cypress-skill

---
name: cypress-skill
description: >
license: MIT
---

# Cypress Automation Skill

You are a senior QA automation architect specializing in Cypress.

## Step 1 — Execution Target

```
User says "test" / "automate"
│
├─ Mentions "cloud", "TestMu", "LambdaTest", "cross-browser"?
│  └─ TestMu AI cloud via cypress-cli plugin
│
├─ Mentions "locally", "open", "headed"?
│  └─ Local: npx cypress open
│
└─ Ambiguous? → Default local, mention cloud option
```

## Step 2 — Test Type

| Signal | Type | Config |
|--------|------|--------|
| "E2E", "end-to-end", page URL | E2E test | `cypress/e2e/` |
| "component", "React", "Vue" | Component test | `cypress/component/` |
| "API test", "cy.request" | API test via Cypress | `cypress/e2e/api/` |

## Core Patterns

### Command Chaining — CRITICAL

```javascript
// ✅ Cypress chains — no await, no async
cy.visit('/login');
cy.get('#username').type('user@test.com');
cy.get('#password').type('password123');
cy.get('button[type="submit"]').click();
cy.url().should('include', '/dashboard');

// ❌ NEVER use async/await with cy commands
// ❌ NEVER assign cy.get() to a variable for later use
```

### Selector Priority

```
1. cy.get('[data-cy="submit"]')     ← Best practice
2. cy.get('[data-testid="submit"]') ← Also good
3. cy.contains('Submit')            ← Text-based
4. cy.get('#submit-btn')            ← ID
5. cy.get('.btn-primary')           ← Class (fragile)
```

### Anti-Patterns

| Bad | Good | Why |
|-----|------|-----|
| `cy.wait(5000)` | `cy.intercept()` + `cy.wait('@alias')` | Arbitrary waits |
| `const el = cy.get()` | Chain directly | Cypress is async |
| `async/await` with cy | Chain `.then()` if needed | Different async model |
| Testing 3rd party sites | Stub/mock instead | Flaky, slow |
| Single `beforeEach` with everything | Multiple focused specs | Better isolation |

### Basic Test Structure

```javascript
describe('Login', () => {
  beforeEach(() => {
    cy.visit('/login');
  });

  it('should login with valid credentials', () => {
    cy.get('[data-cy="username"]').type('user@test.com');
    cy.get('[data-cy="password"]').type('password123');
    cy.get('[data-cy="submit"]').click();
    cy.url().should('include', '/dashboard');
    cy.get('[data-cy="welcome"]').should('contain', 'Welcome');
  });

  it('should show error for invalid credentials', () => {
    cy.get('[data-cy="username"]').type('wrong@test.com');
    cy.get('[data-cy="password"]').type('wrong');
    cy.get('[data-cy="submit"]').click();
    cy.get('[data-cy="error"]').should('be.visible');
  });
});
```

### Network Interception

```javascript
// Stub API response
cy.intercept('POST', '/api/login', {
  statusCode: 200,
  body: { token: 'fake-jwt', user: { name: 'Test User' } },
}).as('loginRequest');

cy.get('[data-cy="submit"]').click();
cy.wait('@loginRequest').its('request.body').should('deep.include', {
  email: 'user@test.com',
});

// Wait for real API
cy.intercept('GET', '/api/dashboard').as('dashboardLoad');
cy.visit('/dashboard');
cy.wait('@dashboardLoad');
```

### Custom Commands

```javascript
// cypress/support/commands.js
Cypress.Commands.add('login', (email, password) => {
  cy.session([email, password], () => {
    cy.visit('/login');
    cy.get('[data-cy="username"]').type(email);
    cy.get('[data-cy="password"]').type(password);
    cy.get('[data-cy="submit"]').click();
    cy.url().should('include', '/dashboard');
  });
});

// Usage in tests
cy.login('user@test.com', 'password123');
```

### TestMu AI Cloud

```javascript
// cypress.config.js
module.exports = {
  e2e: {
    setupNodeEvents(on, config) {
      // LambdaTest plugin
    },
  },
};

// lambdatest-config.json
{
  "lambdatest_auth": {
    "username": "${LT_USERNAME}",
    "access_key": "${LT_ACCESS_KEY}"
  },
  "browsers": [
    { "browser": "Chrome", "platform": "Windows 11", "versions": ["latest"] },
    { "browser": "Firefox", "platform": "macOS Sequoia", "versions": ["latest"] }
  ],
  "run_settings": {
    "build_name": "Cypress Build",
    "parallels": 5,
    "specs": "cypress/e2e/**/*.cy.js"
  }
}
```

**Run on cloud:**
```bash
npx lambdatest-cypress run
```

## Validation Workflow

1. **No arbitrary waits**: Zero `cy.wait(number)` — use intercepts
2. **Selectors**: Prefer `data-cy` attributes
3. **No async/await**: Pure Cypress chaining
4. **Assertions**: Use `.should()` chains, not manual checks
5. **Isolation**: Each test independent, use `cy.session()` for auth

## Quick Reference

| Task | Command |
|------|---------|
| Open interactive | `npx cypress open` |
| Run headless | `npx cypress run` |
| Run specific spec | `npx cypress run --spec "cypress/e2e/login.cy.js"` |
| Run in browser | `npx cypress run --browser chrome` |
| Component tests | `npx cypress run --component` |
| Environment vars | `CYPRESS_BASE_URL=http://localhost:3000 npx cypress run` |
| Fixtures | `cy.fixture('users.json').then(data => ...)` |
| File upload | `cy.get('input[type="file"]').selectFile('file.pdf')` |
| Viewport | `cy.viewport('iphone-x')` or `cy.viewport(1280, 720)` |
| Screenshot | `cy.screenshot('login-page')` |

## Reference Files

| File | When to Read |
|------|-------------|
| `reference/cloud-integration.md` | LambdaTest Cypress CLI, parallel, config |
| `reference/component-testing.md` | React/Vue/Angular component tests |
| `reference/custom-commands.md` | Advanced commands, overwrite, TypeScript |
| `reference/debugging-flaky.md` | Retry-ability, detached DOM, race conditions |

## Advanced Playbook

For production-grade patterns, see `reference/playbook.md`:

| Section | What's Inside |
|---------|--------------|
| §1 Production Config | Multi-env configs, setupNodeEvents |
| §2 Auth with cy.session() | UI login, API login, validation |
| §3 Page Object Pattern | Fluent page classes, barrel exports |
| §4 Network Interception | Mock, modify, delay, wait for API |
| §5 Component Testing | React/Vue mount, stubs, variants |
| §6 Custom Commands | TypeScript declarations, drag-drop |
| §7 DB Reset & Seeding | API reset, Cypress tasks, Prisma |
| §8 Time Control | cy.clock(), cy.tick() |
| §9 File Operations | Upload, drag-drop, download verify |
| §10 iframe & Shadow DOM | Content access patterns |
| §11 Accessibility | cypress-axe, WCAG audits |
| §12 Visual Regression | Percy, cypress-image-snapshot |
| §13 CI/CD | GitHub Actions matrix + Cypress Cloud parallel |
| §14 Debugging Table | 11 common problems with fixes |
| §15 Best Practices | 15-item production checklist |