To write and run Cypress tests, install Cypress in your JavaScript project, choose end-to-end (E2E) or component testing in its first-run Launchpad, add an independent spec, and use cypress open while developing and cypress run for terminal or CI runs. The two modes are complementary: you can use either or both as your project needs.
Install Cypress in your project
From the project root, use the package manager the project already uses. For npm:
npm install cypress --save-devEquivalent commands for other package managers are:
yarn add cypress --devpnpm add --save-dev cypressbun add --dev cypress
Cypress normally downloads its matching binary during the package’s postinstall step. If your environment blocks package lifecycle scripts or you intentionally defer the binary download, install it separately with cypress install. See the Cypress installation guide and CLI reference for installation details.
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Choose E2E or component testing and complete setup
Launch Cypress from the project root:
npx cypress openUse the equivalent command for your package manager where appropriate: yarn cypress open, pnpm cypress open, or bunx cypress open. On first launch, Cypress opens the Launchpad, which guides you through choosing a testing type, selecting a browser, and creating or configuring the files for that mode.
Choose the mode that matches what you want to verify
- E2E testing: Exercise the application as a user would, across its running interface and relevant application flows.
- Component testing: Mount and test a component in a browser as an individual unit of the interface.
Selecting one mode does not prevent you from adding the other later. Cypress’s Open the app guide explains the Launchpad flow.
Know where configuration and support code go
The generated structure typically includes cypress.config.js, a fixtures directory, and a support file: cypress/support/e2e.js for E2E or cypress/support/component.js for component testing. Cypress loads the corresponding support file before the selected spec. Put genuinely global setup or hooks there; keep spec-specific or heavy imports in the spec that needs them. These are defaults, not fixed requirements—the structure can be reconfigured.
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For a repeatable team workflow, you can add a descriptive script such as cy:open to package.json. Avoid naming the script cypress, which can conflict with Yarn command resolution.
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Cypress specs are JavaScript test files. For example, a basic E2E spec that checks for a visible home-page heading could look like this:
describe('home page', () => {
it('shows the main heading', () => {
cy.visit('/')
cy.get('h1').should('be.visible')
})
})This is an illustrative pattern: / assumes your app serves its home page there, and the heading assertion must match your interface. Use selectors and assertions that make sense for the application and check an outcome a user can observe.
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Keep tests independent
Set up each test so it can run by itself and in a different order. A test that relies on state left by another can fail when a test is skipped, reordered, or run alone. Cypress’s writing and organizing tests guide explains the expected independence between tests.
Keep data handling appropriate to the data
- Use a fixture for known, static data you keep in the project. Fixtures can also provide stubbed network responses.
- For example, stub a users endpoint with
cy.intercept('GET', '/api/users', { fixture: 'users.json' }). - If you create or change a file during the test and need to read its current contents, use
cy.readFile(); fixtures are cached. - For large files or work that needs Node.js, use
cy.task(). - If generating tests from records, import the data statically so the
it()cases exist when Cypress loads the spec.
Run tests locally
| Command | Best for | Behavior |
|---|---|---|
npx cypress open |
Writing and debugging | Opens Cypress’s interactive browser workflow. It watches spec changes and reruns the active spec; the Command Log and test-step history help inspect a run. |
npx cypress run |
Repeatable terminal runs | Runs tests to completion and is headless by default. |
These workflows complement one another: use open mode for the edit-and-debug loop, then run mode for a check that completes without the interactive workflow. Cypress describes its interactive workflow and test watching in its open mode guide.
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Focus a spec or choose a browser and configuration
To run one spec from the terminal:
npx cypress run --spec "cypress/e2e/my-spec.cy.js"You can also select a browser with --browser or a configuration file with --config-file. Check that a selected spec path also matches the project’s configured specPattern. The Cypress CLI reference documents command options.
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Run Cypress in CI
Install Cypress and invoke its run command from your CI provider’s job configuration. If the tests visit an application server started by that job, wait until the server’s URL responds before starting Cypress. Starting the server and Cypress together without a readiness check creates a race: Cypress may run before the app is ready. Cypress’s CI guide notes that there is no guarantee the server has booted by the time cypress run executes.
Make readiness explicit
Use a readiness utility or the Cypress GitHub Action’s documented start and wait-on options. Do not rely on an arbitrary sleep: a fixed delay can waste time when the app starts quickly and still be too short when it starts slowly. Keep the CI job’s launch, readiness check, and test command in a clear sequence.
Protect secrets in CI
Use your CI provider’s secret-management facility for credentials and other sensitive values. Cypress warns that secrets passed as CLI arguments may appear in CI logs, so avoid exposing them in command lines or output.
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Troubleshoot common Cypress test problems
- Cypress visits the app before it is available: Add a URL readiness check before
cypress run; do not assume the server is ready just because its start command was launched. - A test fails when run alone or in a different order: Remove dependencies on leftover browser or application state and make the test’s setup explicit.
- A selected spec does not run: Verify the file path in
--specand confirm it matches the configuredspecPattern. - A test reads stale fixture contents: Fixtures are cached. Use
cy.readFile()for a changing or app-created file. - A CI log exposes a sensitive value: Move the value into the CI provider’s secret management rather than passing it as a command-line argument.
Or skip the browser setup
If your goal is to capture a website screenshot rather than test application behavior, ScreenshotNeo offers a one-request screenshot API. It is separate from Cypress, not a Cypress test runner. This cURL example saves a WebP capture of Stripe:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for the request options. Before capture, it accepts cookie or consent banners like a visitor and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets; those steps can be turned off. Bot checks and CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, and response headers identify the page verdict and billing status. Its MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf tools for Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients. The free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month without a card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 screenshots.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use both Cypress E2E and component testing in one project?
Yes. You can start with either testing type and add the other later.
Does Cypress run tests in a browser in headless mode by default?
The terminal command cypress run is headless by default; cypress open is the interactive workflow.
Quick Recap
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