NEXTTEST/ COMMANDS & HELP

✳ THE AUTOMATION PLAYBOOK

Make your next
test make sense.

Learn the NextTest JSON format, find the right action, and start with examples you can adapt to your app.

Download NextTest (ZIP) ↓Quick example ↓Full command guide ↗

✳A GUIDE FOR HUMANS & AITell it
what to test.↓Get a
NextTest suite.COMMANDS.MD · NEXTTEST JSON

01 — QUICK START

Your first browser check.

A NextTest suite is JSON. It describes the app, the test cases, and the ordered actions the runner should perform. Start with a URL and a check you can verify.

login-smoke.json

{
  "name": "Login page smoke check",
  "platform": "WEB",
  "engine": "SELENIUM",
  "data": { "baseUrl": "https://your-app.example" },
  "testCases": [
    {
      "testCaseId": "LOGIN-001",
      "Case": "Login page opens",
      "isRun": true,
      "hardStop": true,
      "testSteps": [
        {
          "steps": "Open the login page",
          "action": "openBrowserChrome",
          "value": "${baseUrl}",
          "isRun": true
        },
        {
          "steps": "Check the page title",
          "action": "validateTitle",
          "value": "Your app title",
          "isRun": true
        },
        {
          "steps": "Close the browser",
          "action": "closeBrowser",
          "isRun": true
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Replace the example URL and title with values from your app.VALID JSON · NEXTTEST SUITE

✳

AI authoring tip Tell the assistant the target URL, the workflow, and the expected outcome. Provide selectors from the actual page (or inspect the DOM) so the generated steps can target real elements.

02 — SUITE STRUCTURE

The shape of a suite.

Suites contain test cases; each case contains ordered test steps. Most fields are optional unless the action needs them.

LEVELFIELDWHAT IT DOES

SuitenameHuman-readable suite name.

SuiteplatformWEB by default; platform tests need matching drivers and devices.

SuiteengineSELENIUM or PLAYWRIGHT; action support can differ by engine.

SuitedataValues referenced with placeholders such as ${baseUrl}.

SuitetestCasesThe test cases to run, in order.

CasetestCaseId, CaseStable ID and display name.

CaseisRun, hardStopEnable the case; optionally stop on a failure.

CasetestStepsOrdered action steps.

Stepsteps, actionHuman-readable intent and NextTest action name.

SteplocatorType, locatorTypeValueHow to find a target element.

Stepvalue, actualValueAction input/expected value and optional secondary value.

StepisRun, hardStopEnable the step; optionally stop the case on failure.

Generated suites should omit run results such as isPassed, status, and durationMs.

03 — ACTION REFERENCE

Find the action you need.

Search common browser, API, and assertion actions. Names are case-insensitive; prefer these canonical names and confirm specialized actions in the full guide or a shipped sample.

⌕/

REST API

`api-GET`, `api-POST`, `api-PUT`, `api-DELETE`, `api-PATCH`

Execute REST API calls natively within any test suite with automated AES-GCM credential decryption.

endpoint URL · payload

SECURITY

`enterEncryptedPassword`

Decrypts AES-256-GCM encrypted passwords in memory and enters into field with zero plaintext leakage (••••••••).

locator · {{PASSWORD}}

BROWSER

`openBrowserChrome`, `openBrowserFirefox`, `openBrowserEdge`

Open a browser session. Set value to a URL to navigate on launch.

value: URL (optional)

BROWSER

`enterUrl`

Navigate the current browser to a URL; opens a session if needed.

value: URL

BROWSER

`refresh`, `browserBack`, `browserForward`, `closeBrowser`

Reload, navigate browser history, or close the current session.

no locator required

INTERACTION

`click`, `doubleClick`, `contextClick`

Click a located element using locatorType and locatorTypeValue.

locator required

INTERACTION

`sendKeys`, `clearAndSendKeys`, `type`, `clear`

Type into a field, clear then type, or clear a text field.

locator · value*

INTERACTION

`typeAppend`

Types text into an input or textarea element without clearing existing content.

locator · value

INTERACTION

`selectDropdownByText`, `selectDropdownByValue`, `selectDropdownByIndex`

Select a dropdown option by visible text, option value, or index.

locator · value

INTERACTION

`markAsChecked`, `markAsNotChecked`

Set the state of a checkbox or radio button.

locator required

INTERACTION

`mouseHover`, `scrollIntoView`

Move the pointer over an element or scroll it into view.

locator required

INTERACTION

`switchToIFrame`, `switchToDefaultFrame`

Switch execution focus into a target iframe element or return back to default document context.

locator (for iframe)

INTERACTION

`acceptAlert`

Accepts and confirms a native browser JavaScript alert, confirm, or prompt modal.

no locator required

BROWSER

`windowSize`

Set the browser window size.

value: 1280,800

EVIDENCE

`takingScreenshot`

Capture a screenshot. An optional value can provide a filename.

value: filename (optional)

ASSERTION

`validateTitle`

Check the current page title against the expected value.

value: expected title

ASSERTION

`validateUrl`

Check the current URL against the expected value.

value: expected URL

ASSERTION

`validateText`

Assert that a located element’s text matches the expected value.

locator · value

VISUAL

`validateVisualBaseline`

Perceptual visual diff assertion against saved golden baseline image.

locator (opt) · baseline

ASSERTION

`validateContainsText`, `validateStartsWithText`, `validateEndsWithText`

Assert a text value contains, begins with, or ends with the expected text.

locator · value

ASSERTION

`isDisplayed`, `isEnabled`, `isDisabled`, `isSelected`

Assert a located element’s visibility, enabled, or selected state.

locator required

ASSERTION

`elementExistsAndThrow`

Fail the step if the located element is missing.

locator required

TEST DATA

`getText`

Read text from a located element and store it under a data key.

locator · actualValue: key

TEST DATA

`setModuleTextValue`

Set a suite-level text value.

actualValue: key · value: text

TEST DATA

`setModuleNumber`, `incrementModuleNumber`

Set or increment a numeric suite-level value.

actualValue: key

TEST DATA

`sleep`

Pause for a fixed duration in milliseconds. Prefer explicit waits when possible.

value: milliseconds

These are common actions from the bundled guide. Action availability can vary by engine and platform. Check the implementation and matching sample for specialized features.

04 — LOCATORS

Point to the right element.

Use selectors from the actual DOM or app. Prefer stable IDs, accessible names, or test IDs when available.

idlogin-submit

nameemail

className / classprimary-button

css / cssSelectorform button[type='submit']

xpath//button[@type='submit']

linkTextForgot password?

partialLinkTextForgot password

tagName / tagbutton

accessibilityIdAppium accessibility label

Mobile-only locator strategies such as androidUIAutomator, iOSClassChain, and iOSNsPredicateString require the matching device and driver setup.

05 — VARIABLES & DATA

Reuse values safely.

Keep environment-specific values in suite data and refer to them in action values. Don’t hardcode secrets in generated suites.

${key}Substitute a suite, case, or step data value.

{{key}}Alternative placeholder syntax used in suites and recorded credentials.

!Data->keyRead a value from a data, locator, case, or step dictionary.

!D->row->ColumnRead a column from a data-driven row; follow the shipped table-loop examples.

!File->pathLoad file contents for supported step fields; resolve from the process working directory.

!Gen->...Generate synthetic test data using a matching shipped example.

Keep credentials out of the suite. Use a placeholder such as {{PASSWORD}} and provide the value securely at run time.

06 — API EXAMPLE

Make an API request.

For API actions, value is the endpoint and actualValue holds the request configuration. This shape is taken from the bundled token-chaining example.

request-step.json

{
  "steps": "Request protected students",
  "action": "api-GET",
  "value": "/api/students",
  "actualValue": "{\"BaseUrl\":\"https://your-app.example\",\"Url\":\"/api/students\",\"Headers\":{\"Authorization\":\"Bearer {{authToken}}\",\"Content-Type\":\"application/json\"}}",
  "isRun": true
}

Provide a valid token through suite data before execution.API STEP

07 — RUN A SUITE

Run it from the CLI with Auto-Healing.

From the published distribution folder, run tests headlessly with intelligent locator recovery enabled. Reports are generated in HTML and JUnit formats.

PowerShell

.\NextTest.bat --run .\sample-application\scenarios\01-browser-lifecycle-and-navigation.json --headless --self-healing --apply-healing --output-dir .\reports --report-formats junit,html

✦ Auto-healing enabled: Dynamic locator recovery automatically rescues broken selectors during execution.AUTO-HEALING CLI

Read the run guide ↗Read full command catalog ↗Explore the product help ↗

Auto-healing in CI/CD: Running with --self-healing --apply-healing prevents broken locators from failing your automated build pipelines.

Make your nexttest make sense.

Your first browser check.

The shape of a suite.

Find the action you need.

api-GET, api-POST, api-PUT, api-DELETE, api-PATCH

enterEncryptedPassword

openBrowserChrome, openBrowserFirefox, openBrowserEdge

enterUrl

refresh, browserBack, browserForward, closeBrowser

click, doubleClick, contextClick

sendKeys, clearAndSendKeys, type, clear

typeAppend

selectDropdownByText, selectDropdownByValue, selectDropdownByIndex

markAsChecked, markAsNotChecked

mouseHover, scrollIntoView

switchToIFrame, switchToDefaultFrame

acceptAlert

windowSize

takingScreenshot

validateTitle

validateUrl

validateText

validateVisualBaseline

validateContainsText, validateStartsWithText, validateEndsWithText

isDisplayed, isEnabled, isDisabled, isSelected

elementExistsAndThrow

getText

setModuleTextValue

setModuleNumber, incrementModuleNumber

sleep

Point to the right element.

Reuse values safely.

Make an API request.

Run it from the CLI with Auto-Healing.

Make your next
test make sense.

`api-GET`, `api-POST`, `api-PUT`, `api-DELETE`, `api-PATCH`

`enterEncryptedPassword`

`openBrowserChrome`, `openBrowserFirefox`, `openBrowserEdge`

`enterUrl`

`refresh`, `browserBack`, `browserForward`, `closeBrowser`

`click`, `doubleClick`, `contextClick`

`sendKeys`, `clearAndSendKeys`, `type`, `clear`

`typeAppend`

`selectDropdownByText`, `selectDropdownByValue`, `selectDropdownByIndex`

`markAsChecked`, `markAsNotChecked`

`mouseHover`, `scrollIntoView`

`switchToIFrame`, `switchToDefaultFrame`

`acceptAlert`

`windowSize`

`takingScreenshot`

`validateTitle`

`validateUrl`

`validateText`

`validateVisualBaseline`

`validateContainsText`, `validateStartsWithText`, `validateEndsWithText`

`isDisplayed`, `isEnabled`, `isDisabled`, `isSelected`

`elementExistsAndThrow`

`getText`

`setModuleTextValue`

`setModuleNumber`, `incrementModuleNumber`

`sleep`