Testing pages that require login
Some pages are behind a login wall. To test them automatically, you need to give your testing tool the same credentials a logged-in user would have.
When you test your public website, you just visit the URL. But admin dashboards, user settings, and gated content require authentication. Automated testing tools start with a blank slate. They need to be given the login credentials to access protected pages.
Log into your site normally in a browser. Export the authentication cookies. Provide those cookies to your testing tool. Now it can access the same pages you can when logged in.
Refresh the credentials periodically. Expired login sessions are the most common reason automated tests fail on protected pages.
Testing admin panels, user dashboards, or any content behind a login. Most public-facing portfolio or marketing sites don't need this.
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