How to Test API Status Code in Cypress: Simple Guide

To test an API status code in Cypress, use cy.request() to send the API call and then assert the response.status with expect(). This verifies the server returns the expected HTTP status like 200 or 404.

Syntax

The basic syntax to test an API status code in Cypress involves using cy.request() to make the HTTP request, then chaining a .then() callback to access the response object. Inside the callback, use expect(response.status) to assert the status code.

• cy.request(url): Sends an HTTP request to the given URL.
• .then(response => { ... }): Handles the response object.
• expect(response.status).to.eq(expectedStatus): Checks if the status code matches the expected value.

javascript

cy.request('https://example.com/api').then((response) => {
  expect(response.status).to.eq(200)
})

Example

This example shows how to test that a GET request to a public API returns a 200 status code, indicating success.

javascript

describe('API Status Code Test', () => {
  it('should return status 200 for GET request', () => {
    cy.request('https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts/1')
      .then((response) => {
        expect(response.status).to.eq(200)
      })
  })
})

Output

Test passes if the API returns status 200; fails otherwise.

Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes when testing API status codes in Cypress include:

• Not using cy.request() and trying to test API calls through UI commands.
• Forgetting to assert the response.status and only checking the body.
• Not handling asynchronous behavior properly, causing tests to pass or fail incorrectly.

Always use cy.request() for direct API testing and assert the status explicitly.

javascript

/* Wrong way: No status assertion */
cy.request('https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts/1').then((response) => {
  // Missing status check
  expect(response.body).to.have.property('id')
})

/* Right way: Assert status code */
cy.request('https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts/1').then((response) => {
  expect(response.status).to.eq(200)
  expect(response.body).to.have.property('id')
})

Quick Reference

Command	Description
cy.request(url)	Sends an HTTP request to the specified URL
response.status	Contains the HTTP status code from the response
expect(response.status).to.eq(code)	Asserts the status code equals the expected code
cy.request(method, url)	Sends a request with a specific HTTP method (GET, POST, etc.)

Key Takeaways

Use cy.request() to send API calls directly in Cypress tests.

Always assert response.status to verify the API status code.

Handle asynchronous responses with .then() to access the response object.

Avoid testing API status codes through UI interactions; test APIs directly.

Check both status code and response body for thorough API testing.