Writing Assertions in Cypress

Cypress is a powerful end-to-end testing framework for modern web applications, known for its ease of use and real-time execution. One of the most crucial aspects of writing effective tests in Cypress is assertions—which help verify expected behavior in web applications. Assertions ensure that UI elements, responses, and interactions perform as expected, making tests more reliable and meaningful.


Why Are Assertions Important?

Assertions validate whether an application behaves as expected during testing. Without assertions, tests would simply navigate through the application without checking if anything is working correctly. Proper assertions ensure:

The presence and correctness of UI elements.

Expected responses from APIs.

Correct handling of user interactions.

Smooth application behavior across different scenarios.


Types of Assertions in Cypress

Cypress provides two types of assertions:

Implicit Assertions – Built-in commands that automatically assert conditions.

Explicit Assertions – Assertions where conditions are explicitly defined using libraries like Chai, jQuery, and Sinon.


Implicit Assertions

Cypress commands automatically assert certain conditions. For example:


js

cy.get('.submit-btn').should('be.visible');

Here, Cypress automatically checks if the element with the class .submit-btn is visible.


Explicit Assertions

Explicit assertions give more control over validation. Cypress uses Chai assertions, which include:


should() – Applies an assertion directly.


expect() – Allows chaining multiple assertions.


assert() – A more direct assertion method.


For example:


js

cy.get('.message').should('have.text', 'Success!');

This explicitly checks if the element .message contains the text "Success!".


Common Assertions in Cypress

Here are commonly used assertions in Cypress:

1. Checking Element Visibility

Ensure elements appear on the screen:


js

cy.get('#welcome-message').should('be.visible');


2. Verifying Text Content

Check if an element contains the expected text:


js

cy.get('.status').should('contain', 'Completed');


3. Validating URL or Page Navigation

Confirm the page navigates to the correct location:


js

cy.url().should('include', '/dashboard');


4. Checking CSS Properties

Verify styles or classes are correctly applied:


js

cy.get('.alert').should('have.css', 'color', 'red');


5. Ensuring an Element Exists

Verify that an element exists within the DOM:


js

cy.get('.menu-item').should('exist');

Assertions with API Requests

When testing API responses, assertions ensure correct data handling. Cypress provides built-in support for API testing using cy.request():


js

cy.request('/api/user')

  .its('status')

  .should('eq', 200);

This checks if the API request returns status code 200, indicating a successful response.


Best Practices for Writing Assertions

To write robust assertions in Cypress:

Use descriptive assertions – Ensure clarity in tests.

Avoid unnecessary assertions – Focus on critical behaviors.

Test both UI and API responses – Validate frontend and backend interactions.

Use retries effectively – Cypress automatically retries commands, ensuring stability.


Conclusion

Assertions are the backbone of Cypress tests, ensuring accuracy and reliability in test automation. By mastering different assertion types, you can write better tests and improve your application's overall quality. Whether you're testing UI components, API responses, or interactions, assertions make Cypress tests meaningful and effective.

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