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Getting Started with Cucumber

  • Cucumber is a tool that support Behavior-Driven Development (BDD)

What is Cucumber​

  • Cucumber reads executable specifications written in plain text and validates that the software does with the specifications say.
  • The specifications consist of multiple examples or scenarios.
Scenario: Breaker guesses a word
  Given the Maker has chosen a word
  When the Breaker makes a guess
  Then the Maker is asked to score
  • Each scenario is a list of steps.
  • Cucumber verifies that the software confirms with the specification and generates a report indicating whether it was a success or a failure.
  • In order to execute, they need to follow basic syntax rules called Gherkin.

What is Gherkin​

  • Gherkin is a set of grammar rules that Cucumber can understand.
  • Gherkin serves multiple purposes:
    • Unambiguous executable specification
    • Automated Testing Using Cucumber
    • Document how the system actually behaves.
  • The grammar exists in multiple flavors for different spoken languages.
  • Gherkin documents are stored in .feature text files and are normally stored in version control.

What are step definitions?​

  • Step Definitions connect Gherkin to programming code.
  • A step definition carries out an action that should be performed by the step.
  • Step Definitions hard-wire the specification to the implementation.
  • These step definitions can be written in multiple languages. Here is a JS example:
When('{maker} starts a game', maker => {
  maker.startGameWithWord({ word: 'whale' })
})