title: invoke
comments: true
---

`cy.invoke` invokes functions on the current subject.

If you want to call a regular property that is not a function on the current subject, use [`cy.its`](https://on.cypress.io/api/its).

| | |
|--- | --- |
| **Returns** | the return value of the invoked property |
| **Timeout** | `cy.invoke` cannot timeout unless you've added assertions. The assertions will retry for the duration of [`defaultCommandTimeout`](https://on.cypress.io/guides/configuration#section-timeouts)  |

***

# [cy.invoke( *functionName* )](#section-function-usage)

Invokes the function with the specified name

***

# [cy.invoke( *functionName*, **arguments* )](#section-function-with-arguments-usage)

Invokes the function with the specified name and forwards any additional arguments to the function call. There are no limits to the number of arguments.

***

# Function Usage

## Assert on a function after invoke

```javascript
var fn = function(){
  return "bar"
}

cy.wrap({foo: fn}).invoke("foo").should("eq", "bar") // true
```

{% note info Using cy.invoke('text') %}
[Check out our example recipe where we use cy.invoke('text') to test against HTML content](https://github.com/cypress-io/cypress-example-recipes/blob/master/cypress/integration/bootstrapping_app_test_data_spec.js)
{% endnote %}

## Properties that are functions are invoked

```javascript
// force a hidden div to be 'display: block'
// so we can interact with its children elements
cy
  .get("div.container").should("be.hidden") // true

  .invoke("show") // call the jquery method 'show' on the 'div.container'
    .should("be.visible") // true
    .find("input").type("Cypress is great")
```

{% note info Using cy.invoke('show') and cy.invoke('trigger') %}
[Check out our example recipe where we use cy.invoke('show') and cy.invoke('trigger') to click an element that is only visible on hover](https://github.com/cypress-io/cypress-example-recipes/blob/master/cypress/integration/hover_hidden_elements.js)
{% endnote %}

***

## Useful for 3rd party plugins

```javascript
// as a slightly verbose approach
cy.get("input").invoke("getKendoDropDownList").then(function(dropDownList){
  // the return of $input.getKendoDropDownList() has now become the new subject

  // whatever the select method returns becomes the next subject after this
  return dropDownList.select("apples")
})
```

***

## We can rewrite the previous example in a more terse way and add an assertion.

```javascript
cy
  .get("input")
    .invoke("getKendoDropDownList")
    .invoke("select", "apples")
  .its("val").should("match", /apples/)
```

***

# Function with Arguments Usage

## Send specific arguments to the function

```javascript
var fn = function(a, b, c){
  return a + b + c
}

cy
  .wrap({sum: fn})
  .invoke("sum", 2, 4, 6)
    .should("be.gt", 10) // true
    .and("be.lt", 20) // true
```

{% note info Using cy.invoke('removeAttr', 'target') %}
[Check out our example recipe where we use cy.invoke('removeAttr', 'target') to test clicking on a link without opening in a new tab](https://github.com/cypress-io/cypress-example-recipes/blob/master/cypress/integration/tab_handling_anchor_links_spec.js)
{% endnote %}

## Arguments are automatically forwarded to the function

```javascript
cy
  .get("img").invoke("attr", "src")
    .should("include", "myLogo")
```

***

# Related

- [its](https://on.cypress.io/api/its)
- [wrap](https://on.cypress.io/api/wrap)
- [then](https://on.cypress.io/api/then)
- [stub](https://on.cypress.io/api/stub)
- [spy](https://on.cypress.io/api/spy)