How to Install Cypress on Windows?

Cypress is a testing framework that ensures the correct functioning of web applications as expected. It is a JavaScript-based testing tool that directly works on web browsers. It allows developers and QA professionals to perform automated web tests on applications and browsers.

Cypress is widely used by software development companies, developers, and QA professionals. On that note, we provide this quick guide to easily install Cypress on your machine.

Let’s dive into the step-by-step process to install Cypress.

Table of Contents

• Overview of Cypress
• Features
• Prerequisites
• Cypress Installation
• FAQs

Overview of Cypress

Cypress is a famous open-source testing framework used to test web applications. It acts like a smart robot with which we can test your websites and web applications. Also, you can detect and fix problems. It helps developers and QA professionals to build, run, and manage testing on web applications.

Consider this scenario: you have a website. You wish the buttons, forms, and links must do what they are supposed to do. You can do this setup manually. But it will consume much time and be less efficient.

So you can automate this process through automation. Cypress will take care of all the activities and simplify testing operations. It reports to users whether everything is going as planned or if any error has occurred.

If you want to enrich your career and become a professional in Cypress, then enroll in "Cypress Training". This course will help you to achieve excellence in this domain.

Features of Cypress

Some of the critical features of Cypress are given below:

• Cypress has an interactive interface for the test runner, which shows a live preview of the application when tests are undergoing. It allows developers to visualize and analyze the test execution.
• Because of the vast majority of active communities, there are many plugins and tutorials available to learn and understand Cypress. 
• It provides multi-browser support. Due to that, developers can perform tests in many browsers, ensuring the functionality of applications along the various browsers. 
• The customizable feature of Cypress allows you to expand its functionality and make it operable according to your specific needs.
• Cypress is very simple to set up and install in your project using npm, and it allows you to write APIs for various tests.

Prerequisites to Install Cypress

Ensure you have the following requisites installed in your system before installing Cypress:

• Node.JS and package manager.
• Code editors like Visual Studio Code and Sublime Text.

How to Install Cypress on Windows?

Node.js must be installed before installing Cypress. NodeJS must be installed before installing Cypress. Node.js is nothing but a runtime environment. It helps developers to create server-side JavaScript applications.

Installing Node.js

Step 1:  You can use the below link to install Node.js. Then click the Windows installer .msi file for installation. https://nodejs.org/en/download

[ Learn How to Install and Setup Node.js? ]

Step 2: Run the .msi file after installing the Windows installer. It helps to set up NodeJS on your machine. Once you finish that, a prompt will emerge. Click "Next" in the window.

Step 3:  Now, Tick the checkbox opposite to the license terms and conditions. Then, you can click the ‘Next’ button to continue.

Step 4: Next, choose the destination folder. Then click the ‘Next’ button to continue.

Step 5: You can find the destination folder now. You should make sure that Node.JS and NPM package manager is installed on your system.

Installing Cypress

Step 6: You can start installing Cypress on your system soon after the Node.JS installation. You can use the below command for the same.

npm install cypress -save-dev

[ Check out: Cypress Interview Questions and Answers ]

 

Cypress Installation FAQs

1. How do I control how Cypress is installed?

You can control the cypress installation by using the below environment variable:

CYPRESS_INSTALL_BINARY

If you want to override the cypress installation, you must set the variable with the npm install command.

2. How do I install Cypress with npm?

After the Node.js installation is completed, it's time to install Cypress on your system. Open the cmd terminal and input the command "npm install cypress -save-dev". This command will start the Cypress downloading on your system.

3. How do I run a Cypress test?

Use your terminal or direct download to run your Cypress test. Install NPM and input the following command into your terminal: npm install Cypress. Or download the Cypress program directly through Download Cypress.zip

4. How do I install Cypress using yarn?

Navigate where your project directory is located and run the following command on cmd: npm install Cypress, which not only downloads Cypress right away but also adds an entry to the package.json file. The cypress entry in package.json will be saved when you run -save-dev.

5. Does Cypress skip the install phase?

Cypress will skip the installation procedure once the npm module is installed. Cypress uploads the matching Cypress binary to the global system cache as of version 3.0, sharing the binary between projects.

[ Related Blog: How to Install and Setup Angular js? ]

Conclusion

Cypress is an excellent testing tool that helps you to have complete control over your web application, network traffic, and native access to every host object. It is a good choice for web application testing among developers and QA teams.
We hope that the material in this post has helped you install Cypress in your project, write tests, and adequately test your web apps. If you want to explore Cypress more, you can enroll in MindMajix's Cypress certification training and get certified.