How can I properly chain an asynchronous helper function return value in Cypress?

When working with Cypress, all commands (like cy.get, cy.then, etc.) are asynchronous and chainable. This means you cannot “return” values in the traditional synchronous way. Instead, you need to return the entire Cypress chain so that you can work with the outcome using .then() later.

What’s Happening

In your helper function, you’re starting a Cypress chain with cy.get().its('length') and then using .then() inside it. However, the value you return inside .then() won’t be immediately available outside of the chain. If you try to use it synchronously (e.g., if (schemaChecker() == "fail") {…}), Cypress will complain that you’re mixing async with sync code.

How to Fix It

You need to return the Cypress chain from your helper function so that the test file can chain off of it. Here’s how you can update your code:

Updated Helper Function

JAVASCRIPTCopied
// helperFunction.js
module.exports.schemaChecker = () => {
  return cy.get('script:contains("@context")')
    .its('length')
    .then((len) => {
      cy.task('log', 'Schemas: ' + len);
      // Return a value based on the condition
      return len > 1 ? "fail" : "pass";
    });
};

Updated Test File

JAVASCRIPTCopied
import { schemaChecker } from '../../support/helperFunctions.js';

Given('I am on X page', () => {
  cy.viewport(1480, 1000);
  cy.visit(pageUrl);

  // Chain the schemaChecker command using .then()
  schemaChecker().then((response) => {
    if (response === "fail") {
      // Do something for "fail" case
    }
    // Otherwise, handle the pass case or simply continue the chain.
  });
});

Key Points

• Return the chain: By returning the Cypress chain (i.e., returning the entire cy.get(…) chain), you allow your test to chain subsequent .then() blocks and safely use the value.
• Avoid sync comparisons: Instead of checking if (schemaChecker() == "fail") {…}, which is synchronous, always use .then() to work with the eventual value.

This structure ensures that all your asynchronous Cypress commands are properly chained and avoids mixing async and sync code.