delorenj Testing
Decision Tree
| Framework | Documentation |
|---|---|
| Overview | https://clerk.com/docs/guides/development/testing/overview |
| Playwright | https://clerk.com/docs/guides/development/testing/playwright/overview |
| Cypress | https://clerk.com/docs/guides/development/testing/cypress/overview |
Mental Model
Test auth = isolated session state. Each test needs fresh auth context.
clerkSetup()initializes test environmentsetupClerkTestingToken()bypasses bot detectionstorageStatepersists auth between tests for speed
Workflow
- Identify test framework (Playwright or Cypress)
- WebFetch the appropriate URL from decision tree above
- Follow official setup instructions
- Use
pk_test_*andsk_test_*keys only
Best Practices
- Use
setupClerkTestingToken()before navigating to auth pages - Use test API keys:
pk_test_xxx,sk_test_xxx - Save auth state with
storageStatefor faster tests - Use
page.waitForSelector('[data-clerk-component]')for Clerk UI
Anti-Patterns
| Pattern | Problem | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Production keys in tests | Security risk | Use pk_test_* keys |
No setupClerkTestingToken() |
Auth fails | Call before navigation |
| UI-based sign-in every test | Slow tests | Use storageState |
Framework-Specific
Playwright: Use globalSetup for auth state
Cypress: Add addClerkCommands({ Cypress, cy }) to support file