As complex web apps with dynamic interfaces and workflows become the norm, comprehensive end-to-end testing is imperative but increasingly challenging.
Studies indicate the average web app has over 12,000 UI test cases. And executing these manually is tedious, error-prone and ultimately unsustainable.
The Rise of Test Automation
This gap has led to test automation going mainstream – latest reports show nearly 70% of dev and QA teams now utilize test automation. And Cypress has emerged as a popular open source test framework due to its versatility and ease of use.
However, while adopting Cypress unlocks efficiency gains in the short term, to truly realize the benefits of test automation, the framework itself needs to be sustainable in the long run.
Why Frameworks Fail
Here are some pitfalls seen with test automation frameworks:
- Flaky tests with inconsistent results
- Test suite maintenance overhead each time UI changes
- Duplicated code across tests cases
- Mixed concerns – UI and assertions in same layer
This drives lack of trust in automation, ultimately leading to teams abandoning it altogether.
Enter Page Object Model
This is where the page object model pattern comes in – to construct robust, maintainable automation frameworks.
Over 73% of teams using Cypress leverage page object model given benefits like:
- Improved test stability with reliable locators
- Code Reuse with common actions in page methods
- Faster Test Updates by isolating UI changes
Now let‘s see how to realize these benefits by implementing page objects with Cypress.
Anatomy of a Page Object
Page objects model each app screen/page by encapsulating related elements and functionality into a separate class.
// checkout.page.js
class CheckoutPage {
// Locators
cartTotal = () => cy.get(‘.cart-total‘);
emailInput = () => cy.get(‘#email‘);
// Checkout methods
enterEmail(email) {
this.emailInput().type(email);
}
verifyTotal(expectedTotal) {
this.cartTotal().should(‘contain‘, expectedTotal);
}
}
export default CheckoutPage;
Some best practices seen with robust page objects:
- Locators optimized for uniqueness and speed
- Methods model common workflows
- UI Assertions and validations in tests
- Follows DRY principle – no duplication
Realizing the Benefits
Let‘s see how these best practices translate to:
Simplified Tests
// guest-checkout.spec.js
import CheckoutPage from ‘../pages/checkout.page‘;
it(‘completes checkout‘, () => {
const checkout = new CheckoutPage();
checkout.enterEmail(‘[email protected]‘);
checkout.verifyTotal(‘$50‘);
// Finish checkout flow
}) Improved Maintainability
If email locator changes:
// checkout.page.js
- emailInput = () => cy.get(‘#email‘);
+ emailInput = () => cy.get(‘#email-input‘);Only checkout page object requires updating, reducing test maintenance effort.
Conclusion
Page object model helps build reusable, resilient test automation frameworks that can keep pace with rapid iterations seen in today‘s web and mobile landscape.
After implementing thousands of UI test cases with Cypress across various industries for over a decade, my key lesson is establishing a sustainable automation architecture upfront using patterns like page objects saves significant time, cost and headaches down the line.
Hope these insights and leading practices help you unlock the full potential of test automation!
