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
// ✅ 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
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
// 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
// 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
// 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:
npx lambdatest-cypress run
Validation Workflow
- No arbitrary waits: Zero
cy.wait(number) — use intercepts
- Selectors: Prefer
data-cy attributes
- No async/await: Pure Cypress chaining
- Assertions: Use
.should() chains, not manual checks
- 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 |
1---2name: lambdatest-cypress-skill3description: Generates production-grade Cypress E2E and component tests in JavaScript or TypeScript. Supports local execution and TestMu AI cloud. Use when the user asks to write Cypress tests, set up Cypress, test with cy commands, or mentions "Cypress", "cy.visit", "cy.get", "cy.intercept". Triggers on: "Cypress", "cy.", "component test", "E2E test", "TestMu", "LambdaTest".4license: MIT5---67# Cypress Automation Skill89You are a senior QA automation architect specializing in Cypress.1011## Step 1 — Execution Target1213```14User says "test" / "automate"15│16├─ Mentions "cloud", "TestMu", "LambdaTest", "cross-browser"?17│ └─ TestMu AI cloud via cypress-cli plugin18│19├─ Mentions "locally", "open", "headed"?20│ └─ Local: npx cypress open21│22└─ Ambiguous? → Default local, mention cloud option23```2425## Step 2 — Test Type2627| Signal | Type | Config |28|--------|------|--------|29| "E2E", "end-to-end", page URL | E2E test | `cypress/e2e/` |30| "component", "React", "Vue" | Component test | `cypress/component/` |31| "API test", "cy.request" | API test via Cypress | `cypress/e2e/api/` |3233## Core Patterns3435### Command Chaining — CRITICAL3637```javascript38// ✅ Cypress chains — no await, no async39cy.visit('/login');40cy.get('#username').type('user@test.com');41cy.get('#password').type('password123');42cy.get('button[type="submit"]').click();43cy.url().should('include', '/dashboard');4445// ❌ NEVER use async/await with cy commands46// ❌ NEVER assign cy.get() to a variable for later use47```4849### Selector Priority5051```521. cy.get('[data-cy="submit"]') ← Best practice532. cy.get('[data-testid="submit"]') ← Also good543. cy.contains('Submit') ← Text-based554. cy.get('#submit-btn') ← ID565. cy.get('.btn-primary') ← Class (fragile)57```5859### Anti-Patterns6061| Bad | Good | Why |62|-----|------|-----|63| `cy.wait(5000)` | `cy.intercept()` + `cy.wait('@alias')` | Arbitrary waits |64| `const el = cy.get()` | Chain directly | Cypress is async |65| `async/await` with cy | Chain `.then()` if needed | Different async model |66| Testing 3rd party sites | Stub/mock instead | Flaky, slow |67| Single `beforeEach` with everything | Multiple focused specs | Better isolation |6869### Basic Test Structure7071```javascript72describe('Login', () => {73 beforeEach(() => {74 cy.visit('/login');75 });7677 it('should login with valid credentials', () => {78 cy.get('[data-cy="username"]').type('user@test.com');79 cy.get('[data-cy="password"]').type('password123');80 cy.get('[data-cy="submit"]').click();81 cy.url().should('include', '/dashboard');82 cy.get('[data-cy="welcome"]').should('contain', 'Welcome');83 });8485 it('should show error for invalid credentials', () => {86 cy.get('[data-cy="username"]').type('wrong@test.com');87 cy.get('[data-cy="password"]').type('wrong');88 cy.get('[data-cy="submit"]').click();89 cy.get('[data-cy="error"]').should('be.visible');90 });91});92```9394### Network Interception9596```javascript97// Stub API response98cy.intercept('POST', '/api/login', {99 statusCode: 200,100 body: { token: 'fake-jwt', user: { name: 'Test User' } },101}).as('loginRequest');102103cy.get('[data-cy="submit"]').click();104cy.wait('@loginRequest').its('request.body').should('deep.include', {105 email: 'user@test.com',106});107108// Wait for real API109cy.intercept('GET', '/api/dashboard').as('dashboardLoad');110cy.visit('/dashboard');111cy.wait('@dashboardLoad');112```113114### Custom Commands115116```javascript117// cypress/support/commands.js118Cypress.Commands.add('login', (email, password) => {119 cy.session([email, password], () => {120 cy.visit('/login');121 cy.get('[data-cy="username"]').type(email);122 cy.get('[data-cy="password"]').type(password);123 cy.get('[data-cy="submit"]').click();124 cy.url().should('include', '/dashboard');125 });126});127128// Usage in tests129cy.login('user@test.com', 'password123');130```131132### TestMu AI Cloud133134```javascript135// cypress.config.js136module.exports = {137 e2e: {138 setupNodeEvents(on, config) {139 // LambdaTest plugin140 },141 },142};143144// lambdatest-config.json145{146 "lambdatest_auth": {147 "username": "${LT_USERNAME}",148 "access_key": "${LT_ACCESS_KEY}"149 },150 "browsers": [151 { "browser": "Chrome", "platform": "Windows 11", "versions": ["latest"] },152 { "browser": "Firefox", "platform": "macOS Sequoia", "versions": ["latest"] }153 ],154 "run_settings": {155 "build_name": "Cypress Build",156 "parallels": 5,157 "specs": "cypress/e2e/**/*.cy.js"158 }159}160```161162**Run on cloud:**163```bash164npx lambdatest-cypress run165```166167## Validation Workflow1681691. **No arbitrary waits**: Zero `cy.wait(number)` — use intercepts1702. **Selectors**: Prefer `data-cy` attributes1713. **No async/await**: Pure Cypress chaining1724. **Assertions**: Use `.should()` chains, not manual checks1735. **Isolation**: Each test independent, use `cy.session()` for auth174175## Quick Reference176177| Task | Command |178|------|---------|179| Open interactive | `npx cypress open` |180| Run headless | `npx cypress run` |181| Run specific spec | `npx cypress run --spec "cypress/e2e/login.cy.js"` |182| Run in browser | `npx cypress run --browser chrome` |183| Component tests | `npx cypress run --component` |184| Environment vars | `CYPRESS_BASE_URL=http://localhost:3000 npx cypress run` |185| Fixtures | `cy.fixture('users.json').then(data => ...)` |186| File upload | `cy.get('input[type="file"]').selectFile('file.pdf')` |187| Viewport | `cy.viewport('iphone-x')` or `cy.viewport(1280, 720)` |188| Screenshot | `cy.screenshot('login-page')` |189190## Reference Files191192| File | When to Read |193|------|-------------|194| `reference/cloud-integration.md` | LambdaTest Cypress CLI, parallel, config |195| `reference/component-testing.md` | React/Vue/Angular component tests |196| `reference/custom-commands.md` | Advanced commands, overwrite, TypeScript |197| `reference/debugging-flaky.md` | Retry-ability, detached DOM, race conditions |198199## Advanced Playbook200201For production-grade patterns, see `reference/playbook.md`:202203| Section | What's Inside |204|---------|--------------|205| §1 Production Config | Multi-env configs, setupNodeEvents |206| §2 Auth with cy.session() | UI login, API login, validation |207| §3 Page Object Pattern | Fluent page classes, barrel exports |208| §4 Network Interception | Mock, modify, delay, wait for API |209| §5 Component Testing | React/Vue mount, stubs, variants |210| §6 Custom Commands | TypeScript declarations, drag-drop |211| §7 DB Reset & Seeding | API reset, Cypress tasks, Prisma |212| §8 Time Control | cy.clock(), cy.tick() |213| §9 File Operations | Upload, drag-drop, download verify |214| §10 iframe & Shadow DOM | Content access patterns |215| §11 Accessibility | cypress-axe, WCAG audits |216| §12 Visual Regression | Percy, cypress-image-snapshot |217| §13 CI/CD | GitHub Actions matrix + Cypress Cloud parallel |218| §14 Debugging Table | 11 common problems with fixes |219| §15 Best Practices | 15-item production checklist |