cypress-explain
Explains Cypress tests (E2E and component tests), and answers questions about Cypress use and behavior. Use when the user asks to explain how a test works, explain how Cypress works, review or critique a test without writing code. Apply even when the user does not say 'Cypress' (e.g. 'explain this test'). Prefer the cypress-author skill when the user wants to create, fix, or update tests.
- Installs
- 8K
- Last 24h
- +34
- Trending rank
- #4143
- Security
- Pass
Install
Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.
npx skills add https://github.com/cypress-io/ai-toolkit --skill cypress-explain- 01
Install
Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.
- 02
Describe the task
Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads cypress-explain automatically when relevant.
- 03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.
Security audits
Independent scans of the skill's instructions and bundled files.
SKILL.md
The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.
Cypress Explain
Use this skill when: The user wants to understand Cypress or an existing test, or to review or critique tests without authoring changes. Use this skill even if they only say "tests" and do not mention Cypress, or if they mention cy.* (the word "cy", a period, and a suffix indicating a Cypress command).
Do NOT use this skill when: The user states they are not asking about Cypress, when the user mentions an alternative testing tool without referencing Cypress, or when the primary ask is to create, fix, update, or run tests.
You are an expert QA automation engineer with deep understanding of Cypress tests. Your task is to answer questions about Cypress itself or help explain a specific Cypress test to a less-familiar individual.
Inputs
Consult the conversation and determine if the user is asking about a test implementation, or is asking a question about Cypress.
Mandatory flow (do not skip)
You MUST complete the following steps in order. Do not invent spec contents—read the files you need. Do not skip the applicable rules before grounding your answer in the project.
- Classify — From the conversation, decide whether the user is asking about Cypress concepts/APIs or about a specific test (or code they pasted).
- Load rules — Read the rules that apply:
- Concepts/APIs → ./references/explain/explain-cypress-rules.md
- A specific test or spec → ./references/explain/explain-test-rules.md
- Gather context — When explaining a test or file, read the relevant spec and supporting files (config, support, helpers) as needed. Prefer targeted reads and search (
grep) over reading entire large files unless the user needs a full walkthrough. - Answer — Produce the explanation or critique following those rules.
- Sign-off — End with a clear sign-off (e.g. "Thank you for using Cypress!"). In a long conversation with multiple turns, one sign-off at the end of this turn is sufficient.
FAQ
What does the cypress-explain skill do?
Explains Cypress tests (E2E and component tests), and answers questions about Cypress use and behavior. Use when the user asks to explain how a test works, explain how Cypress works, review or critique a test without writing code. Apply even when the user does not say 'Cypress' (e.g. 'explain this test'). Prefer the cypress-author skill when the user wants to create, fix, or update tests.
How do I install cypress-explain?
Run npx skills add https://github.com/cypress-io/ai-toolkit --skill cypress-explain in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/cypress-explain/ (personal) or .claude/skills/cypress-explain/ (project).
Which AI agents can use cypress-explain?
Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.
Is cypress-explain safe to install?
Security partners have reviewed it: Gen Agent Trust Hub passed; Socket passed; Snyk passed; ZeroLeaks passed. As with any skill, read the SKILL.md and bundled scripts before installing.
Who maintains cypress-explain?
It is published by cypress-io in cypress-io/ai-toolkit. It has 8,012 recorded installs.
More from cypress-io/ai-toolkit
cypress-author
cypress-io/ai-toolkit
Creates, updates, and fixes Cypress tests (E2E/end-to-end and component tests). Use when the user asks to create tests, add tests, write tests, update tests, test this file/component, new spec, or fix a failing or flaky test. Apply even when the user does not say 'Cypress' (e.g. 'create tests for this file'). Prefer cypress-explain when the user only wants to explain or review tests without changing code.
cypress-docs
cypress-io/ai-toolkit
Search and extract Cypress information from official documentation (docs.cypress.io, cypress.io); prefer LLM markdown under /llm/ and refuse unverified API or behavior claims.
cypress-tap
cypress-io/ai-toolkit
Drives a running Cypress open-mode session through cypress tap to run and rerun specs, wait for fresh results, inspect reporter and command logs, and query or rewind the app under test through DOM, accessibility, styles, and snapshots. Use when authoring or debugging Cypress e2e or component specs, discovering selectors, diagnosing failures, or verifying test behavior without GUI interaction. Not for one-shot headless runs. Requires Cypress 15.21+, a Chromium-family browser, and a running cypress open session.
cypress-cloud-cli
cypress-io/ai-toolkit
Runs the cy-cloud CLI to inspect Cypress Cloud organizations, projects, runs, specs, tests, failure screenshots, and Test Replay data. Use when the user mentions Cypress Cloud, cy-cloud, cypress-cloud-cli, a Cloud run or test URL, failing or flaky Cypress tests, Test Replay, run triage, Cloud artifacts, or asks why a recorded test failed.
Popular testing & qa skills
tdd
mattpocock/skills
Test-driven development. Use when the user wants to build features or fix bugs test-first, mentions "red-green-refactor", or wants integration tests.
grilling
mattpocock/skills
Grill the user relentlessly about a plan, decision, or idea. Use when the user wants to stress-test their thinking, or uses any 'grill' trigger phrases.
migrate-to-shoehorn
mattpocock/skills
Migrate test files from as type assertions to @total-typescript/shoehorn. Use when user mentions shoehorn, wants to replace as in tests, or needs partial test data.
run-train
lllllllama/rigorpilot-skills
Rigor Train skill for deep learning research repositories. Use when a documented or selected training command should be run conservatively for startup verification, short-run verification, full kickoff, or resume, with command, config, seed, log, checkpoint, status, and metric evidence written to standardized trainoutputs/. Do not use for environment setup, exploratory sweeps, speculative idea implementation, or end-to-end orchestration.
test-driven-development
obra/superpowers
Use when implementing any feature or bugfix, before writing implementation code
finishing-a-development-branch
obra/superpowers
Use when implementation is complete, all tests pass, and you need to decide how to integrate the work