REPL interface

With v4.5.0 WebdriverIO introduces a REPL interface that helps you to not only discover the framework API but also debug and inspect your tests. It can be used in multiple ways. First you can use it as CLI command and spawn a Selenium session from the command line, e.g.

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$ wdio repl chrome

This would open a Chrome browser that you can control with the REPL interface. Make sure you have a Selenium server running on port 4444 in order to initiate the session. If you have a SauceLabs (or other cloud vendor) account you can also directly run the browser on your command line in the cloud via:

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$ wdio repl chrome -u $SAUCE_USERNAME -k $SAUCE_ACCESS_KEY

You can apply any options (see wdio --help) available for your REPL session. It is recommended to install the wdio-sync (if not already installed with the framework adapter) package when using the REPL as it allows you to use some advanced features (e.g. like the $ and $$ functions).

Another way to use the REPL is in between your tests via the debug command. It will stop the browser when executed and enables you to jump into the application (e.g. to the dev tools) or control the browser from the command line. This is helpful when some commands don’t trigger a certain action as expected. With the REPL you can then try out the commands to see which are working most reliable.