Difference Between Cypress and TestCafe

End to End Testing

Unit Testing

Integration Testing

API Testing

Time Travel: Cypress runs on its own window and takes snapshots while tests run. Hover over commands in the Command Log to see exactly what happened at each step.

Debuggability: Cypress allows direct debugging from Developer Tools. Readable errors and stack traces make debugging fast and efficient.

Automatic Waiting: In Cypress, testers do not need to provide Explicit Wait. Cypress automatically waits for commands and assertions before moving on. No more async hell.

Spies, Stubs, and Clocks: This feature helps to verify and control the behaviour of functions, server responses, or timers.

Network Traffic Control: Easily control, stub, and test edge cases without involving the server. Stub network traffic as it is required.

Consistent Results: Since Cypress uses its own browser control strategy, it is comparatively faster, more consistent, and enables reliable tests that are flake-free.

Screenshots and Videos: Screenshots are taken automatically on failure. One can take videos of the entire test suite when run from the CLI.

Cross browser Testing: Cypress supports running tests within New Edge, Firefox, and Chrome-family browsers.

Programming Language: Cypress supports only JavaScript/Typescript as a programming language.

Multiple Tab: Cypress does not support multiple tabs or allow switching between Parent and Child windows.

Native Mobile Apps: Cypress does not support native mobile apps automation.

IFrame Support : Cypress support for iframe is limited.

Parallel Test Execution: Cypress doesn’t support parallel testing on the same or multiple browsers.

Single Origin Tests: Testers cannot create tests under different origins or URLs. It must always be inline with single origins.

Selector Support: Cypress supports only CSS selectors natively but there are third party packages which can be pluggable with Cypress to use XPath.

Assertion Libraries: Cypress supports only Mocha, Chai assertion libraries. However these are sufficient for most test scripts.

Super Easy setup: TestCafe is easy and quick to set up. Anyone who knows the basics can do it on their own.

No third-party dependency: TestCafe doesn’t depend on any third-party libraries like webdriver, or external jars etc.

Easy Test Script writing: TestCafe command chaining techniques make teams more productive. 20 lines of code in other frameworks can be just written in 10 to 12 lines using TestCafe syntax.

Fast and Stable: Because a test is executed inside a browser, the tests are faster compared to other frameworks. Tests are also more stable as events are simulated internally using JavaScript.

Mock Requests: TestCafe helps to emulate HTTP responses to feed sample data to an app, troubleshoot connectivity errors, and cheat downtime.

Multiple Tab Support: Unlike Cypress, Testcafe provides functionalities like switching between windows and multiple tab support.

iframe Support: Testcafe supports iframes and one can switch to and from iframes in their tests.

Parallel Testing: With concurrency mode enabled, TestCafe tests can be run in parallel.

Automated Waiting: TestCafe waits automatically for elements to appear. There’s no need to insert External Waits.

Cross Browser Testing: Testcafe supports all major browsers like old and new Edge, Firefox, IE, and all Chrome family browsers.

Debuggability: Testcafe provides Live Mode which helps to visualize individual actions on the browser for easier debugging.

Screenshots: TestCafe supports taking screenshots for tests using built-in screenshot commands.

Programming Language: Testcafe supports only Javascript/Typescript programming language.

Assertion Libraries: TestCafe supports built-in assertion libraries only.

Selector Support: By default, TestCafe supports only CSS selectors.

Execution of Tests: Browsers are not aware that they are running in test mode. So, in some edge cases, automation control can be disrupted. It’s also quite hard to debug possible issues.