SPIKE: update cypress login for CI

[alishaevn]

Story

my message to chat gpt

in cypress ^12.1.0, with next js, I have the custom command below. however, it requires a valid session token, which means I have to log in for real and get one. the token expires every 30 days. how do I create a login command in cypress, without needing a real session token so that this works in ci?

Cypress.Commands.add('login', (username, password) => {
  cy.session([username, password], () => {
  cy.intercept('/api/auth/session', { fixture: 'session.json' }).as('session')

  cy.setCookie('next-auth.session-token', Cypress.env('TEST_SESSION_COOKIE'))
 })
})

(the response is in the resources section below)

Acceptance Criteria

• spend some time seeing if the task is possible. if so, complete it.

Resources

response from chatgpt

To create a login command in Cypress that works in continuous integration (CI) without needing a real session token, you'll need to simulate the login process. This typically involves setting up an API endpoint in your Next.js application that can create a mock session for testing purposes or directly interfacing with your authentication system to generate a token programmatically.
Here's a step-by-step guide to creating a Cypress login command that doesn't rely on a real session token:

1. Mock the Authentication API (if possible): If your application's backend permits, create a test-specific API route that bypasses the usual authentication checks and returns a mock session token. This route should only be available in the testing environment.
2. Programmatically Generate a Token: If you can't mock the API, you may be able to programmatically generate a session token using your authentication system's API or SDK within the test environment.
3. Set Up Environment Variables: Store any necessary credentials or API keys securely in environment variables, which Cypress can access using Cypress.env('YOUR_VARIABLE_NAME').
4. Update the Custom Command: Modify your custom login command to either call the mock API route or generate the token and then set the appropriate cookies or local storage items that your application expects for a logged-in user.
   Here's an example of how you might update your custom login command:

javascript
Cypress.Commands.add('login', (username, password) => {
  cy.session([username, password], () => {
    // Option 1: Call your mock login API endpoint to get a fake token
    cy.request('POST', '/api/test/login', { username, password }).then((response) => {
      const { token } = response.body;
      cy.setCookie('next-auth.session-token', token);
    });

    // OR

    // Option 2: Programmatically generate a token (if possible) and set it as a cookie
    const token = generateTestToken(username, password); // This is a hypothetical function
    cy.setCookie('next-auth.session-token', token);

    // Optionally intercept the session request and provide a mock response
    cy.intercept('/api/auth/session', { fixture: 'session.json' }).as('session');
  });
});

// Utility function to generate a token for testing
function generateTestToken(username, password) {
  // This function should interact with your auth system to generate a token
  // This is pseudocode and needs to be replaced with actual token generation logic
  return 'mock-token-for-testing';
}

Note that the generateTestToken function is just a placeholder and should be replaced with the actual logic to generate a session token for your application.

Remember to keep any real credentials or sensitive data out of your test code and repository. Use environment variables or secret management systems to handle sensitive data securely, especially in CI environments.

Finally, ensure that any mock endpoints or token generation methods you create for testing cannot be exploited in your production environment. You should have strict checks in place to prevent these test utilities from being used outside of a testing context.

• https://docs.cypress.io/api/commands/session#Updating-an-existing-login-custom-command
• Request: example of cypress testing nextauthjs/next-auth#2053 (comment)