start-server-and-test not compatible with Windows 2025

[MikeMcC399]

Issue

start-server-and-test is recommended on https://docs.cypress.io/ and it is not compatible with Windows Server 2025.

Background

The npm module start-server-and-test is not compatible with Windows Server 2025. There has been no response to the open issue bahmutov/start-server-and-test#398 since it was posted in December 2024.

start-server-and-test depends on ps-tree which depends on WMIC.

For Microsoft Windows Servers, wmic has been deprecated since 2016 and it is not installed by default on Windows Server 2025 (see Features we're no longer developing).

The GitHub Actions runner image windows-2025 does not include WMIC and there are no plans to add it.

start-server-and-test appears to no longer be actively maintained. ps-tree has not been updated in the last 6 years, so it does not seem likely that the compatibility issue with Windows Server 2025 will ever be resolved.

Impacted pages

• Continuous Integration > Solutions
• How do I wait for my application to load?

Suggestion

Review the recommendation to use start-server-and-test considering its maintenance status and compatibility with Windows Server 2025.