Principle:Teamcapybara Capybara Page Navigation
| Knowledge Sources | |
|---|---|
| Domains | Testing, Navigation |
| Last Updated | 2026-02-12 00:00 GMT |
Overview
A navigation pattern that directs the browser to a specified URL, resolving relative paths against a configured base and handling server port injection.
Description
Page Navigation is the act of directing the testing session to a specific URL. In acceptance testing, this is the starting point of nearly every test — before interacting with elements, the test must navigate to the relevant page. The navigation mechanism handles several concerns:
- Relative URL resolution — Relative paths are resolved against the configured app_host or the test server's URL
- Port injection — When always_include_port is enabled, the test server's port is inserted into the URL
- Error propagation — Any pending server errors are raised before navigation begins
Usage
Use this principle as the first step in any acceptance test that needs to interact with a web page. Call visit with a relative path (for local app testing) or an absolute URL (for remote testing).
Theoretical Basis
# Abstract navigation flow (not actual code)
raise_pending_server_errors
mark_session_as_touched
uri = parse(visit_uri)
base = parse(app_host || server_url)
if uri.relative? and base exists:
uri = base.merge(uri)
adjust_port_if_always_include_port
driver.navigate_to(uri)
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Principle
Implementation
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