Interaction Steps
Hover
Simulate mouse hover interactions with elements
Overview
The Hover step simulates mouse hover interactions with elements on your web page. It’s useful for triggering hover effects, revealing dropdown menus, tooltips, and other hover-dependent UI behavior.
Form Fields
Field Name | Type | Required | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Locator | string | Yes | CSS selector for the element to hover |
Form Configuration
Locator Field
- Text input field for entering CSS selectors
- Supports element picker for visual selection
- Should target the specific element you want to hover over
Examples
Hover Over Navigation Menu
- Locator:
.main-nav .dropdown-trigger
Hover to Show Tooltip
- Locator:
[data-testid='help-icon']
Hover Over Product Card
- Locator:
.product-card[data-id='123']
Hover to Reveal Actions
- Locator:
.file-item .actions-trigger
Hover Over Chart Element
- Locator:
.chart-bar[data-value='Q2']
Best Practices
Locator Selection
- Use specific, stable CSS selectors for the target element
- Prefer
data-testid
attributes for better test reliability - Ensure the locator uniquely identifies the hoverable element
Hover Timing
- Consider elements that have hover delays or transitions
- Account for CSS transition timing when testing hover effects
- Some hover effects may require brief delays to fully activate
Testing Strategy
- Use hover steps before actions that depend on hover states
- Test hover effects on important interactive elements
- Verify hover states don’t interfere with subsequent interactions
Common Issues
Element Not Hoverable
- Verify the element exists and is visible on the page
- Check that the element is not covered by other elements
- Ensure the element is within the viewport
Hover Effects Not Triggering
- Some elements may have hover delays built into CSS
- Verify the correct element is being targeted for hover
- Check if JavaScript event listeners are properly attached
Timing Problems
- Hover effects may take time to appear due to CSS transitions
- Consider adding wait conditions after hover if needed for subsequent steps
- Some applications may have hover debouncing that requires longer hover duration
Mobile Considerations
- Hover interactions don’t exist on touch devices
- Consider alternative test strategies for mobile testing
- Some applications simulate hover with touch interactions
Use Cases
Navigation Menus
- Hover over main navigation items to reveal submenus
- Test mega menu functionality and layout
- Verify menu positioning and visibility
Interactive Elements
- Hover over buttons to see state changes
- Test card hover effects and overlays
- Verify tooltip content and positioning
Data Visualization
- Hover over chart elements to see data details
- Test interactive graphs and diagrams
- Verify hover highlighting and information display
Form Elements
- Hover over form fields to see help text
- Test input validation hover states
- Verify interactive form element feedback
Related Steps
- Click - For clicking elements after hover
- Check Visibility - For verifying hover effects appear
- Check Text - For verifying hover-revealed content