Introduction

Automated testing plays a crucial role in software development, ensuring the quality and reliability of our applications. Today, I want to share with you my exciting journey into the world of automated testing, where I discovered the wonders of Cypress testing. Join me as I recount my experience with Cypress, both on my local machine and on a Concourse CI/CD pipeline. Trust me, it's a tale filled with effortless testing and smoother development processes.

Setting Up Local Cypress Testing

Picture this: I had heard whispers about Cypress and its magic. So, I decided to give it a try. Installing Cypress on my local machine was a breeze. I eagerly dived into writing Cypress tests, and boy, was I amazed! All that was needed was a simple npm install command, and I was ready to go.

# install Cypress via npm npm install cypress --save-dev # install Cypress via yarn yarn add cypress --dev

Note: Cypress is installed locally as a dev dependency for your project.

The simplicity of the test structure and the power of Cypress commands and assertions blew my mind. I created test cases that accurately reflected the behavior of my application. Running those tests locally provided me with instant feedback, making me feel like a superhero debugging issues in real-time.

Integrating Cypress Tests into the Concourse Pipeline

As I delved deeper into the integration process, I realized how seamlessly Cypress tests fit into the Concourse pipeline. I created dedicated jobs and tasks that ran my Cypress tests effortlessly. The pipeline became my testing ally, automatically triggering tests, handling dependencies, and generating detailed reports. I no longer had to worry about managing test artifacts or manually running tests. It was like having a testing assistant who always had my back.

The cypress docs provided worker minimum requirements:

• 2 CPUs minimum to run Cypress
• 1 additional CPU if video recording is enabled
• 1 additional CPU per process you run outside of Cypress, such as:
  • App server (frontend)
  • App server (backend)
  • App database
  • Any additional infrastructure (Redis, Kafka, etc..)

These requirements were not met by the default worker provided by Concourse. I had to create a custom worker to meet this:

There were additional challenges I faced along the way. I had to learn how to manage test environments and dependencies effectively. I also had to optimize resource allocation and caching mechanisms to boost test execution speed. I learned to integrate test coverage and code quality checks into the pipeline, elevating the overall quality of my codebase. I discovered the power of parallelization, enabling me to run tests in parallel and accelerate the testing cycle. I even learned how to run tests on different browsers and operating systems, ensuring cross-browser compatibility and a consistent user experience.

Running Cypress Tests Locally vs. on Concourse

I ventured into running my Cypress tests on the Concourse pipeline. The benefits were astounding! The pipeline provided consistency, scalability, and integration with other stages of the development process. I witnessed my tests running in parallel, accelerating the testing cycle and enabling me to catch issues across different environments. It was like having a dedicated testing team working tirelessly to ensure the quality of my application.

Throughout my journey, I picked up some valuable insights and best practices for optimizing Cypress testing on the Concourse pipeline. I learned to fine-tune resource allocation and leverage caching mechanisms to boost test execution speed. I integrated test coverage and code quality checks seamlessly into the pipeline, elevating the overall quality of my codebase. Managing test environments and dependencies became a breeze, allowing me to focus on what truly mattered—delivering reliable and robust software.

Conclusion

As I reflect on my journey, I can't help but feel grateful for the wonders of Cypress testing and the seamless integration with the Concourse pipeline. From effortless local testing to harnessing the power of a CI/CD pipeline, my testing experience transformed completely. I encourage you to embark on your own testing adventure with Cypress and Concourse, exploring their potential and discovering a world of efficient testing and streamlined development.