Skip Login With Saved Token in Cypress

Typing email + password in every test is slow and noisy. Cypress can skip the login screen completely by grabbing a token via API and placing it into localStorage before the app loads.

This is a practical reference showing the before vs after, plus a reusable custom command.

Why This Helps

• UI login usually costs ~8 seconds per test run (open page, fill fields, submit, wait UI).

• Token-based login can cut it to ~5 seconds because it avoids the whole form flow.

• Tests become cleaner because login steps don’t distract from the real scenario.

  
  

How It Works

The test requests a JWT token from the login API, then stores it in window.localStorage using cy.visit(..., { onBeforeLoad }) so the app boots already authenticated.

Custom Command: Login via API + Store Token

cypress/support/commands.js

The key name matters: it must match what the application reads (jwtToken in my case).

Before: Repeating Login + Token Creation in Test

This version:

• logs in via API to create data

• logs in again via UI to reach authenticated pagesIt works, but it’s repetitive.

After: One Command = Auth + Token Ready + App Opened

This version:

• calls one command

• gets a token ready for API calls

• opens the app already logged inLess code, less waiting.

Notes and Best Practices

• Always validate API status codes before using data (200, 201, etc.).

• Store the token before the app loads (onBeforeLoad) so the app initializes authenticated.

• Keeping the token as an alias (cy.wrap(token).as('token')) makes it reusable without repeating API login calls.

• For complex auth providers (Okta/Auth0/etc.), Cypress has official guides under authentication testing: https://docs.cypress.io/app/guides/authentication-testing/auth0-authentication