Unlike Selenium, which operates outside the browser and communicates via remote commands, Cypress runs directly inside the browser, providing deeper integration and control over the application under test .
Core Components of Cypress Architecture are:
Acts as the backbone of Cypress, handling tasks such as reading and writing files, interacting with the operating system, and performing network operations.
Manages communication between the Cypress Test Runner and the browser
Provides an interactive GUI to write, run, and debug tests.
Displays real-time test execution, command logs, and allows for time-travel debugging by capturing snapshots at each test step
Cypress executes tests within the browser itself, enabling it to access and control the DOM, window objects, and network requests directly.
This in-browser execution allows for faster and more reliable tests compared to traditional frameworks .
Through the Node.js process, Cypress can read and write files on the local file system.
This capability is useful for tasks like loading fixtures, saving screenshots, and recording videos of test runs .
Intercepts and controls all HTTP requests and responses between the browser and the server.
Allows for stubbing and mocking of network requests, enabling testing of edge cases and network failures
Cypress offers a robust API for writing tests and supports a wide range of plugins to extend its functionality.
Plugins can be used for tasks like code coverage analysis, visual testing, and integrating with CI/CD pipelines .