Cypress and Selenium are two popular testing tools used for software testing. Cypress is a new open-source testing tool designed for web applications, while Selenium is a well-established open-source testing tool capable of testing web applications across different platforms and browsers. Cypress has a simpler API, real-time reloading, and in-built debugging capabilities, while Selenium offers stable cross-browser and cross-platform support and supports multiple programming languages. Choosing between the two depends on the project’s specific needs, such as browser compatibility, programming language, real-time reloading, and debugging capabilities. Both tools can be used together depending on the testing requirements.
Cypress vs. Selenium: Which Testing Tool Reigns Supreme in 2021?
As technology continues to evolve, so does the efficiency and effectiveness of software testing. Two of the most popular testing tools used by developers are Cypress and Selenium.
What is Cypress?
Cypress is a powerful and relatively new open-source testing tool specifically designed for web applications. It uses JavaScript and its API is designed to be simple and intuitive. Cypress is known for its accuracy and speed, as well as its ability to work with any front-end framework or library, including React, Vue, and Angular. It also has in-built features like debugging, real-time reloading, and automatic waiting.
What is Selenium?
Selenium, on the other hand, has been around for more than a decade and has been widely recognized as the most popular testing tool. It is an open-source testing tool that is capable of testing web applications across different browsers and platforms. Selenium supports different programming languages like Java, Python, and C#.
Cypress vs. Selenium: Features and Benefits Comparison
While both tools have unique features and benefits, what sets these two courses apart is how they approach software testing. Here is a comparison of Cypress vs. Selenium:
1. Code simplicity
Cypress is relatively easy to learn since it has a simple, well-documented, and straightforward API. The API is designed to be familiar to developers who are already using JavaScript. With Cypress, writing test scripts is intuitive and reading them is also easy. Selenium, on the other hand, has a large set of APIs, which can be overwhelming to beginners.
2. Cross-browser testing
Selenium is best known for its stable cross-browser and cross-platform support. It allows teams to run automated testing on multiple operating systems and browsers simultaneously. Cypress is still working on expanding its browser compatibility. Currently, it can only run tests on Chrome and Firefox.
3. Real-time reloading
One of Cypress’s unique features is its ability to live-reload test results in real-time. This helps developers quickly make changes and verify the test’s behavior quickly. Selenium does not have this feature and requires the developer to manually reload the page to see the changes made.
4. Debugging capability
Cypress’s in-built debugging feature enables developers to investigate and analyze any test failure without having to navigate to a separate console window. On the other hand, Selenium’s debugging capability requires third-party debugging tools.
Which Testing Tool is Better for You?
Choosing between Cypress and Selenium can be a tricky decision, and it ultimately comes down to your project’s specific needs. Here are some factors to consider when choosing between these two:
- Browser compatibility (Selenium)
- Programming language (Selenium)
- Real-time reloading (Cypress)
- Debugging capability (Cypress)
FAQs
Is Cypress or Selenium faster for testing?
Cypress is known to run faster than Selenium. Since Cypress executes tests directly on the browser, it can achieve faster test execution times.
Can Cypress test mobile apps?
No, Cypress cannot test mobile apps as it is designed specifically for web applications. It a purely browser automation tool.
What programming languages does Cypress support?
Cypress only supports JavaScript.
Is Selenium still relevant in 2021?
Yes, Selenium is still relevant, and in fact, it remains the most popular testing tool in the world, with a vast developer community and robust community support.
Which tool is more user-friendly?
Cypress is more user-friendly compared to Selenium. It has a simple and intuitive API that is easy to learn, even for beginners.
Can I use both Cypress and Selenium together?
Yes, it is possible to use both tools, but it might require some additional setup. One can use Cypress for writing tests that require real-time reloading and debugging, while Selenium can handle cross-browser testing.
