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Use npx cypress open to author and debug tests in Cypress’s interactive Test Runner. Use npx cypress run to execute tests to completion, usually headlessly, including in CI. Most projects need both: open mode for development and run mode for repeatable checks.

What the Cypress CLI and Test Runner do

The CLI is how you launch Cypress and control test runs from a terminal. The Test Runner is the interactive environment used in open mode: it displays specs and test execution, updates the Command Log, and lets you inspect and step through behavior while debugging. Cypress describes it this way: “The Cypress Test Runner is where you run and debug specs in open mode.” Cypress open-mode guide.

Workflow Command Best for Browser display
Interactive open mode npx cypress open Writing, inspecting, and debugging specs on a developer machine Interactive Cypress app and browser
CLI run mode npx cypress run Repeatable execution, scripts, and CI Headless by default; can be shown with --headed

Install Cypress and launch it for the first time

Install Cypress as a development dependency using the package manager already used by the project. Run commands from the project root.

  • npm install cypress --save-dev
  • yarn add cypress --dev
  • pnpm add --save-dev cypress
  • bun add --dev cypress

Then launch the interactive app with npx cypress open (or the equivalent package-manager command). On first launch, Cypress’s Launchpad guides you through choosing a testing type, creating configuration and folder structure, and selecting a browser. See the Cypress installation guide and open-mode guide.

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Package and application binary are separate

The npm package and Cypress application binary are distinct parts of installation. Normally, package installation downloads the binary through a postinstall step. If lifecycle scripts are blocked, binary download was skipped, or your CI cache setup installs it separately, run the package-manager form of cypress install. Cypress documents environment controls for customizing binary installation and cache behavior in its advanced installation guide.

Use open mode to author and debug specs

  1. From the project root, run npx cypress open.
  2. In Launchpad, select the testing type and follow the prompts to configure the project if it is not configured yet.
  3. Choose an available browser and select a spec in the Cypress app.
  4. Use the browser and Command Log to inspect the test as it runs; save changes to a spec to rerun it while authoring.

Open mode is the natural choice when you need to see what a test does and investigate a failure. To give teammates a consistent entry point, define scripts in package.json:

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Then run npm run cy:open or npm run cy:run. Avoid naming a script cypress: Cypress warns that Yarn may resolve a script with that name instead of the Cypress binary. See the open-mode documentation.

Run tests from the CLI

Run all configured specs to completion with:

npx cypress run

Run mode is headless by default, making it suitable for automated execution. To see the browser while running, add --headed. For example:

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Choose a testing type, spec, or browser

Use the CLI options to narrow or direct a run:

  • --e2e or --component selects the testing type.
  • --spec selects one spec or a glob, such as --spec "cypress/e2e/login.cy.js".
  • --browser selects a detected browser or accepts a browser path.

Example command:

npx cypress run --e2e --browser chrome --spec "cypress/e2e/login.cy.js"

The target spec must also match the configured specPattern; choosing a file with --spec does not make an excluded file eligible. Browser availability depends on the local environment. Consult the current CLI reference and browser documentation for compatibility details.

Report results and organize Cloud runs

  • --reporter selects a Mocha reporter; --reporter-options configures it. A CI workflow may use a JUnit reporter to emit machine-readable results.
  • --record records a run with Cypress Cloud. --group and --tag organize recorded runs.
  • --parallel enables parallelization of recorded specs across multiple machines; it is for Cypress Cloud-recorded runs, not a general local parallel switch.

Check the CLI reference for exact option syntax and the current Cloud requirements.

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Configure a run without changing project defaults

Cypress reads project settings from its configuration file. Use --config-file to select a different file, --config to override configuration values for a command, and --env to pass test environment values. Command-line configuration overrides the file’s values. CYPRESS_-prefixed environment variables can override configuration in a particular environment; see the configuration reference and CLI reference.

npx cypress run --config-file cypress.ci.config.js --config viewportWidth=1280,viewportHeight=800 --env stage=ci

Use the project’s actual configuration filename and values. Do not place credentials directly in a command or commit them in configuration: command-line secrets may appear in CI logs. Store secrets in your CI/CD provider’s secret-management system and expose them to the job as needed. Cypress covers CI configuration and secret handling in its CI guide.

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Make Cypress runs reliable in CI

  1. Install dependencies and ensure the Cypress binary is available; use cypress install separately if your setup skipped the normal binary download.
  2. Start the application under test.
  3. Wait until the application responds at the expected URL.
  4. Run Cypress, typically with cypress run.

Do not start a server in the background and immediately invoke Cypress. That creates a race: tests may start before the application is ready. Use a readiness-waiting tool or the documented start and wait-on options in the official GitHub Action. Cypress also documents environment-variable configuration for values such as base URL, reporter, and viewport. See the CI overview.

Containers have different display needs

Headless cypress run works in a container when the image has the required Linux prerequisites; Cypress’s official Docker images include them. Interactive cypress open requires a graphical display, which containers do not provide by default. For container guidance, see Cypress CI documentation and the advanced installation guide.

Troubleshoot common setup and run failures

  • The Cypress app or binary is missing: The package may be installed without its separate application binary, especially if lifecycle scripts were disabled. Run the package-manager form of cypress install and check the installation guide’s binary and cache settings.
  • No spec is found: Confirm the path or glob passed to --spec is correct and that the file matches the configured specPattern.
  • The selected browser does not launch: Check that the browser is installed and detected, or supply a supported browser path. Consult the current browser compatibility documentation before relying on a specific browser.
  • Tests fail because the app is unavailable: Ensure the server starts successfully and add a readiness wait before Cypress starts; an immediate background launch is not a readiness check.
  • cypress open cannot display in a container: Open mode needs a graphical display. Use headless cypress run in a suitable image or provide a display environment.
  • A Yarn command runs an unexpected script: Rename a project script called cypress to a less ambiguous name such as cy:open.
  • A secret appears in logs: Remove it from the command line and use your CI platform’s protected secret mechanism.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Cypress open mode in CI?

It is possible only when the environment can provide the graphical display that interactive open mode requires; the usual CI workflow is headless `cypress run`.

Does `–parallel` make a local Cypress run use multiple machines?

No. Cypress documents parallelization for recorded specs across multiple machines with Cypress Cloud.

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