t.pressKey Method

Presses the specified keyboard keys. Does not require a target. Chainable.

t.pressKey(keys [, options]) → this | Promise<any>

Parameter	Type	Description
keys	String	The sequence of keys and key combinations to be pressed.
options (optional)	Object	Additional action options (see Options).

The following table shows how to specify keys of different types, key sequences, and combinations:

Key Type	Example
Alphanumeric keys	'a', 'A', '1'
Modifier keys	'shift', 'alt' (⌥ key on macOS), 'ctrl', 'meta' (meta key on Linux and ⌘ key on macOS)
Navigation and action keys	'backspace', 'tab', 'enter'
Key combinations	'shift+a', 'ctrl+d'
Sequential key presses	Use spaces to separate keys and key combinations. For example, 'space tab x ctrl+a'

The following navigation and action keys are supported:

• 'backspace'
• 'tab'
• 'enter'
• 'capslock'
• 'esc'
• 'space'
• 'pageup'
• 'pagedown'
• 'end'
• 'home'
• 'left'
• 'right'
• 'up'
• 'down'
• 'ins'
• 'delete'

Browser Processing Emulation

When a user presses a key or a key combination, the browser dispatches an event that triggers handlers in page code. Most browsers also respond to common keystrokes with their integrated actions (for instance, they select text when you press Cmd/Ctrl+A or switch focus when you press Shift+Tab).

The t.pressKey action only triggers page handlers for most keystrokes. Browser processing is emulated with a limited set of elements:

Shortcut	Elements
'ctrl+c', 'ctrl+v'	None. Clipboard operations are not emulated.
'ctrl++', 'ctrl+-'	None. Zoom is not performed.
'ctrl+a'	text field-based inputs, <textarea>, contentEditable
'backspace'	text field-based inputs, <textarea>, contentEditable
'delete'	text field-based inputs, <textarea>, contentEditable
'left'	text field-based inputs, radio button inputs, <textarea>, <select>, contentEditable
'right'	text field-based inputs, radio button inputs, <textarea>, <select>, contentEditable
'up'	text field-based inputs, radio button inputs, <textarea>, <select>
'down'	text field-based inputs, radio button inputs, <textarea>, <select>
'shift+left'	text field-based inputs, <textarea>
'shift+right'	text field-based inputs, <textarea>
'shift+up'	text field-based inputs, <textarea>
'shift+down'	text field-based inputs, <textarea>
'home'	text field-based inputs, <textarea>
'end'	text field-based inputs, <textarea>
'shift+home'	text field-based inputs, <textarea>
'shift+end'	text field-based inputs, <textarea>
'enter'	text field-based inputs, <textarea>, <select>, <a>
'tab'	focusable elements
'shift+tab'	focusable elements
'esc'	<select>

Text Field-Based Inputs

TestCafe supports selection and navigation with keystrokes in the following input types:

• email
• number
• password
• search
• tel
• text
• url

Example

The following example shows how to use the t.pressKey action:

import { Selector } from 'testcafe';

const nameInput = Selector('#developer-name');

fixture`TestController.pressKey`
    .page`https://devexpress.github.io/testcafe/example/`;

test('Key Presses', async t => {
    await t
        .typeText(nameInput, 'Peter Parker')
        .pressKey('home right . delete delete delete delete')
        .expect(nameInput.value).eql('P. Parker');
});

Options

Basic action options provide additional parameters for the t.pressKey, t.selectText, t.selectTextAreaContent and t.selectEditableContent actions.

export interface BasicOption {
    speed: number;
}

Parameter	Type	Description	Default
speed	Number	The speed of action emulation. Number between 1 (the maximum speed) and 0.01 (the minimum speed). Overrides all other speed settings (CLI, Runner, and test code) for the duration of the action.	1
confidential	Boolean	Replace the action payload with asterisks in TestCafe Dashboard reports.	true when the action target is a password type input; false otherwise.

Example

import { Selector } from 'testcafe';

const nameInput = Selector('#developer-name');

fixture`Action speed`
    .page`https://devexpress.github.io/testcafe/example/`;

test('Type name', async t => {
    await t
        .typeText(nameInput, 'Peter')
        .typeText(nameInput, ' Parker', { speed: 0.1 });
});