These days, API Automation Testing is heavily dependent on JavaScript frameworks for front-end and back-end web app development. Software testers need a robust QA automation tool covering API and End-to-End(E2E) testing.
“Cypress capabilities are the magic wand of automation testing – wave them and watch your tests run flawlessly.”
Cypress is as reliable as easy to use. Plus, it doesn’t require additional extensions or libraries to run. Software developers and testers with minimal knowledge of JavaScript can easily use Cypress for API and UI Automation Testing.
If you are a beginner with Cypress, this guide is for you!
The Fundamental Functionality of Cypress
Cypress automation tool is a front-end web testing framework. It constructs web-based HTTP requests on behalf of applications to test the performance over different browsers. But it doesn’t make API requests from the browser directly. Instead, it utilizes the Node.JS framework to create the HTTP requests and receive responses from back-end API servers.
The Purpose Of API Automation Testing for UI Automation
API Testing is crucial for UI Automation testing. The ultimate purpose is to verify the web app’s API layer’s functionality, reliability, and security. Here are the primary reasons why API Testing is essential for UI Automation:
- API Testing helps ensure that the app’s API layer functions as intended.
- Developers analyze and validate the data transferred between the UI and the backend.
- It improves test coverage by detecting bugs or functional defects faster.
- Automated Web Application Testing saves developers significant time and production costs.
- Overall, it increases Web Testing efficiency, allowing more time for improving the web application quality.
Cypress, the latest JS-based E2E web testing framework, is the perfect open-source, providing a user-friendly interface for UI Automation and API Testing.
Basic Steps To Get Started With Cypress
UI Automation with Cypress allows you to write interactive test suites that simulate user response with the application UI. It provides a range of APIs interacting with the DOM and affects user actions such as scrolling, clicking, and typing. Here is a step-by-step guide for starting End-to-end testing with Cypress.
Step 1: Install Cypress
Install Cypress using the Node Package Manager or NPM. You don’t need to follow any additional configuration steps. Run the following command in the local machine’s terminal and set it up for web API testing:
npm install cypress –save-dev
Step 2: Create a Test File
It is a JavaScript file of the Cypress test automation tool that contains the details of the tests you want to run. You can create a new test file or test suite in your project directory. Please note you must use the ‘.spec.js’ file extension.
Step 3: Run Your Test
To run your test, open the terminal and run ‘npx cypress open.’ It will open the window of Cypress Test Runner for you to select the desired test to run.
Step 4: Interact with DOM to Simulate User Actions
If you plan to interact with DOM (Document Object Model), choose from the available range of APIS of the QA automation framework. Select the DOM elements and make assertions in your test code. You can also use ‘cy.get()’ method to simulate various user actions such as typing, clicking, scrolling, etc.
Different Methods of UI Automation & API Testing
Cypress provides a flexible testing framework for both UI automation and API testing. Its intuitive syntax makes it easy to perform cross-browser testing for any web application. Let’s review different styles of API Automation Testing with Cypress.
REST API Testing Using Cypress
Regarding REST APIs, Cypress can simplify the process by leveraging API endpoints instead of interacting with webpage elements. Cypress performs HTTP request validation to test the API’s functionality.
You can create a REST API Test Suite to make a GET request and a POST request to a REST API using the cy.request() method. The GET method retrieves the desired information and asserts the response status. The POST method makes assertions about the response status. You can use this method for Full-stack QA Automation Testing and make assertions about the response using the expect() function and .should() method.
GraphQL API Testing Using Cypress
Software testers use GraphQL for building APIs due to its querying capabilities and flexibility. However, testing GraphQL APIs is a real challenge for many. Cypress is an excellent choice for testing GraphQL APIs due to its powerful HTTP request capabilities.
Top automation consulting firms know Cypress’s capabilities for supporting GraphQL queries. The method of GraphOL API testing is the same as the REST API testing. It enables the developers to make a query and a mutation requests to a GraphQL API. It uses cy.request() and makes assertions about the .then() method.
End-to-End UI Tests Using Cypress
Most automation consulting firms find Cypress useful in writing end-to-end UI tests. The main reason is the flexibility to interact with web pages and perform specific actions like submitting information, clicking a button, entering text, etc.
The basic Test Suite structure for end-to-end testing is the same as the other methods. Developers can make assertions about the web URL and the web page content in the test case to confirm the user interaction. Later, developers can confirm if the action taken was correct or not.
Are There Any Limitations with Cypress API Automation Testing?
Indeed, Cypress is a great tool with great community support. However, Cypress’s capabilities continuously improvise with new updates and releases. Still, it has a few drawbacks that require catching up quickly. Here are some of its limitations for API and UI automation testing:
- Lacks features of other full-stack automation tools like Selenium.
- Doesn’t support simultaneous cross-browser testing scenarios.
- Uses JavaScript language for test case creation.
- Doesn’t provide multi-tab flexibility for web page testing.
- Offers limited capabilities for IE, Safari, and iFrames support.
Key Takeaways
Of course, QA automation companies should consider using Cypress for their UI automation and API testing needs. This test automation tool offers excellent web testing capabilities that can help developers improve the quality and reliability of web applications, such as:
- It supports various testing scenarios, including end-to-end UI testing, cross-browser testing, and API testing using REST and GraphQL.
- Cypress has an easy-to-use syntax with a JavaScript-based framework. Developers can streamline their testing processes to make reliable releases.
- It offers excellent reporting capabilities with built-in Mochawesome Reporting and Allure Integration.
It’s now clear how Cypress can make API Automation Testing simpler, easier, and faster. Now, it’s time for businesses to run web app testing with a single automation testing tool!
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