Taiko repository
Taiko API

1. Here is a video tutorial

Welcome to this tutorial where we will delve into the powerful capabilities of the Taiko API. Taiko is a Node.js library designed to automate web browsers with a clear and concise API. In this session, we will use Taiko’s interactive Read-Eval-Print Loop (REPL) to explore and demonstrate how to use different API functions effectively.

Getting Started

Before we begin, ensure that you have Taiko installed. If you haven’t installed Taiko yet, you can do so by following my previous tutorial:

Set Up and Run Automated Browser Tests with Taiko and Gauge in Visual Studio Code

This will install Taiko and the necessary components to get started.

Launching Taiko REPL

To start exploring Taiko’s API, we need to launch the REPL. Open your terminal and type:

1

npx taiko

This command opens the Taiko prompt, where you can start typing Taiko commands directly.

Exploring API Functions

Once in the REPL, you can list all available API functions by typing:

1

.api

This will display a list of all commands you can use with their brief descriptions.

Detailed Function Information

To get more details about a specific function, such as usage examples and parameters, use the .api command followed by the function name. Let’s explore a few key functions:

• Goto

  1

  .api goto

  Use the goto function to navigate to a URL. Here’s how you can use it:

  1	goto('https://google.com')

• Click

  1	.api click

  The click function is used to simulate mouse click events on elements. For instance:

  1	click('Sign In')

• Write

  1	.api write

  write is used to type text into input fields:

  1	write('hello@taiko.dev', into(textBox({placeholder: 'Email'})))

• Evaluate

  1	.api evaluate

  Use evaluate to execute custom JavaScript on the page:

  1	evaluate(() => document.title)

Combining Commands

Now, let’s combine some of these commands to perform a sequence of actions that a real user might do:

1. Open a browser and navigate to a website.
2. Search for a term.
3. Click on a search result.

Here’s how it looks in the REPL:

1
2
3
4
5

await openBrowser();
await goto('https://google.com');
await write('Taiko test automation', into(textBox({id: 'search'})));
await click('Google Search');
await click(link('Taiko GitHub'));

Generating a Script

Once you complete a flow of commands in the REPL, you can generate a script using the .code command. This is useful for saving your session as an executable script:

1

.code

Conclusion

This tutorial covered how to interactively explore and use the Taiko API for browser automation. By understanding these functions, you can write more robust and maintainable browser automation scripts.

Feel free to experiment with other API functions and explore more complex interactions on your own. Happy testing!