Transition from Manual Tester to Cypress Automation Tester: A Step-by-Step Beginner’s Guide

As the tech world rapidly evolves, so does the software testing landscape. Automation has become key to ensuring faster, more efficient software releases. While manual testing remains crucial in many areas, the increasing demand for faster, more scalable testing has made automation a sought-after skill for testers.

If you're a manual tester looking to level up your career, transitioning to an automation testing role with Cypress can be an excellent choice.

Here's a step-by-step guide to help you make this transition smoothly.

Why Make the Switch to Automation?

Before diving into the technical steps, it’s important to understand why automation testing, and specifically Cypress, is worth your time and effort:

1. Faster Feedback Loops: Automation speeds up testing, allowing developers and testers to get faster feedback on the quality of the application.
2. Reusability: Automated tests can be reused across different test cases and environments, saving time and effort in the long run.
3. Reliability: Automation removes human error from repetitive test scenarios, leading to more consistent results.
4. Scalability: As applications grow in complexity, automated tests can scale more easily than manual testing efforts.

Cypress, in particular, has gained immense popularity due to its ease of use, speed, and ability to run end-to-end tests directly in the browser, making it an ideal framework for testers transitioning from manual to automation testing.

Step 1: Understand the Basics of Automation Testing

Before diving into Cypress, it's important to understand the fundamental concepts behind automation testing:

• Test Automation Frameworks: Learn about various test automation frameworks, such as Mocha, Chai, Cucumber etc. While you don't need to be an expert in all of them, having a basic understanding of test frameworks can help you better appreciate Cypress’s capabilities.
• Automated Testing Concepts: Familiarize yourself with core concepts such as assertions, page objects, test data management, and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD).
• Programming Languages: Although you don't need to be an expert developer, knowing JavaScript basics is essential, as Cypress uses JavaScript for scripting tests.

You don’t need to be a programming expert to get started with Cypress, but some basic knowledge of JavaScript is helpful (more on that in the next section).

Step 2: Get Comfortable with JavaScript

As a manual tester, you may not have much experience with programming but fear not. JavaScript is one of the most beginner-friendly programming languages, and you'll be writing test scripts using it in Cypress. Here's how to start:

1. Learn the Basics of JavaScript: Many free resources online (such as?w3schools?or?Codecademy)?can guide you through JavaScript basics. Focus on understanding variables, functions, loops, conditions, and arrays.
2. Familiarize Yourself with DOM: In web development, the DOM (Document Object Model) represents the structure of a webpage. Cypress interacts directly with the DOM, so you need to understand how elements like buttons, links, and text fields are structured.
3. Practice Writing Simple Scripts: Once you're comfortable with JavaScript basics, try writing simple scripts to get comfortable with the syntax. You could write simple scripts that perform actions like printing messages, manipulating data, and interacting with web pages.

Step 3: Dive into Cypress/ Install Cypress and Set Up Your Environment

Now that you have a foundation in JavaScript, it’s time to explore Cypress. Cypress is an end-to-end testing framework designed to make automation fast, easy, and reliable.

Here’s how to get started:

• Install Node.js: Cypress runs on Node.js, so the first step is installing Node.js on your computer if you haven’t already. You can download it from the official website.
• Create a New Project Directory: Open your terminal or command prompt and create a new directory for your project:

mkdir cypress-automation
cd cypress-automation        

• Initialize a New Node.js Project: Run the following command to initialize a new Node.js project:

npm init -y        

• Install Cypress: First, you need to install Cypress in your project. You can do this using npm (Node Package Manager).

npm install cypress --save-dev        

• Open Cypress: After installation, open Cypress for the first time by running:

npx cypress open        

This will launch the Cypress Test Runner, where you can start writing and running your tests.

Step 4: Write Your First Cypress Test

Now that you have Cypress set up, it’s time to write your first automation test. Here's a simple example of how to check the title of a webpage:

• Create a Test File: In the cypress/integration folder, create a new file called my_first_test.spec.js.
• Write Your First Test: Start by writing a simple test that visits a webpage and verifies its title. Here’s a basic example:

describe('My First Test', () => {
  it('Should visit the site and check the title', () => {
    cy.visit('https://example.com')
    cy.title().should('include', 'Example Domain')
  })
})        

• Run the Test: Go back to the Cypress Test Runner, click on my_first_test.spec.js, and see your test run in the browser. You should see Cypress navigate to the website and check if the title contains the text “Example Domain.”

Step 5: Learn Key Cypress Commands

• Explore Cypress Documentation: The Cypress Documentation is one of the best resources available. It’s well-written and includes a wide range of examples to help you learn the framework.
• Understand Cypress Commands: To write effective tests, you’ll need to become familiar with some common Cypress commands. Cypress provides a rich set of commands
• cy.visit(): Opens a webpage.
• cy.get(): Selects DOM elements (like buttons, text fields, etc.).
• cy.click(): Clicks on a DOM element.
• cy.type(): Types text into an input field.
• cy.should(): Makes assertions about an element’s state (e.g., visibility, text content).

and more.... Learn how these commands interact with web elements and manipulate DOM elements directly.

For example, to automate a login form, you might write something like this:

describe('Login Test', () => {
  it('logs in successfully', () => {
    cy.visit('https://example.com/login')
    cy.get('input[name="username"]').type('myUsername')
    cy.get('input[name="password"]').type('myPassword')
    cy.get('button[type="submit"]').click()
    cy.url().should('include', '/dashboard')  // Verify successful login
  })
})        

• Run Tests in Different Browsers: Cypress supports running tests in various browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Electron. Get comfortable running tests across different environments and adjusting configurations as needed.

Step 6: Expand Your Knowledge

Once you’re comfortable with the basics, continue learning and experimenting with more advanced features:

1. Use Cypress Fixtures: Store test data (like user credentials) in separate files and load them during tests to keep your code clean.
2. Run Tests Across Browsers: Cypress supports running tests on different browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Electron.
3. Use Cypress with CI/CD: Integrate Cypress tests into your continuous integration pipeline to run tests automatically every time code is committed.

Step 7: Understand Cypress Architecture

Cypress works differently from traditional automation tools like Selenium. Here are some key features of Cypress that you need to grasp:

• Test Runner: Cypress provides an interactive test runner where you can see your tests running in real time. This feature allows you to quickly debug issues and verify results.
• DOM Manipulation: Unlike Selenium, Cypress interacts directly with the DOM, which makes it much faster and more reliable.
• Automatic Waiting: Cypress automatically waits for elements to become available before interacting with them, reducing the need for explicit waits or timeouts in your test scripts.
• Network Traffic Control: Cypress allows you to stub and mock network requests, enabling you to test your application in isolation without depending on external services.

Step 8: Join the Cypress Community

As a beginner, don’t hesitate to reach out for help. The Cypress community is full of experienced testers and developers who can offer advice, share resources, and help you troubleshoot any issues. You can join forums like the Cypress Gitter or the Cypress Discord for real-time discussions.

Step 9: Continue Learning and Stay Updated

The world of software testing is constantly evolving. To stay relevant, it's essential to continue learning and improving your skills:

1. Follow Blogs and Forums: Subscribe to blogs and forums focused on Cypress and test automation. Some great resources include the Cypress Blog and the Cypress GitHub repository.
2. Contribute to Open-Source Projects: Contributing to open-source testing projects can improve your skills and expand your network.
3. Join Testing Communities: Participate in testing communities on platforms like Reddit, StackOverflow, or the Cypress Discord channel.

Conclusion: A New Era for Your Testing Career

Transitioning from manual testing to Cypress automation doesn’t have to be difficult. By learning the basics of JavaScript, understanding key automation concepts, and experimenting with Cypress, you can quickly become proficient in automation testing. You'll be well-equipped to automate end-to-end tests and contribute to faster, more efficient software development processes.

Embracing automation not only enhances your testing skills but also helps teams deliver high-quality software at an accelerated pace. As you gain more experience, you'll also unlock new opportunities in the world of software testing. So, take the leap, explore Cypress, and prepare for a rewarding future as an automation tester!

Ready to dive in? Start with simple tests, keep learning, and enjoy the journey of evolving into a skilled automation tester.

Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn or Medium for more insights on software testing, automation, and career growth.