Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) is an approach to software development that centres around effective communication and understanding. It thrives on collaboration among developers, testers, and business stakeholders to ensure everyone is aligned with the project’s objectives.

The BDD Process: Discover, Formulate, Automate, Validate

BDD follows a four-step process:

1. Discover: This phase involves delving into user stories, requirements, and relevant documentation to identify desired software behaviours.
2. Formulate: Once we understand these behaviours, we shape them into tangible, testable scenarios. Gherkin, our language of choice, plays a pivotal role in this process.
3. Automate: Scenarios are automated using specialized BDD testing tools like Cucumber or SpecFlow. Automation ensures that scenarios can be run repeatedly, aiding in regression testing and maintaining software quality.
4. Validate: The final stage involves running the automated scenarios to confirm that the software behaves as intended. Any deviations or issues are identified and addressed, contributing to a robust application.

What is Gherkin?

At the heart of BDD lies Gherkin, a plain-text, human-readable language that empowers teams to define software behaviours without getting bogged down in technical details. Gherkin serves as a common language, facilitating effective communication among developers, testers, and business stakeholders.

Gherkin: Features, Scenarios, Steps, and More

In the world of Gherkin, scenarios take center stage. They reside within feature files, providing a high-level overview of the functionality under scrutiny. Each scenario consists of steps elegantly framed in a Given-When-Then structure:

• Given: Sets the initial context or setup for the scenario.
• When: Describes the action or event to be tested.
• Then: States the expected outcome or result.

Gherkin scenarios are known for their clarity, focus, and exceptional readability, making them accessible to every team member.

Rules for Writing Good Gherkin

When crafting Gherkin scenarios, adhering to certain rules ensures they remain effective and useful. Here are three essential rules:

The Golden Rule: Keep scenarios simple and understandable by everyone, regardless of their technical background. Avoid unnecessary technical jargon or implementation details.

Example:

Scenario: User logs in successfully
Given the user is on the login page
  When they enter valid credentials
  Then they should be redirected to the dashboard

The Cardinal Rule: Each scenario should precisely cover one independent behaviour. Avoid cramming multiple behaviours into a single scenario.

Example:

Scenario: Adding products to the cart
  Given the user is on the product page
  When they add a product to the cart
  And they add another product to the cart
  Then the cart should display both products

The Unique Example Rule: Scenarios should provide unique and meaningful examples. Avoid repetition or unnecessary duplication of scenarios.

Example:

Scenario: User selects multiple items from a list
  Given the user is viewing a list of items
  When they select multiple items
  Then the selected items should be highlighted

These rules help maintain your Gherkin scenarios’ clarity, effectiveness, and maintainability. They also foster better collaboration among team members by ensuring that scenarios are easily understood.

Gherkin Scenarios:

To better understand the strength of Gherkin scenarios, let’s explore a few more examples:

Example 1: User Registration

Feature: User Registration
  Scenario: New users can register on the website
    Given the user is on the registration page
    When they provide valid registration details
    And they click the 'Submit' button
    Then they should be successfully registered

Example 2: Search Functionality

Feature: Search Functionality
  Scenario: Users can search for products
    Given the user is on the homepage
    When they enter 'smartphone' in the search bar
    And they click the 'Search' button
    Then they should see a list of smartphone-related products

These examples showcase how Gherkin scenarios bridge the gap between technical and non-technical team members, promoting clear communication and ensuring software development aligns seamlessly with business goals.

Stackademic

Thank you for reading until the end. Before you go:

• Please consider clapping and following the writer! 👏
• Follow us on Twitter(X), LinkedIn, and YouTube.
• Visit Stackademic.com to find out more about how we are democratizing free programming education around the world.