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Choose the right extension point
Cypress describes plugins as extensions that customize how tests are written, run, and reported. The key decision is the runtime: Cypress test code runs in the browser, while Node event hooks run in Cypress’s Node process. Consult the Cypress plugin guide and verify a package’s stated Cypress compatibility before adopting it.
| Need | Where it runs | Extension point |
|---|---|---|
| Interact with the page through a reusable test abstraction | Browser | Register a custom command in a support file with Cypress.Commands.add(). |
| Use filesystem, database, or operating-system capabilities | Node | Register a task in setupNodeEvents and call it with cy.task(). |
| Transform spec or support files before browser execution | Node | Use the file:preprocessor event. |
| Change lifecycle behavior or browser launch options | Node | Register the relevant event in setupNodeEvents. |
| Use a package with browser and Node components | Both | Follow its documentation and register each component in its respective location. |
Install and register an existing plugin
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Find a package that covers the need in the Cypress plugin directory. It categorizes entries such as custom commands, preprocessors, API and network testing, visual and accessibility testing, CI integrations, and reporting. Check the listed version, compatibility, update information, and ownership status; directory entries may be official, community-owned, or deprecated.
-
Install the package as a development dependency using your project’s package manager. For example, with npm:
npm install --save-dev package-name. Replacepackage-namewith the actual package name from its documentation.DriversOutdated Drivers Are Slowing You DownPerformanceWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They SpreadDriversCrashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy. -
Read that package’s README for its exact registration steps. Import or invoke Node setup from
setupNodeEvents; import browser-side command registration from the support file. If a package has both parts, perform both steps. -
Run Cypress and a representative test to confirm the extension loaded. If startup or the test fails, temporarily disable the extension and rerun the failing test to isolate whether the failure depends on it.
Register Node-side behavior
Define setupNodeEvents(on, config) under the relevant e2e or component configuration in cypress.config.js or cypress.config.ts. Cypress calls it in Node, separate from browser test code. Event hooks handle work at particular stages of the Cypress lifecycle. If setup changes configuration values, return the updated configuration; the hook can return a value or a promise, and a returned object is merged into configuration. See the Node Events overview.
Choose an event for the job
before:runandafter:run: run-wide setup or reporting.before:specandafter:spec: work around an individual spec’s lifecycle.before:browser:launch: adjust browser launch configuration, subject to browser-specific limits.after:screenshot: inspect or process screenshot metadata.file:preprocessor: prepare spec or support files for browser execution.task: let browser test code request Node-side work, such as database seeding or file access.
Example: expose a Node task
This CommonJS example registers a task that returns a value to the test. Place the handler inside setupNodeEvents in the relevant configuration:
const { defineConfig } = require('cypress');
module.exports = defineConfig({
e2e: {
setupNodeEvents(on, config) {
on('task', {
seedDatabase() {
// Perform Node-side setup here.
return null;
},
});
return config;
},
},
});Call the task from a spec with cy.task('seedDatabase'). A task must resolve to a value or explicitly return null when it has no result; returning undefined causes failure. Cypress advises against using cy.task() to start a web server. For an external command, the task API guidance recommends child_process.execFileSync() with arguments supplied as an array.
Add browser-side custom commands
Register browser-facing commands from a Cypress support file, which loads before each spec. A basic command can wrap repeated test actions:
// cypress/support/commands.js
Cypress.Commands.add('getByTestId', (id) => cy.get(`[data-testid="${id}"]`));Then a spec can call cy.getByTestId('save'). Keep commands composable rather than bundling unrelated test flows into one abstraction. Cypress recommends avoiding repeated UI setup when an API request or direct state setup can achieve the same test precondition. In TypeScript projects, document a custom command’s signature so editor tooling can provide useful type information.
Add, overwrite, or define a query?
Cypress.Commands.add()introduces a new command and is the usual choice for a project-specific helper.Cypress.Commands.overwrite()deliberately changes existing Cypress behavior. Use it cautiously because it can affect Cypress itself.- Use a custom query when the returned DOM element needs Cypress’s retry behavior.
See Cypress custom commands for the supported registration patterns. In a project configured with webpack sideEffects: false, a side-effect-only registration import may be tree-shaken. Cypress documents wrapping registration in an imported function as a workaround.
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Customize preprocessing
Cypress’s default webpack preprocessor supports ES2015+, JSX, TypeScript, watching, and caching. Customize compilation or use another bundler by registering file:preprocessor in setupNodeEvents. The preprocessor executes in Node, so it cannot call Cypress or cy commands. The Preprocessors API explains the hook.
Preserve source maps when transforming files: they let Cypress map stack traces back to original source and display code frames. Cypress’s examples use inline webpack source maps or inline esbuild maps. Developers publishing reusable preprocessors can use the cypress-*-preprocessor naming convention and keywords including cypress, cypress-plugin, and cypress-preprocessor.
Check ownership, compatibility, and maintenance
The directory distinguishes team-maintained, community-owned, and deprecated extensions. A community package is not maintained by Cypress: follow its own documentation and direct bugs to its maintainers. Before adding one, check whether it supports your Cypress version and whether its update history and ownership make it suitable for your project. The directory showed 131 entries when accessed on October 3, 2026; that count can change and is not a measure of package quality.
Use an existing package when it is maintained, compatible, and saves meaningful project-specific work. A custom command or Node task can be simpler when the behavior is narrow and specific to your codebase, but it becomes your team’s responsibility to maintain and debug. Commands are for browser-facing abstractions; tasks bridge browser tests to Node capabilities.
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- The package installs, but Cypress behavior does not change: installation does not register an extension. Check its README, then add Node setup to
setupNodeEvents, browser registration to the support file, or both as required. - Cypress fails during startup after adding a package: verify the package’s Cypress compatibility and exact setup instructions. Disable it and rerun the failing test; if the problem disappears, share Cypress and package versions plus a minimal reproduction with the package maintainers.
cy.task()fails because it returnedundefined: return a concrete value ornullwhen there is no result.- A command registration disappears in a webpack project: if
sideEffects: falseis configured, use the documented imported-function registration pattern so the registration is not removed as a side effect. - Stack traces point to transformed code: preserve and configure source maps in the preprocessor so Cypress can map errors to original files.
- A Chrome extension no longer loads from a launch hook: Cypress’s Node Events documentation says standard Chrome 137 and newer no longer load extensions using
before:browser:launch, because Chrome removed the--load-extensionflag. The same guidance says Chrome for Testing or Chromium can still load extensions. Check the current Node Events guidance against your installed browser and Cypress versions before relying on this workflow.
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curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for setup and options. It accepts cookie banners and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; each cleanup step can be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, and response headers identify the page verdict and billing status. Its MCP server offers take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf for AI agents and MCP clients. The free plan includes 1,000 shots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots.
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