Why You Can’t Just Use Cypress Commands Like Normal JavaScript?

In Pune’s growing tech market, more software testers are switching from Selenium to Cypress. Many of them, especially beginners joining from local training hubs in areas like Baner and Wakad, face a common issue—they try to treat Cypress like JavaScript. But Cypress isn’t just another JavaScript tool. It looks like JavaScript, but it runs in a completely different way. If you're taking a Cypress Online Course, this is probably one of the first technical shocks you'll experience.

The core problem is: Cypress commands don’t work the same way as normal JavaScript functions. You can't just write a Cypress command and expect to use its output immediately like const result = cy.get(). It will not work.

Cypress runs your test code using a queue system. That means everything you write doesn’t happen right away. It waits. Then Cypress runs each step, one after the other, in a controlled order. This helps tests run smoothly, but it breaks how JavaScript normally behaves.

In simple words, Cypress does not run your test line-by-line like JavaScript. It stacks everything in order and then runs it. Because of this, Cypress commands return “chainable objects” and not the actual value immediately.

So if you write:

const btn = cy.get('#login');

btn.click();

But that doesn’t happen. Instead, Cypress queues cy.get() and click() and then runs them later. That’s why btn never stores the actual button.

You must use .then() to handle values. Like this:

cy.get('#login').then(($btn) => {

  $btn.click();

});

This waits for cy.get() to finish and only then runs the click().

Why Cypress Doesn’t Work with await?

In regular JavaScript, async/await makes waiting for results simple. But Cypress doesn’t return promises. So await cy.get() will not wait for the element. This breaks your test.

Let’s say you write:

const user = await cy.get('#user');

This will give an error or wrong output. Cypress expects you to use .then() instead of await.

To Speed Up Cypress Tests, you can reduce unnecessary page reloads and use faster selectors that find elements quickly on the page.

In Cypress, using await can actually break the entire test execution. That’s why sticking to .then() inside Cypress is the only safe way.

How Cypress Controls Timing with Queues?

Cypress uses an internal scheduler. When you write cy.get().type().click(), Cypress does not run them instantly. Instead, it places them in a queue. Then it goes through that queue, waits for elements if needed, retries if needed, and only then completes the test.

This makes Cypress tests more stable, especially on slow-loading pages.

In cities like Chennai, where retail tech companies use React-based dashboards, Cypress helps reduce flaky tests. But developers have to write tests in the Cypress way, not in pure JavaScript.

Let’s look at a practical issue. You try to store a value like this:

const text = cy.get('.msg').text(); // Wrong

This won’t work. .text() needs the actual DOM element. But cy.get() hasn’t finished yet.

Correct way:

cy.get('.msg').then(($el) => {

  const text = $el.text();

  // use text here

});

Table: Cypress vs JavaScript Behavior

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Never try to assign Cypress commands to a variable and expect instant results. Avoid using Cypress commands inside loops or functions that expect immediate return values. Always stay inside Cypress's chain or use .then() for value handling.

Teams in Delhi who work with real-time user interfaces often end up writing Cypress tests for components that load data late. Cypress waits and retries automatically. But if you use it like normal JavaScript, your test may break or give false positives.

Sum up,

Cypress commands don’t return values instantly like JavaScript. You can’t use Cypress commands with await. Everything in Cypress runs through a controlled queue system. Always use .then() to access data or elements. Think in chains, not in immediate values. The Cypress test engine controls when and how commands run. JavaScript and Cypress may look similar but behave very differently in execution.