cy.go() for browser history in Cypress - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

❓ Predict Output

intermediate

What is the result of cy.go(-1) after navigation?

Consider the following Cypress test steps:

cy.visit('/page1')
cy.visit('/page2')
cy.go(-1)

What page will Cypress be on after cy.go(-1) executes?

Cypress

cy.visit('/page1')
cy.visit('/page2')
cy.go(-1)

A The browser will stay on '/page2' because cy.go(-1) does nothing if history is empty.

B The browser will be on '/page1' because cy.go(-1) goes back one page in history.

C The browser will be on '/page3' because cy.go(-1) goes forward one page in history.

D The browser will be on '/page2' because cy.go(-1) reloads the current page.

💡 Hint

Think about how browser history works when you visit pages and then go back.

After visiting '/page1' and then '/page2', the browser history has two entries. cy.go(-1) moves back one entry, so the browser goes back to '/page1'.

❓ assertion

intermediate

Which assertion correctly verifies cy.go(1) navigated forward?

You have navigated back one page using cy.go(-1). Now you want to go forward one page using cy.go(1) and verify the URL is '/page2'. Which assertion is correct?

A cy.url().should('eq', '/page2')

B cy.url().should('contain', '/page2')

C cy.url().should('include', '/page2')

D cy.url().should('equal', '/page2')

💡 Hint

Check the Cypress documentation for the correct assertion method to check URL substring.

cy.url() returns the full URL string. Using should('include', '/page2') checks that the URL contains '/page2' anywhere, which is the correct way to verify partial URL matches.

🔧 Debug

advanced

Why does cy.go(-2) cause an error in this test?

Given the test steps:

cy.visit('/home')
cy.visit('/about')
cy.go(-2)

Running cy.go(-2) causes the test to fail with a navigation error. Why?

A Because there is only one page in history before '/about', so going back two pages is invalid.

B Because cy.go() only accepts -1 or 1 as valid arguments.

C Because cy.visit() clears the browser history each time it runs.

D Because cy.go(-2) requires a preceding cy.reload() to work.

💡 Hint

Think about how many pages are in the browser history after two visits.

After visiting '/home' and then '/about', the history stack has two entries. Going back two pages means going before the first page, which is invalid and causes an error.

🧠 Conceptual

advanced

What does cy.go() without arguments do?

In Cypress, what is the behavior of cy.go() when called without any arguments?

A It reloads the current page, similar to cy.reload().

B It navigates forward one page in the browser history.

C It navigates back one page in the browser history.

D It throws an error because an argument is required.

💡 Hint

Check the Cypress documentation for the default behavior of cy.go().

Calling cy.go() without arguments reloads the current page, acting like cy.reload().

❓ framework

expert

How to test browser history navigation with cy.go() in a single test?

You want to write a Cypress test that visits three pages in order: '/page1', '/page2', '/page3'. Then you want to go back twice and verify the URL is '/page1'. Which code snippet correctly implements this?

A

cy.visit('/page1')
cy.visit('/page2')
cy.visit('/page3')
cy.go(-2)
cy.url().should('include', '/page1')

B

cy.visit('/page1')
cy.visit('/page2')
cy.visit('/page3')
cy.go(-2)
cy.url().should('eq', '/page1')

C

cy.visit('/page1')
cy.visit('/page2')
cy.visit('/page3')
cy.go(-1)
cy.go(-1)
cy.url().should('eq', '/page1')

D

cy.visit('/page1')
cy.visit('/page2')
cy.visit('/page3')
cy.go(-2)
cy.url().should('contain', '/page1')

💡 Hint

Remember that cy.url() returns the full URL, so exact equality may fail if the base URL is included.

Option D correctly goes back two pages and asserts the URL contains '/page1'. Using should('contain', '/page1') is safer than should('eq', '/page1') because the full URL includes the base domain.

Practice

1. What does the Cypress command cy.go('back') do during a test?

easy

A. It reloads the current page.

B. It navigates the browser to the previous page in history.

C. It navigates the browser to the next page in history.

D. It opens a new browser tab.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand cy.go() usage

   The cy.go() command controls browser history navigation, similar to back and forward buttons.

2. Step 2: Interpret the argument 'back'

   Using 'back' tells Cypress to go to the previous page in the browser history.

3. Final Answer:

   It navigates the browser to the previous page in history. -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   cy.go('back') = previous page [OK]

Hint: Remember 'back' means previous page in history [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing 'back' with 'forward'
• Thinking it reloads the page
• Assuming it opens a new tab

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to move forward one page in browser history using cy.go()?

easy

A. cy.go('forward')

B. cy.go(-1)

C. cy.go('back')

D. cy.go(0)

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall cy.go() arguments

   cy.go() accepts 'back', 'forward' or numbers like -1, 1 to move in history.

2. Step 2: Identify correct forward syntax

   To move forward one page, use 'forward' or 1. Among options, only cy.go('forward') is correct syntax.

3. Final Answer:

   cy.go('forward') -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Forward navigation = 'forward' [OK]

Hint: Use 'forward' string or 1 to go forward [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using negative number to go forward
• Using 'back' instead of 'forward'
• Using 0 which does nothing

3. Given this Cypress test code:

cy.visit('/page1')
cy.visit('/page2')
cy.go(-1)
cy.url().should('include', '/page1')

What will the assertion check after cy.go(-1) executes?

medium

A. The URL includes '/page1'

B. The URL includes '/page2'

C. The URL includes '/page3'

D. The URL remains unchanged

Solution

1. Step 1: Trace navigation commands

   First, the test visits '/page1', then '/page2', so browser history has '/page1' then '/page2'.

2. Step 2: Understand cy.go(-1)

   cy.go(-1) moves back one page in history, so it goes back from '/page2' to '/page1'.

3. Step 3: Check the assertion

   The assertion checks that the URL includes '/page1', which is true after going back.

4. Final Answer:

   The URL includes '/page1' -> Option A

5. Quick Check:

   cy.go(-1) = back one page = '/page1' [OK]

Hint: Negative number in cy.go() means go back [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming URL stays at '/page2'
• Confusing -1 with forward navigation
• Expecting URL to be '/page3' which was never visited

4. You wrote this Cypress test:

cy.visit('/home')
cy.visit('/about')
cy.go(2)
cy.url().should('include', '/contact')

But the test fails. What is the likely reason?

medium

A. cy.go(2) is invalid syntax and causes an error.

B. cy.go(2) goes back two pages, so URL is wrong.

C. cy.go(2) reloads the current page instead of navigating.

D. cy.go(2) tries to go forward two pages but no forward history exists.

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze browser history after visits

   After visiting '/home' then '/about', browser history has two pages: '/home' then '/about'. No forward pages exist.

2. Step 2: Understand cy.go(2) behavior

   cy.go(2) tries to go forward two pages, but since no forward history exists, navigation fails.

3. Step 3: Reason test failure

   The URL does not change to '/contact' because forward navigation is impossible, causing the assertion to fail.

4. Final Answer:

   cy.go(2) tries to go forward two pages but no forward history exists. -> Option D

5. Quick Check:

   Forward navigation beyond history length fails [OK]

Hint: Cannot go forward beyond available history [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking cy.go(2) reloads page
• Assuming cy.go(2) goes back
• Believing cy.go(2) is invalid syntax

5. You want to test navigation between three pages: '/start', '/middle', and '/end'. You write:

cy.visit('/start')
cy.visit('/middle')
cy.visit('/end')
cy.go(-2)
cy.url().should('include', '/start')

What does cy.go(-2) do here, and why is the assertion correct?

hard

A. cy.go(-2) moves back one page only, so URL includes '/middle'.

B. cy.go(-2) moves forward two pages, which is invalid here.

C. cy.go(-2) moves back two pages from '/end' to '/start', so URL includes '/start'.

D. cy.go(-2) reloads '/end' page twice, so URL stays '/end'.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the navigation history

   Visiting '/start', then '/middle', then '/end' creates a history stack: ['/start', '/middle', '/end'].

2. Step 2: Interpret cy.go(-2)

   cy.go(-2) moves back two pages in history, from '/end' back to '/start'.

3. Step 3: Confirm the assertion

   After moving back two pages, the URL should include '/start', so the assertion is correct.

4. Final Answer:

   cy.go(-2) moves back two pages from '/end' to '/start', so URL includes '/start'. -> Option C

5. Quick Check:

   Negative number moves back multiple pages [OK]

Hint: Negative numbers in cy.go() move back that many pages [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing negative with forward navigation
• Thinking cy.go(-2) reloads pages
• Assuming it moves back only one page