How to Use cy.go for Navigation in Cypress Tests

Use cy.go() in Cypress to navigate through the browser's history stack. You can pass a number to move forward or backward (e.g., cy.go(-1) goes back one page), or use strings like 'back' or 'forward' for navigation.

Syntax

The cy.go() command controls browser history navigation. It accepts either a number or a string:

• cy.go(number): Moves forward or backward in history by the given number. Negative numbers go back, positive go forward.
• cy.go('back'): Equivalent to cy.go(-1), goes back one page.
• cy.go('forward'): Equivalent to cy.go(1), goes forward one page.

javascript

cy.go(-1)  // Go back one page
cy.go(1)   // Go forward one page
cy.go('back')    // Go back one page
cy.go('forward') // Go forward one page

Example

This example shows how to visit two pages and then use cy.go() to navigate back and forward in the browser history.

javascript

describe('cy.go navigation example', () => {
  it('navigates back and forward in browser history', () => {
    cy.visit('https://example.cypress.io')
    cy.contains('type').click()  // Navigate to a new page
    cy.url().should('include', '/commands/actions')

    cy.go('back')  // Go back to previous page
    cy.url().should('eq', 'https://example.cypress.io/')

    cy.go(1)  // Go forward to next page
    cy.url().should('include', '/commands/actions')
  })
})

Output

Test passes if navigation works correctly and URLs match expected pages.

Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes when using cy.go() include:

• Trying to go forward when there is no forward history, which causes the command to do nothing.
• Using cy.go() without visiting multiple pages first, so navigation has no effect.
• Not waiting for page loads after navigation, which can cause flaky tests.

Always ensure your test visits multiple pages before using cy.go() and use assertions to confirm navigation.

javascript

/* Wrong: Using cy.go() without navigation history */
cy.visit('https://example.cypress.io')
cy.go('back')  // Does nothing, no previous page

/* Right: Navigate first, then use cy.go() */
cy.visit('https://example.cypress.io')
cy.contains('type').click()
cy.go('back')  // Works as expected

Quick Reference

Usage	Description
cy.go(-1)	Go back one page in browser history
cy.go(1)	Go forward one page in browser history
cy.go('back')	Alias for going back one page
cy.go('forward')	Alias for going forward one page

Key Takeaways

Use cy.go() to navigate browser history by passing a number or 'back'/'forward' strings.

Ensure your test visits multiple pages before using cy.go() to have navigation history.

Always add assertions after cy.go() to verify the page loaded correctly.

cy.go(-1) and cy.go('back') do the same thing; similarly for forward navigation.

Avoid using cy.go() when no forward or backward history exists to prevent no-op commands.