Implementation:DevExpress Testcafe TestController Actions

Knowledge Sources	TestCafe TestCafe Docs
Domains	Testing, Web_Automation
Last Updated	2026-02-12 04:00 GMT

Overview

Concrete implementation of test actions in TestCafe through the `TestController` class, providing a comprehensive API for simulating user interactions and browser operations.

Description

The `TestController` class (accessed via the `t` parameter in test functions) provides methods for all test actions. Each method enqueues a command to be executed in the browser context, with automatic waiting for elements to become actionable. Methods return the TestController instance, enabling fluent chaining of operations. The controller manages test execution state, handles asynchronous operations, and provides the `expect()` method for creating assertions.

Usage

The `t` object is automatically injected as the first parameter of test functions. Chain action methods to build test scenarios. Use await with the final action in a chain to ensure completion before proceeding.

Code Reference

Source Location

• Repository: testcafe
• File: src/api/test-controller/index.js
• Lines: 93-654

Signature

class TestController {
  // Mouse actions
  click(selector: Selector | string, options?: ClickOptions): TestController
  rightClick(selector: Selector | string, options?: ClickOptions): TestController
  doubleClick(selector: Selector | string, options?: ClickOptions): TestController
  hover(selector: Selector | string, options?: HoverOptions): TestController
  drag(selector: Selector | string, offsetX: number, offsetY: number, options?: DragOptions): TestController
  dragToElement(selector: Selector | string, destination: Selector | string, options?: DragOptions): TestController

  // Keyboard actions
  typeText(selector: Selector | string, text: string, options?: TypeOptions): TestController
  selectText(selector: Selector | string, start?: number, end?: number, options?: TypeOptions): TestController
  pressKey(keys: string, options?: PressKeyOptions): TestController

  // Navigation
  navigateTo(url: string): TestController

  // Window/viewport
  resizeWindow(width: number, height: number): TestController
  maximizeWindow(): TestController

  // Frames
  switchToIframe(selector: Selector | string): TestController
  switchToMainWindow(): TestController

  // Dialogs
  setNativeDialogHandler(fn: Function | null): TestController
  getNativeDialogHistory(): Promise<DialogHistoryItem[]>

  // Screenshots
  takeScreenshot(path?: string): TestController
  takeElementScreenshot(selector: Selector | string, path?: string, options?: ScreenshotOptions): TestController

  // Timing
  wait(timeout: number): TestController

  // Roles
  useRole(role: Role): TestController

  // Assertions
  expect(actual: any): Assertion
}

Import

// TestController is automatically injected as test function parameter
// No import needed

fixture`My Fixture`
  .page`https://example.com`;

test('My test', async t => {
  // 't' is the TestController instance
  await t.click('#button');
});

I/O Contract

Inputs

Name	Type	Required	Description
selector	string	Yes (element actions)	Target element for the action
options	object	No	Action-specific options (speed, modifiers, offsets, etc.)
text	string	Yes (typeText)	Text to type into input
keys	string	Yes (pressKey)	Key names or combinations (e.g., 'enter', 'ctrl+a')
url	string	Yes (navigateTo)	URL to navigate to
timeout	number	Yes (wait)	Milliseconds to wait
width, height	number	Yes (resizeWindow)	Window dimensions in pixels
path	string	No (screenshots)	File path for screenshot

Outputs

Name	Type	Description
testController	TestController	Returns itself for method chaining (except getNativeDialogHistory)
dialogHistory	Promise<array>	Array of dialog interactions (getNativeDialogHistory only)

Usage Examples

Mouse Actions

import { Selector } from 'testcafe';

fixture`Mouse Actions`
  .page`https://example.com`;

test('Click actions', async t => {
  await t
    .click('#submit-button')
    .rightClick('.context-menu-trigger')
    .doubleClick('.editable-text')
    .hover('#dropdown-menu');
});

test('Click with options', async t => {
  await t
    .click('#button', { offsetX: 10, offsetY: 5 })
    .click('#link', { modifiers: { ctrl: true } })
    .click('#target', { speed: 0.5 });
});

Drag and Drop

test('Drag actions', async t => {
  // Drag by offset
  await t.drag('.draggable', 100, 50);

  // Drag to another element
  await t.dragToElement('.drag-source', '.drop-target');
});

Keyboard Actions

test('Type and press keys', async t => {
  const input = Selector('#username');

  await t
    .typeText(input, 'john.doe@example.com')
    .typeText('#password', 'secret123', { replace: true })
    .pressKey('tab')
    .pressKey('enter');
});

test('Select text', async t => {
  await t
    .selectText('#textarea', 0, 10)
    .pressKey('ctrl+c');
});

test('Key combinations', async t => {
  await t
    .pressKey('ctrl+a')
    .pressKey('delete')
    .pressKey('esc');
});

Navigation

test('Navigate to URLs', async t => {
  await t
    .navigateTo('https://example.com/login')
    .typeText('#username', 'user')
    .navigateTo('https://example.com/dashboard');
});

Window Management

test('Resize window', async t => {
  await t
    .resizeWindow(1280, 720)
    .click('#responsive-menu');
});

test('Maximize window', async t => {
  await t.maximizeWindow();
});

Frame Switching

test('Work with iframes', async t => {
  await t
    .switchToIframe('#payment-iframe')
    .typeText('#card-number', '4111111111111111')
    .switchToMainWindow()
    .click('#submit-order');
});

Dialog Handling

test('Handle native dialogs', async t => {
  await t
    .setNativeDialogHandler((type, text) => {
      if (type === 'confirm')
        return true;
      if (type === 'prompt')
        return 'My answer';
      return null;
    })
    .click('#show-confirm');

  const history = await t.getNativeDialogHistory();
  await t.expect(history[0].type).eql('confirm');
});

Screenshots

test('Take screenshots', async t => {
  await t
    .takeScreenshot('page-state.png')
    .takeElementScreenshot('#dashboard', 'dashboard.png');
});

Waiting

test('Wait for delays', async t => {
  await t
    .click('#start-animation')
    .wait(3000)
    .expect(Selector('.animated').visible).ok();
});

Action Chaining

test('Complex action chain', async t => {
  await t
    .typeText('#search', 'TestCafe')
    .click('#search-button')
    .wait(1000)
    .hover('.result-item')
    .click('.result-item a')
    .expect(Selector('h1').textContent).contains('TestCafe');
});

Related Pages

Implements Principle

• Principle:DevExpress_Testcafe_Test_Actions