Simulate offline mode

[bahmutov]

Description
Offline support is becoming important to web applications. It would be nice to switch the browser to the offline mode from Cypress either by test or for all tests and run it. If might be difficult and might require Cypress to handle ServiceWorkers very well.

Additional Info

[brian-mann]

This should be possible to do, but it's not immediately obvious or easy.

Thoughts / Concerns

• To date we haven't built in any specific API's that only work with one browser vendor. I'd like to try to find another way to do this, perhaps at OS network or proxy level since we control those two things.
• Chrome supports this out of the box in the debugger protocol but attempting to use that puts us in the same situation as issuing native events - that is you cannot have the Dev Tools open and an open connection to the debugger protocol. Chromium team is working on multiplexing support so we're kind of waiting for that to drop before adding support.
• If we did write API's exclusive to a single browser vendor, would they automatically throw (or be ignored) when running on a different browser? We'd also need a way at the test or suite level to indicate you want to inclusively or exclusively run tests based on the current browser.
• If we did use Chrome's APIs to achieve this, it would essentially break Cypress's ability to do automation since websocket events would no longer be able to reach the server. So if we did tap into Chrome we could only partially throttle and not fully force into offline mode. Another option would be to use the WebRequest API's and whitelist Cypress network traffic but throttle or reject others.

I'll move this into our Roadmap for further research.

[jennifer-shehane]

With Chrome 63 coming out we will be able to support the debugger protocol. #832

[bbsimonbb]

Good onya guys. I'm ready for this right now. You know what to do.

[juristr]

Is there any progress/news on this? Would be cool to be able to test PWAs 👍

[jennifer-shehane]

No progress on this unfortunately.

[maku-zuhlke]

I am using Redux and we store the online/offline status of the browser there. So what we did was to expose the Redux store like this in eg index.js (only works on localhost):

if (window.Cypress) {
    window.store = store
}

Then in a test in cypress we dispatched an action to set the Redux state to be offline:

cy.window().its('store')
  .then(
    store => store.dispatch({type: 'OFFLINE', status: true})
  );

[lolpez]

Guys it's 2019 👀

[jennifer-shehane]

Related issue for clearing ServiceWorkers: #702

@lolpez We prioritize issues we work on based on a variety of factors - including the number of users requesting/helped by a feature. While this is still on our Roadmap, many other features are a higher priority today as a result of this assessment. Sorry for the delay.

[gr2m]

I tried to simulate offline by setting up a reverse proxy to my running server and then shutting it down.

const httpProxy = require("http-proxy");

context("Offline", () => {
  before(() => {
    httpProxy.createProxyServer({ target: "http://localhost:9000" }).listen(9001);

    cy.log("Open / on proxy");
    cy.visit("http://localhost:9001/");
  });

  it("should show update notification", () => {
    // wait for initial service worker installation
    cy.wait(3000);

    // stop the proxy server
    proxy.close();

    // reload the page
    cy.reload();
  });
});

But I get a http.createServer is not a function error.

If I run just these two files in a separate file there is no problem

const httpProxy = require("http-proxy");
httpProxy.createProxyServer({ target: "http://localhost:9000" }).listen(9001);

Is this a known limitation / problem?

[barnabynorman]

It would be really good to have this feature.

I can currently set the offline state in our vuex store but when changing pages (ie cy.visit) the application rechecks the state and updates the store value and is flushing queues before I get a chance to set the store again!

[miroslavvojtus]

Absence of this feature actually forces us to use selenium with direct access to driver api so we can test our core functionality in offline mode as our use case is offline-first.

I hope you will find time soon for this.

[Ozzyjtjustin]

The project my team is working on requires that we are able to simulate a No Internet Connection environment as well.

Please provide an update on this!

[jpita]

hello, any updates on this?
is it on the roadmap?

[jennifer-shehane]

This issue is still in the 'proposal' stage, which means no work has been done on this issue as of today, so we do not have an estimate on when this will be delivered.

[shubhsherl]

One way of simulating offline mode:

cy.server({ force404: true }); //  offline mode

cy.server({ enable: false});  // online mode

https://docs.cypress.io/api/commands/server.html

[jpita]

One way of simulating offline mode:

cy.server({ force404: true }); //  offline mode

cy.server({ enable: false});  // online mode

https://docs.cypress.io/api/commands/server.html

that only blocks the calls, it doesn't tell the browser there's no internet

[shubhsherl]

that only blocks the calls, it doesn't tell the browser there's no internet

Yes, it doesn't tell the browser that there is no internet, but by preventing the requests, we can test the offline functionality of PWA. It's just a workaround.

[jpita]

In my case it doesn't help, it should appear a "offline" banner and it doesn't.
Thanks anyway

[EtienneBruines]

The root of the app is not cachable because of the MITM that Cypress performs (`document.domain = 'localhost').

This would make it (at least to me) that one would enable offline-mode after having started testing. First you'd want to install your service worker and such, adding all required files to the cache, and then run some tests. This would mean a global option is not required/desired - if you have no cache, no prior visits to the site - offline will never work anyways.

Design

// Quick and dirty
cy.offline()
// - do tests inbetween
cy.online()

// A probably better way:
cy.network({offline: true})
// - do tests inbetween
cy.network({offline: false])

The latter would enable Cypress to at at later point also add throttling in the options. Not sure as to the usefulness of throttling, but that's point of discussion for another issue.

Docs

The Chrome Debugger (Chrome, Electron) allows for the following, but Firefox does not.

    Cypress.automation('remote:debugger:protocol', {
        command: 'Network.enable',
      })

      Cypress.automation('remote:debugger:protocol', {
        command: 'Network.emulateNetworkConditions',
        params: {
          offline: options.offline,
          'latency': 0,
          'downloadThroughput': 0,
          'uploadThroughput': 0,
          'connectionType': 'none',
        },
      })

Hurdles

@brian-mann wrote:
If we did use Chrome's APIs to achieve this, it would essentially break Cypress's ability to do automation since websocket events would no longer be able to reach the server. So if we did tap into Chrome we could only partially throttle and not fully force into offline mode. Another option would be to use the WebRequest API's and whitelist Cypress network traffic but throttle or reject others.

Half-way through my test (within a single it), I was able to enable offline-mode without any problems (manually, that is). After the tasks have been queued at the start, there should not be any issues with that.

Update

I've created a PR, but I'm not making any progress on Firefox.

According to this issue Firefox does not seem to implement Network.emulateNetworkConditions yet - and I haven't found a suitable replacement either. For some reason, those APIs don't have easily accessible documentation.

The Firefox UI has a Work offline mode, which does the same - I just haven't found a way to automate this.

Update 2

Unless we figure out how to automate it for Firefox, the chances of any PR making it into Cypress are slim to none.

Call to everyone: feel free to try and find a way ;-).

Update 3

Work on the Network.emulateNetworkConditions CDP command in Firefox has started. All seems to be going well, except that Firefox - as of writing- , allows access to everything that resolves to localhost even in Work Offline-mode. This is still being figured out to make automated testing a bit more useful.

[jhnns]

For documentation: The debugger protocol approach as described on the blog doesn't work since 7.3.0. This is probably the cause.

[myasul]

I have implemented the following but nothing seems to work. Code can be seen below.

• I used Cypress.automation('remote:debugger:protocol')
• I also used cy.intercept with req.destroy

export class NetworkConnectivity {
    private static readonly affectedUrlsRegex = /(?<=localhost:\d+)\/(apollo|api)\/.+$/g

    public static goOffline () {
        const offlineDevtoolCommand = {
            command: 'Network.emulateNetworkConditions',
            params: {
                offline: true,
                latency: -1,
                downloadThroughput: -1,
                uploadThroughput: -1
            }
        }

        return cy
            .then(() => Cypress.automation('remote:debugger:protocol', { command: 'Network.enable' }))
            .then(() => cy.task('sendCommandsToServiceWorker', { command: 'Network.enable' }))
            .then(() => cy.task('sendCommandsToServiceWorker', offlineDevtoolCommand, { timeout: 120000 }))
            .then(() => Cypress.automation('remote:debugger:protocol', offlineDevtoolCommand))
            .then(() => {
                // Reference: https://docs.cypress.io/api/commands/intercept#Controlling-the-response

                // @ts-ignore
                Cypress.config('network', { isOnline: false })

                cy.intercept(this.affectedUrlsRegex, req => {
                    // @ts-ignore
                    const { isOnline } = Cypress.config('network')

                    if (!isOnline) {
                        req.destroy()
                    }
                })
            })
    }

Both of these would not entirely intercept the request and the request would still return a 200 response. This might be because we are using service workers. To try and fix this issue, I tried using puppeteer-core to access the active service workers and send out the commands. This worked when tested locally but fails in CI/CD with the error The Test Runner unexpectedly exited via a exit event with signal SIGSEGV but without further explanations about the failure.

const puppeteer = require('puppeteer-core')

const REMOTE_DEBUGGING_PORT = 9222

async function sendCommandsToServiceWorker ({ command, params }) {
    console.log(`Plugin started executing command ${command}, params: `, params)

    const browser = await puppeteer.connect({ browserURL: `http://localhost:${REMOTE_DEBUGGING_PORT}` })
    const targets = await browser.targets()
    const serviceWorkers = targets.filter((t) => t.type() === 'service_worker' || t.type() === 'other')

    const sendPromises = serviceWorkers.map(async (serviceWorker) => {
        const cdpSession = await serviceWorker.createCDPSession()
        await cdpSession.send(command, params)
    })

    await Promise.all(sendPromises)

    return null
}

module.exports = {
    sendCommandsToServiceWorker
}

Here is the screenshot of the CI/CD error.

I would really appreciate if anyone has solved this issue or have a workaround when using service workers.

[lolpez]

Guys it's 2022 👀

[aktibaba]

This worked for me

cy.log('go offline');
return Cypress.automation('remote:debugger:protocol',
{
command: 'Network.enable',
}).then(() => {
Cypress.automation('remote:debugger:protocol',
{
command: 'Network.emulateNetworkConditions',
params: {
offline: true,
latency: -1,
downloadThroughput: -1,
uploadThroughput: -1,
},
})
return cy.wait(1000);
});

[laerteneto]

I can go offline, but I am not able to get back online again. So, following test cases fail.

However, it goes online/offline without any problems on Electron, but on Chrome and Edge it does not.

[aktibaba]

Copy exactly same from above and try again

[laerteneto]

I tried, but it still does not work on Chrome when I am trying to get back online, it only works on Electron.

I also tried the solution posted in here, but without success:
https://www.cypress.io/blog/2020/11/12/testing-application-in-offline-network-mode/

Copy exactly same from above and try again

[aktibaba]

your code is missing return, premise returning nothing, try this

cy.log('go offline');
return Cypress.automation('remote:debugger:protocol',
{
command: 'Network.enable',
}).then(() => {
Cypress.automation('remote:debugger:protocol',
{
command: 'Network.emulateNetworkConditions',
params: {
offline: true,
latency: -1,
downloadThroughput: -1,
uploadThroughput: -1,
},
})
return cy.wait(1000);
});

[laerteneto]

your code is missing return, premise returning nothing, try this

cy.log('go offline'); return Cypress.automation('remote:debugger:protocol', { command: 'Network.enable', }).then(() => { Cypress.automation('remote:debugger:protocol', { command: 'Network.emulateNetworkConditions', params: { offline: true, latency: -1, downloadThroughput: -1, uploadThroughput: -1, }, }) return cy.wait(1000); });

I managed to get it offline, but the problem is to put it back online, in which it is working well only on Electron.

[ifn]

Downgraded Cypress to 7.2.0. Seems to work.

UPD
Nope. Also rather torturous experience. I'll better try using forceNetworkError.

[AndreyGulevich]

Same problem: 7.9.0 version.

[DariusNorv]

I observe this problem in 10+ version in Electron runner as well.

[maximkoshelenko]

This one works for me

const goOffline = () => {
cy.log('go offline');
return Cypress.automation('remote:debugger:protocol',
{
command: 'Network.enable',
}).then(() => {
Cypress.automation('remote:debugger:protocol',
{
command: 'Network.emulateNetworkConditions',
params: {
offline: true,
latency: -1,
downloadThroughput: -1,
uploadThroughput: -1,
},
})
return true
});
};

[Shnrqpdr]

I'm facing this problem too. I'm using this code below:

network(params) {
    cy.log(`**Offline: ${params.offline}**`)
      .then(() => {
        Cypress.automation('remote:debugger:protocol', {
          command: 'Network.enable',
        });
      })
      .then(() => {
        Cypress.automation('remote:debugger:protocol', {
          command: 'Network.emulateNetworkConditions',
          params: {
            offline: params.offline,
            latency: 0,
            downloadThroughput: 0,
            uploadThroughput: 0,
            connectionType: 'none',
          },
        });
      });
  },

I've work with cypress 9.5.1. After going offline, can't get back online. Anyone has a solution for this?

[asmirnov-style]

Cypress v10.3.1 and still the same issue with going back Online.
Looks like it's turn Network for a second and then break connection.
Any ideas?

[Shnrqpdr]

Hello everyone

I have been stuck into this issue for at least 2 weeks ago and i got a "solution" to try simulate offline mode. The code is in the image below

Create this function on custom commands file of your project and call it using "cy.network({online: false})"
This work for me.
I hope that this workaround work for you too.

I'm using cypress 9.5.1

[lolpez]

Guys it's 2023 👀

[mostafijur022]

laerteneto
@laerteneto did you get any solution?

[buffcode]

Modifying the real onLine attribute, tested in Cypress 12.11.0:

// go offline
cy.window().then((win) => {
  cy.stub(win.navigator, 'onLine').value(false);
  cy.wrap(win).trigger('offline');
});

// go online
cy.window().then((win) => {
  cy.stub(win.navigator, 'onLine').value(true);
  cy.wrap(win).trigger('online');
});

[AntolinaGonzalez]

@laerteneto did you get any solution? Im stuck with go online too

[maxim-koshelenko]

Modifying the real onLine attribute, tested in Cypress 12.11.0:

// go offline
cy.window().then((win) => {
  cy.stub(win.navigator, 'onLine').value(false);
  cy.wrap(win).trigger('offline');
});

// go online
cy.window().then((win) => {
  cy.stub(win.navigator, 'onLine').value(true);
  cy.wrap(win).trigger('online');
});

Confirming the workability of this solution.

Cypress v10, Chrome 117 (only in headless).

Don't forget to put go online into before, beforeEach and afterEach

[lolpez]

Guys it's 2024 👀

[snapris]

I'm using this for Cypress 13.11.0 and Chrome v126: https://www.cypress.io/blog/2020/11/12/testing-application-in-offline-network-mode
Works for me.

[gabscogna]

8 years later....

I did exactly what it's in this article, but the problem is that all tests after goOnline become absolutely slowly and I can't figure why.
It seems like Network.disable doesn't work.