The Project | About Us | Contribute | Donations | License
HOME My courses Completed
◄ Previous
◄

Creating Step Definitions

Next ►
►

In this section, we will delve into the process of creating step definitions in Cucumber. Step definitions are crucial as they bridge the gap between the Gherkin scenarios and the actual code that executes the tests. By the end of this module, you will understand how to write step definitions and link them to your Gherkin scenarios.

Key Concepts

  1. Step Definitions: These are methods in your code that execute the steps described in your Gherkin scenarios.
  2. Glue Code: The code that connects the Gherkin steps to the step definitions.
  3. Annotations: Used to define which Gherkin step corresponds to which method in your code.

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Step Definitions

  1. Understanding the Structure

  • Feature File: Contains the Gherkin scenarios.
  • Step Definition File: Contains the code that implements the steps.

  1. Writing a Simple Gherkin Scenario

Let's start with a simple Gherkin scenario in a feature file:

Feature: User Login

  Scenario: Successful login with valid credentials
    Given the user is on the login page
    When the user enters valid credentials
    Then the user should be redirected to the dashboard

  1. Creating Step Definitions

For each step in the Gherkin scenario, you need a corresponding step definition. Here's how you can create them in Java:

import io.cucumber.java.en.Given;
import io.cucumber.java.en.When;
import io.cucumber.java.en.Then;

public class LoginSteps {

    @Given("the user is on the login page")
    public void the_user_is_on_the_login_page() {
        // Code to navigate to the login page
        System.out.println("User is on the login page");
    }

    @When("the user enters valid credentials")
    public void the_user_enters_valid_credentials() {
        // Code to enter valid credentials
        System.out.println("User enters valid credentials");
    }

    @Then("the user should be redirected to the dashboard")
    public void the_user_should_be_redirected_to_the_dashboard() {
        // Code to verify redirection to the dashboard
        System.out.println("User is redirected to the dashboard");
    }
}

  1. Linking Gherkin Steps to Step Definitions

  • Annotations: Use @Given, @When, and @Then to map Gherkin steps to Java methods.
  • Regular Expressions: The text inside the annotations should match the Gherkin step text.

  1. Running Your Cucumber Tests

  • Ensure your project is set up with Cucumber and a test runner (e.g., JUnit).
  • Run the tests to see the output and verify that the step definitions are executed.

Practical Exercise

Exercise: Create a new feature file for a "User Registration" feature with the following scenario:

Feature: User Registration

  Scenario: Successful registration with valid details
    Given the user is on the registration page
    When the user enters valid registration details
    Then the user should see a confirmation message

Task: Write the corresponding step definitions in Java.

Solution

import io.cucumber.java.en.Given;
import io.cucumber.java.en.When;
import io.cucumber.java.en.Then;

public class RegistrationSteps {

    @Given("the user is on the registration page")
    public void the_user_is_on_the_registration_page() {
        // Code to navigate to the registration page
        System.out.println("User is on the registration page");
    }

    @When("the user enters valid registration details")
    public void the_user_enters_valid_registration_details() {
        // Code to enter registration details
        System.out.println("User enters valid registration details");
    }

    @Then("the user should see a confirmation message")
    public void the_user_should_see_a_confirmation_message() {
        // Code to verify the confirmation message
        System.out.println("User sees a confirmation message");
    }
}

Common Mistakes and Tips

  • Mismatch in Text: Ensure the text in the annotations matches exactly with the Gherkin steps.
  • Code Organization: Keep your step definitions organized and modular to improve readability and maintainability.
  • Reusability: Write generic step definitions that can be reused across different scenarios.

Conclusion

In this section, you learned how to create step definitions in Cucumber and link them to Gherkin scenarios. This foundational skill is essential for writing effective BDD tests. In the next module, we will explore how to parameterize steps to make your tests more dynamic and flexible.

◄ Previous
◄
Next ►
►
The Project | About Us | Contribute | Donations | License
© Copyright 2024. All rights reserved