Cypress runs in the browser alongside your application. Automatic waiting eliminates flaky tests. Time travel debugging shows application state at each step. Component testing enables isolated UI testing.
Test Patterns
Select elements with data attributes for stability. Use custom commands for reusable actions. Mock network requests for deterministic tests. Organize tests by feature or user flow.
- Use data-cy attributes for stable element selection
- Create custom commands for common actions
- Mock API responses with cy.intercept
- Use fixtures for test data management
- Run tests in CI with proper configuration
Debugging Features
Time travel shows DOM at each command. Screenshots capture failures automatically. Videos record full test runs. Console logs and network requests are accessible.