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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesTo write and run Cypress tests, install Cypress as a development dependency, choose end-to-end (E2E) or component testing in its first-run Launchpad, write independent specs, and use cypress open while developing and cypress run for terminal or CI runs. The two modes complement each other; you can use either or both in the same project.
Install Cypress in your JavaScript project
From the project root, use the package manager the project already uses. For npm:
npm install cypress --save-devEquivalent commands are:
yarn add cypress --devpnpm add --save-dev cypressbun add --dev cypress
Cypress normally downloads its matching binary during the package’s postinstall step. If lifecycle scripts are disabled or you deliberately defer the binary download, install it separately with cypress install. See the official installation guide and CLI reference.
Choose E2E or component testing and complete setup
Start the Launchpad from the project root:
npx cypress openUse yarn cypress open, pnpm cypress open, or bunx cypress open if that fits your package manager. On first launch, the Launchpad guides you through selecting E2E or component testing, choosing a browser, and creating or configuring the initial project structure. Selecting one mode does not prevent adding the other later. Details are in the installation guide and opening the app guide.
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For a team-friendly repeatable command, add a descriptive script such as cy:open to package.json. Avoid naming the script cypress, which can conflict with Yarn command resolution.
Know where Cypress puts files
The generated defaults include cypress.config.js, a fixtures directory, and a support file: cypress/support/e2e.js for E2E or cypress/support/component.js for component testing. Cypress loads the relevant support file before the selected spec. Put genuinely global hooks and setup there; keep spec-specific or heavy imports in the spec that needs them. These are defaults, not requirements—the structure can be reconfigured. See Writing and organizing tests.
Write a focused, independent spec
Cypress specs are JavaScript test files. This generic example assumes the app’s base URL is configured so that / resolves to its home page:
describe('home page', () => {
it('shows the main heading', () => {
cy.visit('/')
cy.get('h1').should('be.visible')
})
})Keep each test able to run by itself and in a different order. Cypress cautions that tests which depend on state left by another test can fail when reordered, skipped, or run alone. Set up needed state explicitly, and assert outcomes meaningful to a user. Prefer selectors that remain stable as presentation changes; choose a convention appropriate to your application.
Use the Cypress support file for shared setup, not as a place to make one spec depend on another. The Cypress organization guide explains spec structure and test independence.
Choose test data and network behavior deliberately
For known static data checked into the project, a fixture keeps the data separate from the spec. Fixtures can also provide deterministic network responses:
cy.intercept('GET', '/api/users', { fixture: 'users.json' })Use cy.readFile() when a file can change or is created by the application. For large files or work that needs Node.js, use cy.task(). If generating tests from records, import the records statically so the it() cases exist when Cypress loads the spec. See the official guide.
Run tests interactively while you develop
Run npx cypress open to launch Cypress’s interactive browser workflow. Choose a spec to run; Cypress displays the browser and a Command Log with test-step history for inspecting what happened. It watches the active spec and reruns it after edits, which supports a tight authoring and debugging loop. More detail is available in Writing and organizing tests and Opening the app.
Run a suite from the terminal
Use cypress run to run tests to completion; it is headless by default:
npx cypress runTo run one spec, select it explicitly:
npx cypress run --spec "cypress/e2e/my-spec.cy.js"You can also select a browser with --browser or provide a configuration file with --config-file. A selected file must also match the project’s configured specPattern. The CLI reference documents the available options.
| Goal | Command | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Author and debug with live feedback | npx cypress open |
Interactive browser, Command Log, and reruns when the active spec changes |
| Run a suite to completion | npx cypress run |
Terminal checks and CI; headless by default, with options for browser, spec, and configuration |
These are complementary workflows: use open mode to build and debug tests, then run mode for repeatable checks.
Run Cypress reliably in CI
Install Cypress in the CI job, start the application, wait until its URL responds, and only then invoke Cypress. Starting the server and Cypress together without a readiness check creates a race: the browser may visit the app before the server is ready. Cypress’s CI guide says there is “no guarantee that your server has booted by the time cypress run executes.” Use a readiness utility or the official Cypress GitHub Action’s documented start and wait-on options rather than relying on an arbitrary sleep.
Keep credentials in your CI provider’s secret-management facility. Cypress warns that secrets passed as command-line arguments may appear in CI logs. Invoke cypress run through the job configuration for your CI provider; setup syntax varies by provider.
Troubleshoot common Cypress test problems
The app is unavailable when a test starts
Cause: Cypress began before the development or test server was listening. Fix: make the job wait for the app URL to respond before running Cypress; a fixed delay can still be too short or waste time.
A test fails when run alone or in a different order
Cause: it relies on browser or application state left by another test. Fix: make setup explicit in the test or shared setup, and verify the spec can run on its own.
The selected spec does not run
Cause: its path does not match the project’s configured specPattern. Fix: check the configured pattern and pass a matching path to --spec.
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A fixture does not reflect a changed file
Cause: fixtures are intended for static test data and Cypress caches them. Fix: use cy.readFile() for changing or application-created files.
Cypress’s binary is missing after package installation
Cause: install lifecycle scripts were blocked or binary installation was deferred. Fix: run cypress install as described in the CLI reference.
A secret appears in CI output
Cause: a sensitive value was supplied as a CLI argument or otherwise exposed in logs. Fix: source credentials from the CI provider’s secret facility and avoid printing them.
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