Integrate TestCafe with GitHub Actions

This topic describes how to use the Run TestCafe action to integrate TestCafe tests into the GitHub Actions build process.

• Step 1 - Create a Workflow
• Step 2 - Create a Job
• Step 3 - Add a Step that Fetches the Repository
• Step 4 - Add a Step that Runs TestCafe
• Action Options
  • args
  • version
• Example

Step 1 - Create a Workflow

Create a YAML file (for instance, testcafe-workflow.yml) in the .github/workflows directory in your repository.

Specify the workflow name and the event that triggers this workflow.

name: End-to-End Tests
on: [push]

In this example, the workflow runs when you push changes to the repository.

Step 2 - Create a Job

Create a job that runs the TestCafe tests.

Specify the job name and the type of machine that should run the job.

You can use a GitHub-hosted machine:

name: End-to-End Tests
on: [push]

jobs:
  test:
    name: Run TestCafe Tests
    runs-on: windows-latest

This job runs on a GitHub-hosted virtual machine with the latest Windows version. test is the job ID that must be unique to the jobs object.

Github Actions use the macOS Catalina 10.15 virtual environment with “System Integrity Protection” enabled as macos-latest. With this setting enabled, TestCafe requires screen recording permission, which cannot be obtained programmatically. For this reason, TestCafe is unable to run tests with GitHub Actions locally on macos-latest.

However, tests can run on macOS virtual machines if you connect the browser as remote.

Example

export HOSTNAME=localhost
export PORT1=1337
export PORT2=1338
testcafe remote test.js --hostname ${HOSTNAME} --ports ${PORT1},${PORT2} &
pid=$!
open -a Safari http://${HOSTNAME}:${PORT1}/browser/connect
wait $pid

Alternatively, you can host your own runners for the job. This gives you more precise control over the environment.

To set up the self-hosted runners, add them to your repository.

After that, configure runs-on in your workflow .yml file:

name: End-to-End Tests
on: [push]

jobs:
  test:
    name: Run TestCafe Tests
    runs-on: [self-hosted, linux]

Step 3 - Add a Step that Fetches the Repository

Add a step that uses the checkout action to fetch your repository content.

name: End-to-End Tests
on: [push]

jobs:
  test:
    name: Run TestCafe Tests
    runs-on: windows-latest
    steps:
      - name: Check out the repository
        uses: actions/checkout@v1

Step 4 - Add a Step that Runs TestCafe

Add the Run TestCafe action. Use the args parameter to provide TestCafe command line arguments.

name: End-to-End Tests
on: [push]

jobs:
  test:
    name: Run TestCafe Tests
    runs-on: windows-latest
    steps:
      - name: Check out the repository
        uses: actions/checkout@v1
      - name: Run tests
        uses: DevExpress/testcafe-action@latest
        with:
            args: "chrome tests"

Action Options

args

TestCafe command line arguments.

- uses: DevExpress/testcafe-action@latest
  with:
    args: "chrome fixture.js -s takeOnFails=true -q -c 3"

version

Optional

The TestCafe version to install.

- uses: DevExpress/testcafe-action@latest
  with:
    version: "1.6.0"
    args: "chrome tests"

Default value: latest

Example

The following workflow demonstrates how to run TestCafe tests across Node.js versions and operating systems.

name: Target Multiple Node.js Versions and Operating Systems
on: [push]

jobs:
  build:
    name: Run Tests Across Node.js Versions and Operating Systems
    runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
    strategy:
      matrix:
        os: [ubuntu-latest, windows-latest]
        node: [8, 10, 12]
    steps:
      - uses: actions/setup-node@v1
        with:
          node-version: ${{ matrix.node }}
      - uses: actions/checkout@v1
      - name: Run TestCafe Tests
        uses: DevExpress/testcafe-action@latest
        with:
          args: "chrome tests"

This job contains a matrix strategy that duplicates it to run on Windows and Ubuntu virtual machines in three Node.js versions (8, 10, and 12).

The setup-node action installs the Node.js version defined in the matrix. Then, checkout fetches the code and testcafe-action runs tests.