How can I run Nightwatch tests in a specific order?

Question

I have several tests which test the UI and also serve to create data along the way.

A separate set of tests rely on this data, meaning that these must run only after the first set have run.

I know about running a group of them, or running them with tags, but how can I run them in a specific order?

Answer 1

This isn't a great answer but it works: numerically sequence your test files.

0001_first_test_I_want_to_run.js
0002_second_test_I_want_to_run.js
...
9999_last_test_I-want_to_run.js

Answer 2

To control the order (and also to use a common module for authentication) I used a "main" test module and imported the tests in the order I wanted:

Inside main.test.js

// import test modules
const first = require('./first.test.js');
const second = require('./second.test.js');
module.exports = {
    before(){
         // login, etc.
    },
    'first': (browser) => {
         first.run(browser);
    },
    'second': (browser) => {
         second.run(browser);
    },
}

and in first.test.js

var tests = {
    'google': (browser) => {
        browser.url('https://google.com';
    },
    'cnn': (browser) => {
        browser.url('https://cnn.com';
    }
};

module.exports = {
    // allow nightwatch to run test module only inside _main
    '@disabled': true,
    'run': (browser) => {
        // call all functions inside tests
        Object.values(tests)
            .filter(f => typeof f === 'function')
            .forEach(f => f(browser));
    }
};