How do i delete downloaded file in using cypress

In automated testing with Cypress, managing downloaded files typically involves two steps: first, ensuring files are correctly downloaded to a designated directory, and second, deleting them from that directory after the test to clean up the test environment. Currently, Cypress does not natively provide commands or functions for deleting files, but we can achieve this functionality by leveraging Node.js's file system (the fs library).

Here's an example demonstrating how to delete specific downloaded files in Cypress tests:

Step 1: Ensure the Download Directory Exists

First, configure the download directory in Cypress's configuration file. This is typically done in cypress.json:

json
{
  "downloadsFolder": "cypress/downloads"
}

Step 2: Download Files Using Cypress Tests

Here, we won't delve into how to download files; assume they have been successfully downloaded to the directory specified above.

Step 3: Delete Downloaded Files

After the test completes, utilize Node.js's fs library to delete the files. Include the deletion code within the after or afterEach hooks of your test. Here's a concrete example:

javascript
describe('File Delete Test', () => {
  it('downloads a file', () => {
    // Assume some code that triggers file download here
  });

  afterEach(() => {
    // Add code to delete the file here
    const path = require('path');
    const fs = require('fs');
    const downloadsFolder = Cypress.config('downloadsFolder');
    const filePath = path.join(downloadsFolder, 'downloadedFile.txt');

    // Check if the file exists and delete it
    if (fs.existsSync(filePath)) {
      fs.unlinkSync(filePath);
      cy.log('File deleted successfully');
    }
  });
});

In this code example, the afterEach hook uses Node.js's fs.existsSync to check if the file exists in the download directory. If it exists, fs.unlinkSync is used to delete the file. This ensures that no unnecessary downloaded files remain after each test run, maintaining a clean and tidy test environment.

Using this approach, although Cypress does not natively support file deletion operations, by leveraging Node.js, we can effectively manage files generated during the test. This is highly beneficial for maintaining a clean file system in continuous integration environments.