cypress.config.js settings - Test Execution Trace

Test Overview

This test verifies that Cypress correctly loads and applies settings from the cypress.config.js file, such as baseUrl and viewport size.

Test Code - Cypress

Cypress

describe('Cypress Config Settings Test', () => {
  it('should use baseUrl and viewport from cypress.config.js', () => {
    cy.visit('/')
    cy.url().should('eq', `${Cypress.config('baseUrl')}/`)
    cy.window().then((win) => {
      expect(win.innerWidth).to.equal(Cypress.config('viewportWidth'))
      expect(win.innerHeight).to.equal(Cypress.config('viewportHeight'))
    })
  })
})

Execution Trace - 5 Steps

Step	Action	System State	Assertion	Result
1	Test starts	Cypress test runner is initialized with cypress.config.js settings loaded	—	PASS
2	Cypress opens browser and applies viewport size from config	Browser window is set to viewportWidth and viewportHeight from cypress.config.js	—	PASS
3	Test navigates to baseUrl '/' using cy.visit('/')	Browser navigates to the URL defined by baseUrl in cypress.config.js	Verify current URL equals baseUrl + '/'	PASS
4	Test retrieves viewport size using cy.window() and compares with config	Viewport size is available from Cypress API	Viewport width and height match viewportWidth and viewportHeight from config	PASS
5	Test ends successfully	All assertions passed, test completes	—	PASS

Failure Scenario

Failing Condition: If cypress.config.js is missing or baseUrl is incorrect, cy.visit('/') will fail to load the page

Execution Trace Quiz - 3 Questions

What does cy.visit('/') do in this test?

A Navigates to the root of the local file system

B Navigates to the baseUrl defined in cypress.config.js

C Opens a new browser tab without loading a page

D Resets the viewport size to default

Key Result

Always verify that your cypress.config.js settings like baseUrl and viewport sizes are correctly set and reachable before running tests to avoid navigation and layout failures.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of the cypress.config.js file in a Cypress project?

easy

A. To set configuration options like base URL and test locations for Cypress tests

B. To write the actual test cases for Cypress

C. To install Cypress dependencies

D. To run Cypress tests manually from the command line

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the role of cypress.config.js

   This file is used to configure how Cypress runs tests, including settings like base URL and test file paths.

2. Step 2: Differentiate from other files

   Test cases are written in separate test files, not in the config file. Installation and running commands happen outside this file.

3. Final Answer:

   To set configuration options like base URL and test locations for Cypress tests -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Config file sets options = D [OK]

Hint: Config file sets test environment and paths [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing config file with test files
• Thinking config installs Cypress
• Believing config runs tests manually

2. Which of the following is the correct way to export the Cypress configuration using defineConfig in cypress.config.js?

easy

A. module.exports = { baseUrl: 'http://localhost:3000' }

B. export const config = { baseUrl: 'http://localhost:3000' }

C. defineConfig({ baseUrl: 'http://localhost:3000' })

D. export default defineConfig({ e2e: { baseUrl: 'http://localhost:3000' } })

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall the modern Cypress config syntax

   Since Cypress 10+, the config file uses defineConfig and exports it as default with ES module syntax.

2. Step 2: Check the correct structure

   The e2e object wraps settings like baseUrl. export default defineConfig({ e2e: { baseUrl: 'http://localhost:3000' } }) matches this pattern exactly.

3. Final Answer:

   export default defineConfig({ e2e: { baseUrl: 'http://localhost:3000' } }) -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Use defineConfig with export default = B [OK]

Hint: Use export default defineConfig({ e2e: { ... } }) [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Forgetting to wrap settings inside e2e object
• Using CommonJS export instead of ES module
• Not using defineConfig function

3. Given this cypress.config.js snippet, what will be the base URL used during test runs?

import { defineConfig } from 'cypress'

export default defineConfig({
  e2e: {
    baseUrl: 'https://example.com',
    specPattern: 'cypress/e2e/**/*.cy.js'
  }
})

medium

A. http://localhost:3000

B. https://example.com

C. cypress/e2e/**/*.cy.js

D. No base URL is set

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the baseUrl property in config

   The config sets baseUrl to 'https://example.com' inside the e2e object.

2. Step 2: Understand baseUrl usage

   This URL is used as the root for all relative URLs in tests, so it will be 'https://example.com'.

3. Final Answer:

   https://example.com -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   baseUrl set to https://example.com = C [OK]

Hint: Look for baseUrl inside e2e object [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing specPattern with baseUrl
• Assuming default localhost URL
• Missing that baseUrl is inside e2e

4. You wrote this cypress.config.js but Cypress throws an error when running tests:

import { defineConfig } from 'cypress'

export default {
  e2e: {
    baseUrl: 'http://localhost:8080'
  }
}

What is the likely cause of the error?

medium

A. Using export default instead of module.exports

B. baseUrl must be outside the e2e object

C. Missing call to defineConfig wrapping the config object

D. baseUrl value must be an IP address

Solution

1. Step 1: Check the export syntax

   The config is exported as a plain object, but Cypress expects the config wrapped in defineConfig().

2. Step 2: Understand Cypress config requirements

   Without defineConfig, Cypress cannot properly parse the config, causing errors.

3. Final Answer:

   Missing call to defineConfig wrapping the config object -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Always wrap config in defineConfig() = A [OK]

Hint: Always wrap config object with defineConfig() [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Placing baseUrl outside e2e
• Confusing export default with CommonJS
• Thinking baseUrl must be IP address

5. You want to set a custom environment variable API_KEY in cypress.config.js so it can be accessed in your tests. Which is the correct way to add it inside the config?

hard

A. export default defineConfig({ e2e: { env: { API_KEY: '12345' } } })

B. export default defineConfig({ env: { API_KEY: '12345' } })

C. export default defineConfig({ e2e: { baseUrl: 'http://localhost', API_KEY: '12345' } })

D. export default defineConfig({ e2e: { environment: { API_KEY: '12345' } } })

Solution

1. Step 1: Locate where environment variables go

   Environment variables for e2e tests go inside the env object nested within the e2e config.

2. Step 2: Verify correct property names

   The key must be env, not environment, and it must be inside e2e.

3. Final Answer:

   export default defineConfig({ e2e: { env: { API_KEY: '12345' } } }) -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Use e2e.env for env vars = A [OK]

Hint: Put env vars inside e2e.env object [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Placing env outside e2e
• Using wrong key name like environment
• Adding env vars directly under e2e without env object