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Testing both your UI and API from the command line is a powerful way to integrate automated tests into CI/CD pipelines and boost development efficiency. This article walks through tools and scripts to perform UI testing using Cypress, and API testing using Newman, the CLI runner for Postman collections.

🧪 UI Testing from the Command Line with Cypress

Cypress is a popular JavaScript-based end-to-end testing framework that runs in the browser. It can be run interactively or headlessly through the terminal.

✅ Step 1: Install Cypress

Make sure you have Node.js installed. Then run:

bash

npm install cypress --save-dev

✅ Step 2: Initialize Cypress

To create the Cypress structure and default configuration:

bash

npx cypress open

This creates a cypress/ directory with sample tests and config files.

✅ Step 3: Write a Test

Create a file like cypress/e2e/example_spec.cy.js:

javascript

describe('My First Test', () => {
  it('Visits the Kitchen Sink', () => {
    cy.visit('https://example.cypress.io');
    cy.contains('type').click();
    cy.url().should('include', '/commands/actions');
    cy.get('.action-email')
      .type('fake@email.com')
      .should('have.value', 'fake@email.com');
  });
});

✅ Step 4: Run Cypress Headlessly

Run tests directly in the terminal:

bash

npx cypress run

This will launch the test in headless mode using the Electron browser by default. You can also specify a browser:

bash

npx cypress run --browser chrome

🔗 API Testing from the Command Line with Newman

Newman is a CLI companion for Postman that lets you run Postman collections as automated tests.

✅ Step 1: Install Newman

Install globally via npm:

bash

npm install -g newman

✅ Step 2: Export Postman Collection

From Postman, export your collection (JSON file), and optionally, an environment file.

✅ Step 3: Run API Tests

bash

newman run path/to/collection.json

With environment variables:

bash

newman run path/to/collection.json -e path/to/environment.json

You’ll get a complete summary with test results and response data.

🔄 Combine UI and API Tests in One Script

Want to run everything in one go? Use a shell script like this:

bash

#!/bin/bash

echo "Running Cypress UI tests..."
npx cypress run
if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
  echo "Cypress tests failed."
  exit 1
fi

echo "Running Newman API tests..."
newman run path/to/collection.json -e path/to/environment.json
if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
  echo "Newman tests failed."
  exit 1
fi

echo "✅ All tests passed successfully!"

Make the script executable:

bash

chmod +x run_tests.sh

Run it:

bash

./run_tests.sh

🧩 Bonus: Integrate into CI/CD

Both Cypress and Newman are CI/CD-friendly. You can plug them into GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Jenkins, or any CI platform with minimal setup, automating your entire test suite after every push or pull request.

✅ Conclusion

By combining Cypress and Newman, you can thoroughly test both the frontend UI and backend APIs — all from your terminal. Whether it’s for local dev, staging, or part of your CI/CD workflow, this command-line approach ensures your app stays rock solid.