Better Alternative to Sleep in Capybara

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#1

Is there a better alternative to using sleep in Capybara?

In my test, I have a step where I fill out a field and press enter. This action then loads a result set on the next page.

Here’s my helper method:

def search(term)
  fill_in('query-text', :with => term)
  click_button('search-button')
end

After executing this method, I have a step that checks:

page.should have_content(tutor)

The issue is that even though the page with the results loads, the step fails intermittently because it appears to be checking before the page has fully updated. To work around this, I added a sleep to the end of my search method like this:

def search(term)
  fill_in('query-text', :with => term)
  click_button('search-button')
  sleep 5
end

However, I feel using sleep is a hacky solution. Since I am using Capybara 2, which does not support wait_until, is there a better way to handle this issue without relying on Capybara sleep?

#2

Use Capybara’s Built-in Waiting:

Capybara automatically waits for asynchronous processes to complete. Ensure that your test checks are written in a way that leverages Capybara’s built-in waiting behavior, which is more efficient than using Capybara sleep:


def search(term)

fill_in('query-text', :with => term)

click_button('search-button')

end

# Then in your test step

expect(page).to have_content(tutor)

This approach eliminates the need for Capybara sleep by using Capybara’s default waiting mechanism, ensuring your test only proceeds when the page is ready.

#3

Explicitly Use has_content? with a Timeout:

While leveraging Capybara’s built-in waiting, you can also explicitly set a timeout to handle longer waits more effectively than Capybara sleep:


def search(term)

fill_in('query-text', :with => term)

click_button('search-button')

end

# Use in your test step

expect(page).to have_content(tutor, wait: 10) # Wait up to 10 seconds

By specifying a timeout, you give Capybara a clear instruction to wait up to 10 seconds for the content to appear, providing a robust alternative to Capybara sleep.

#4

Check for Page Changes or Elements:

If specific elements are expected to appear or change, use Capybara to wait for these elements instead of relying on Capybara sleep:


def search(term)

fill_in('query-text', :with => term)

click_button('search-button')

end

# Wait for a specific element or condition

expect(page).to have_selector('.result-item', text: tutor)

This method is more reliable than Capybara sleep as it leverages Capybara’s waiting mechanisms to wait for specific page changes or elements, ensuring your test proceeds only when the expected result is truly present.