User Event

note

User Event interactions require RNTL v12.2.0 or later.

Comparison with Fire Event API

Fire Event is our original event simulation API. It can invoke any event handler declared on either host or composite elements. Suppose the element does not have onEventName event handler for the passed eventName event, or the element is disabled. In that case, Fire Event will traverse up the component tree, looking for an event handler on both host and composite elements along the way. By default, it will not pass any event data, but the user might provide it in the last argument.

In contrast, User Event provides realistic event simulation for user interactions like press or type. Each interaction will trigger a sequence of events corresponding to React Native runtime behavior. These events will be invoked only on host elements, and will automatically receive event data corresponding to each event.

If User Event supports a given interaction, you should always prefer it over the Fire Event counterpart, as it will make your tests much more realistic and, hence, reliable. In other cases, e.g., when User Event does not support the given event or when invoking event handlers on composite elements, you have to use Fire Event as the only available option.

setup()

userEvent.setup(options?: {
  delay: number;
  advanceTimers: (delay: number) => Promise<void> | void;
})

Example

const user = userEvent.setup();

Creates a User Event object instance, which can be used to trigger events.

Options

• delay controls the default delay between subsequent events, e.g., keystrokes.
• advanceTimers is a time advancement utility function that should be used for fake timers. The default setup handles both real timers and Jest fake timers.

press()

press(
  element: ReactTestInstance,
): Promise<void>

Example

const user = userEvent.setup();
await user.press(element);

This helper simulates a press on any pressable element, e.g. Pressable, TouchableOpacity, Text, TextInput, etc. Unlike fireEvent.press(), a more straightforward API that will only call the onPress prop, this function simulates the entire press interaction in a more realistic way by reproducing the event sequence emitted by React Native runtime. This helper will trigger additional events like pressIn and pressOut.

longPress()

longPress(
  element: ReactTestInstance,
  options: { duration: number } = { duration: 500 }
): Promise<void>

Example

const user = userEvent.setup();
await user.longPress(element);

Simulates a long press user interaction. In React Native, the longPress event is emitted when the press duration exceeds the long press threshold (by default, 500 ms). In other aspects, this action behaves similarly to regular press action, e.g., by emitting pressIn and pressOut events. The press duration is customizable through the options. This should be useful if you use the delayLongPress prop. When using real timers, this will take 500 ms, so it is highly recommended to use that API with fake timers to prevent the test from taking a long time to run.

Options

• duration - duration of the press in milliseconds. The default value is 500 ms.

type()

type(
  element: ReactTestInstance,
  text: string,
  options?: {
    skipPress?: boolean
    submitEditing?: boolean
  }

Example

const user = userEvent.setup();
await user.type(textInput, 'Hello world!');

This helper simulates the user focusing on a TextInput element, typing text one character at a time, and leaving the element.

This function supports only host TextInput elements. Passing other element types will result in throwing an error.

note

This function will add text to the text already present in the text input (as specified by value or defaultValue props). To replace existing text, use clear() helper first.

Options

• skipPress - if true, pressIn and pressOut events will not be triggered.
• submitEditing - if true, submitEditing event will be triggered after typing the text.

Sequence of events

The sequence of events depends on the multiline prop and the passed options.

Events will not be emitted if the editable prop is set to false.

Entering the element:

• pressIn (optional)
• focus
• pressOut (optional)

The pressIn and pressOut events are sent by default but can be skipped by passing the skipPress: true option.

Typing (for each character):

• keyPress
• textInput (optional)
• change
• changeText
• selectionChange

The textInput event is sent only for multiline text inputs.

Leaving the element:

• submitEditing (optional)
• endEditing
• blur

The submitEditing event is skipped by default. It can sent by setting the submitEditing: true option.

clear()

clear(
  element: ReactTestInstance,
}

Example

const user = userEvent.setup();
await user.clear(textInput);

This helper simulates the user clearing the content of a TextInput element.

This function supports only host TextInput elements. Passing other element types will result in throwing an error.

Sequence of events

The sequence of events depends on the multiline prop and passed options.

Events will not be emitted if the editable prop is set to false.

Entering the element:

• focus

Selecting all content:

• selectionChange

Pressing backspace:

• keyPress
• textInput (optional)
• change
• changeText
• selectionChange

The textInput event is sent only for multiline text inputs.

Leaving the element:

• endEditing
• blur

scrollTo()

note

scrollTo interaction has been introduced in RNTL v12.4.0.

scrollTo(
  element: ReactTestInstance,
  options: {
    y: number,
    momentumY?: number,
    contentSize?: { width: number, height: number },
    layoutMeasurement?: { width: number, height: number },
  } | {
    x: number,
    momentumX?: number,
    contentSize?: { width: number, height: number },
    layoutMeasurement?: { width: number, height: number },
  }

Example

const user = userEvent.setup();
await user.scrollTo(scrollView, { y: 100, momentumY: 200 });

This helper simulates the user scrolling a host ScrollView element.

This function supports only host ScrollView elements, passing other element types will result in an error. Note that FlatList is accepted as it renders to a host ScrollView element.

Scroll interaction should match the ScrollView element direction:

• for a vertical scroll view (default or horizontal={false}), you should pass only the y option (and optionally also momentumY).
• for a horizontal scroll view (horizontal={true}), you should pass only the x option (and optionally momentumX).

Each scroll interaction consists of a mandatory drag scroll part, which simulates the user dragging the scroll view with his finger (the y or x option). This may optionally be followed by a momentum scroll movement, which simulates the inertial movement of scroll view content after the user lifts his finger (momentumY or momentumX options).

Options

• y - target vertical drag scroll position
• x - target horizontal drag scroll position
• momentumY - target vertical momentum scroll position
• momentumX - target horizontal momentum scroll position
• contentSize - passed to ScrollView events and enabling FlatList updates
• layoutMeasurement - passed to ScrollView events and enabling FlatList updates

User Event will generate several intermediate scroll steps to simulate user scroll interaction. You should not rely on exact number or values of these scrolls steps as they might be change in the future version.

This function will remember where the last scroll ended, so subsequent scroll interaction will starts from that position. The initial scroll position will be assumed to be { y: 0, x: 0 }.

To simulate a FlatList (and other controls based on VirtualizedList) scrolling, you should pass the contentSize and layoutMeasurement options, which enable the underlying logic to update the currently visible window.

Sequence of events

The sequence of events depends on whether the scroll includes an optional momentum scroll component.

Drag scroll:

• contentSizeChange
• scrollBeginDrag
• scroll (multiple events)
• scrollEndDrag

Momentum scroll (optional):

• momentumScrollBegin
• scroll (multiple events)
• momentumScrollEnd