      for (const browserType of [chromium, firefox, webkit]) {
        const browser = await browserType.launch();
        const context = await browser.newContext();
        const page = await context.newPage();
    
        // Navigate to the login page
        await page.goto('https://example.com/login');
    
        // Enter username and password
        await page.fill('input[name="username"]', 'myUser');
        await page.fill('input[name="password"]', 'myPassword');
    
        // Submit the form
        await page.click('button[type="submit"]');
    
        // Verify successful login
        await page.waitForSelector('.welcome-message');
        const url = page.url();
        if (url.includes('/dashboard')) {
          console.log(`Test passed in ${browserType.name()}`);
        }
    
        await browser.close();
      }
    })();

    Playwright allows me to test across different browsers, ensuring my application performs consistently, just like coordinating multiple film locations.

    Key Takeaways:

    1. Cypress Focus: Cypress is ideal for real-time, detailed testing of user interactions within a single browser environment. It’s like capturing every nuance of a scene as it unfolds.
    2. Playwright Versatility: Playwright excels in cross-browser testing, offering a broader view of how an application performs in different environments. It’s like managing a multi-location film shoot with precision.
    3. Choosing Your Tool: Use Cypress when you need immediate feedback and detailed control within a single environment. Opt for Playwright when your testing requires broader coverage across multiple browsers.
  • How Does Cypress Test Button Clicks in JavaScript?

    Hey there! If you enjoy diving into the world of web testing, feel free to give a thumbs up or share this little tale.


    I’m an architect, not of buildings, but of websites, constructing my creation brick by brick. In this grand structure, there’s a particular brick—let’s call it the “mystical button brick.” To ensure this button works as intended, I must test it, and that’s where my trusty tool, Cypress, comes into play.

    I begin my journey at the foundation of my website. I open my toolbox and pull out Cypress, my chisel, perfectly crafted for browser action tests. With a quick incantation—”cy.visit()”—I teleport into the digital realm of my website, standing at the entrance, ready to inspect my brickwork.

    I stroll through the corridors of code until I reach the “mystical button brick.” To see if it functions, I gently whisper another spell, “cy.get(‘button-selector’).click().” It’s like tapping the brick with my chisel to see if it holds firm in the wall.

    As I perform this action, I imagine the ripple effect—like a stone skipping across a pond—initiating a cascade of responses within my website. The button lights up, performing its duty to connect one room of my digital mansion to another.


    In my quest to ensure the “mystical button brick” works flawlessly, I delve deeper into the syntax that makes it all possible. Here’s how I transform my architectural plans into reality:

    // I start by visiting the entry point of my website
    cy.visit('https://my-website.com');
    
    // With my chisel, I locate the button using its selector
    cy.get('#myButton').click();
    
    // After clicking, I might want to ensure the button did its job
    cy.url().should('include', '/new-page');

    In this snippet, “cy.visit()” is like stepping into the grand atrium of my digital mansion, where everything begins. The “cy.get(‘#myButton’).click()” is my precise touch on the button, checking its responsiveness. Finally, “cy.url().should(‘include’, ‘/new-page’);” confirms that my button has successfully opened a new door in the mansion, ensuring the path leads to the desired destination.

    Now, as I continue to build and test, I realize that JavaScript is my guide, offering me tools and functions to explore and manipulate my creation. It’s the language that allows me to bring life to my digital structures, ensuring each element interacts harmoniously.

    Key Takeaways:

    1. Cypress & JavaScript: Cypress uses JavaScript to perform browser actions, making it a powerful tool for testing web applications.
    2. Interactivity: Testing actions like clicks ensures that each component of your website works as intended, providing a seamless user experience.
    3. Validation: Always validate the outcome of actions, like checking URLs, to ensure that the intended navigation or interaction occurs.
    4. Building with Code: Just like constructing a building, coding requires attention to detail and understanding how each part fits into the larger structure.
  • How Does Cypress Capture Screenshots Like a 3D Artist?

    Hey there! If you enjoy this little imaginative journey, feel free to like or share it with others who might need a sprinkle of creativity. Let’s dive in!


    I’m an artist, not just any artist, but a digital sculptor working on a 3D model using sophisticated software. My task is to create a stunning virtual statue, capturing every angle and detail. Now, in the realm of web testing, Cypress is my software, and screenshots are my snapshots capturing each stage of the sculpture.

    As I design, I pause at crucial moments, taking screenshots just like a sculptor would snap photos of their work in progress. In Cypress, I use the command cy.screenshot() to capture these moments. It’s like hitting the print screen button on my mind’s eye, immortalizing the current state of my 3D creation.

    But just as a sculptor might want different perspectives, I can specify what part of my web ‘sculpture’ I want to capture. Perhaps I’m proud of the intricate detailing on the left side of my statue, so I focus my lens there, just like using cy.screenshot('left-detail') to focus on a specific component or state in my web testing.

    Sometimes, the lighting in my virtual studio isn’t quite right, and I need to adjust it to highlight the sculpture’s beauty. Similarly, in Cypress, I can tweak the screenshot options to get the perfect shot, adjusting dimensions or even capturing the entire page, much like adjusting the brightness and contrast in my digital space.

    As I progress, these screenshots become my gallery, a series of captured moments that tell a story of creation and refinement. They help me reflect on the journey, ensuring every part of the model is perfected, just like ensuring every part of my web application is tested and verified.


    Let’s say I’m working on a web page that has a dynamic carousel of images. I want to capture a screenshot of each image as it appears. Here’s where JavaScript steps in with Cypress to make my life easier. I can write a script to automate this process, like an invisible assistant capturing each perfect moment.

    Here’s a snippet of how I might do it:

    cy.get('.carousel-item').each(($el, index) => {
      cy.wrap($el).screenshot(`carousel-image-${index}`);
    });

    This code is like setting up a camera on a timer to snap each image as it rotates in the carousel. The cy.get('.carousel-item') selects each item in my carousel, and the .each() function iterates over them, capturing a screenshot of each one.

    But what if my model has hidden details that only appear on interaction, like a tooltip revealing a secret engraving? I can simulate a hover action and capture that with JavaScript:

    cy.get('.tooltip-trigger').trigger('mouseover').screenshot('tooltip-detail');

    Here, I’m using .trigger('mouseover') to simulate hovering over the element, revealing the tooltip. The screenshot('tooltip-detail') then captures this hidden gem, much like revealing a secret passage in my digital sculpture.

    Key Takeaways:

    1. Automation and Precision: JavaScript in Cypress allows me to automate the screenshot process, ensuring I capture every critical moment of my web application, just like documenting every stage of my 3D model.
    2. Dynamic Interactions: By simulating user actions like hovering, I can capture dynamic states of my application, ensuring no detail is missed.
    3. Iterative Testing: Just as a sculptor refines their work, I can iteratively test and capture different states and interactions in my application, ensuring a flawless experience.