Automatic retry mechanism in Cypress - Framework Patterns

Framework Mode - Automatic retry mechanism

Folder Structure

cypress/
├── e2e/                  # Test specs
│   ├── login.cy.js       # Example test file
│   └── dashboard.cy.js
├── fixtures/             # Test data files (JSON, etc.)
│   └── users.json
├── support/              # Support files and commands
│   ├── commands.js       # Custom commands
│   ├── e2e.js            # Global setup
│   └── retry.js          # Retry logic implementation
cypress.config.js         # Cypress configuration file

Test Framework Layers

• Test Specs (cypress/e2e/): Contains the actual test cases written in Cypress syntax.
• Support Layer (cypress/support/): Holds reusable code like custom commands and retry logic to keep tests clean.
• Fixtures (cypress/fixtures/): Stores static test data used by tests.
• Configuration (cypress.config.js): Defines environment settings, base URLs, retries, and browser options.

Configuration Patterns

Automatic retry in Cypress is configured in cypress.config.js using the retries option:

export default defineConfig({
  e2e: {
    baseUrl: 'https://example.com',
    retries: {
      runMode: 2,      // Retry failed tests 2 times in CI runs
      openMode: 0      // No retries when running tests interactively
    },
    setupNodeEvents(on, config) {
      // Additional event listeners if needed
    }
  }
})

Custom retry logic can also be added in cypress/support/retry.js for commands or assertions that need special handling.

Test Reporting and CI/CD Integration

• Use Cypress built-in retries to reduce flaky test failures in CI pipelines.
• Integrate with CI tools (GitHub Actions, Jenkins, GitLab CI) to run tests with retries enabled.
• Use reporters like mochawesome to generate detailed reports showing retry attempts and final test status.
• Configure CI to fail the build only if tests fail after all retries.

Best Practices for Automatic Retry Mechanism

1. Use Cypress built-in retries: Configure retries in cypress.config.js instead of custom retry loops for simplicity and reliability.
2. Limit retries: Avoid too many retries to prevent hiding real issues and increasing test run time.
3. Retry only flaky tests: Use retries mainly for tests known to be flaky due to timing or network issues.
4. Combine with explicit waits: Use Cypress commands like cy.wait() or cy.intercept() to stabilize tests before retrying.
5. Log retry attempts: Use custom commands or event listeners to log retries for easier debugging.

Self Check

Where in this folder structure would you add a custom command to log retry attempts for failed tests?

Key Result

Use Cypress built-in retries configured in cypress.config.js combined with support layer utilities for stable automatic retry handling.

Practice

1. What does Cypress's automatic retry mechanism do during test execution?

easy

A. It requires manual loops to retry commands.

B. It skips failed tests automatically without retrying.

C. It keeps trying commands and assertions until they pass or timeout.

D. It only retries tests when explicitly told by the user.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand Cypress retry behavior

   Cypress automatically retries commands and assertions until they pass or the timeout is reached.

2. Step 2: Compare options with this behavior

   Only the option stating "It keeps trying commands and assertions until they pass or timeout." correctly describes this automatic retry mechanism without manual intervention.

3. Final Answer:

   It keeps trying commands and assertions until they pass or timeout. -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Automatic retry = keeps trying until pass [OK]

Hint: Remember: Cypress retries commands/assertions automatically [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking retries happen only on user command
• Believing Cypress skips failed tests without retry
• Assuming manual loops are needed for retries

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to assert that an element with id submit-btn is visible, leveraging Cypress's automatic retry?

easy

A. cy.get('#submit-btn').assertVisible()

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

C. cy.find('#submit-btn').should('visible')

D. cy.getElement('#submit-btn').isVisible()

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify correct Cypress command and assertion

   The correct command to select an element is cy.get() and the assertion to check visibility is should('be.visible').

2. Step 2: Validate syntax correctness

   cy.get('#submit-btn').should('be.visible') uses the correct syntax and leverages automatic retry on the assertion. Other options use invalid commands or incorrect assertion syntax.

3. Final Answer:

   cy.get('#submit-btn').should('be.visible') -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Correct syntax = cy.get + should('be.visible') [OK]

Hint: Use cy.get() with should() for retries on assertions [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using non-existent commands like assertVisible()
• Incorrect assertion strings like 'visible' instead of 'be.visible'
• Using cy.find() instead of cy.get()

3. Consider the following Cypress test code:

cy.get('.loading').should('not.exist')
cy.get('#data').should('contain', 'Success')

What will happen if the element with class loading disappears after 3 seconds but the default timeout is 4 seconds?

medium

A. The test will fail immediately because the element exists at first.

B. The test will pass only if manual wait is added before assertions.

C. The test will timeout and fail because Cypress does not retry on should('not.exist').

D. The test will pass because Cypress retries until the element disappears within timeout.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand retry on should('not.exist')

   Cypress automatically retries assertions like should('not.exist') until the element disappears or timeout.

2. Step 2: Analyze timing and retry behavior

   The element disappears after 3 seconds, which is before the 4-second timeout, so the assertion will eventually pass.

3. Final Answer:

   The test will pass because Cypress retries until the element disappears within timeout. -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Retry waits for condition until timeout [OK]

Hint: Remember: should('not.exist') retries until element gone [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming immediate failure if element exists initially
• Believing manual waits are always needed
• Thinking Cypress does not retry negative assertions

4. You wrote this Cypress test:

cy.get('#submit').click()
cy.get('#result').should('contain', 'Done')

But the test fails because #result text updates slowly. Which fix uses Cypress's automatic retry correctly?

medium

A. Use cy.get('#result', { timeout: 7000 }).should('contain', 'Done') to increase timeout.

B. Change to cy.get('#result').should('contain', 'Done') as is (no change).

C. Replace should with then for immediate check.

D. Add cy.wait(5000) before the assertion.

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify problem with slow update

   The element #result updates slowly, so default timeout may be too short.

2. Step 2: Use automatic retry with increased timeout

   Use cy.get('#result', { timeout: 7000 }).should('contain', 'Done') to increase the timeout, letting Cypress retry the assertion longer until it passes.

3. Final Answer:

   Use cy.get('#result', { timeout: 7000 }).should('contain', 'Done') -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Increase timeout to let retry succeed [OK]

Hint: Increase timeout to extend retry duration [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using fixed waits instead of timeout options
• Not changing anything and expecting success
• Replacing should with then, which disables retry

5. You want to test a button that becomes enabled only after an API call completes. The button has id submit-btn. Which Cypress code best uses automatic retry to wait for the button to be enabled before clicking it?

hard

A. cy.get('#submit-btn').should('be.enabled').click()

B. cy.get('#submit-btn').click()

C. cy.wait(3000); cy.get('#submit-btn').click()

D. cy.get('#submit-btn').then($btn => { if ($btn.is(':enabled')) { $btn.click() } })

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand button enabling timing

   The button becomes enabled after an API call, so it may be disabled initially.

2. Step 2: Use automatic retry on enabled state

   cy.get('#submit-btn').should('be.enabled').click() uses should('be.enabled') which retries until the button is enabled, then clicks it.

3. Final Answer:

   cy.get('#submit-btn').should('be.enabled').click() -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Use should('be.enabled') to wait before click [OK]

Hint: Chain should('be.enabled') before click to wait [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Clicking immediately without waiting
• Using fixed wait instead of retry
• Using then() which disables retry and may fail