Prerequisites

Before setting up Cypress, ensure you have the following installed on your system:

Node.js

Required for running Cypress tests.

Installing Node.js

1. Download Node.js

   • Visit the official Node.js website: https://nodejs.org/ 
   • Download the LTS (Long-Term Support) version for better stability.

2. Install Node.js

   • Run the installer and follow the installation steps.
   • Ensure you check the option Automatically install the necessary tools.

3. Verify Installation

   • Open a terminal or command prompt and run the following commands to confirm installation:
     terminal

     node -v
     npm -v

   • These should return the installed versions of Node.js and npm.

Git

Required for cloning and managing the Cypress test repository.

Installing Git

1. Download Git

   • Visit the official Git website: https://git-scm.com/downloads 
   • Download the version appropriate for your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux).

2. Install Git

   • Run the installer and follow the setup instructions.

3. Verify Installation

   • After installation, open a terminal or command prompt and run:
     terminal

     git --version

Visual Studio Code

Recommended code editor for managing test scripts.

Installing Visual Studio Code

1. Download VS Code

   • Visit the official Visual Studio Code website: https://code.visualstudio.com/ 
   • Download the installer for your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux).

2. Install VS Code

   • Run the installer and follow the setup instructions.
   • During installation, check the option to Add to PATH for command-line usage.

3. Install Essential Extensions (Optional but recommended)

   • Open VS Code and go to the Extensions Marketplace (Ctrl + Shift + X or Cmd + Shift + X on macOS).
   • Search for and install the following extensions:
     • Prettier (for automatic code formatting)
     • Cypress Snippets (for easier Cypress test writing)

Browser Requirements

Any modern browser (Optional): Chrome, Edge, or Firefox for executing tests.