How to Write BDD Tests in Cucumber

 ✅ What is BDD and Cucumber?

🔹 BDD (Behavior-Driven Development)

A software development approach that encourages collaboration between developers, testers, and business stakeholders by writing test scenarios based on system behavior.

🔹 Cucumber

A testing tool that supports BDD. It lets you write test scenarios in Gherkin syntax, a plain-English format.

🛠️ Tools You Need

Java (JDK)

Maven or Gradle

Cucumber (Core, JUnit, Java)

IDE (like IntelliJ or Eclipse)

Optional: Selenium (for UI testing)

🗂️ Typical Project Structure

bash

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src

├── test

│   ├── java

│   │   ├── stepDefinitions

│   │   └── testRunner

│   └── resources

│       └── features

✍️ Step 1: Create a Feature File

Location: src/test/resources/features/login.feature

gherkin

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Feature: Login functionality

  Scenario: Successful login with valid credentials

    Given User is on the login page

    When User enters valid username and password

    Then User should be redirected to the dashboard

🧾 Step 2: Create Step Definitions

Location: src/test/java/stepDefinitions/LoginSteps.java

java

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package stepDefinitions;

import io.cucumber.java.en.*;

public class LoginSteps {

    @Given("User is on the login page")

    public void user_is_on_login_page() {

        System.out.println("User navigates to login page");

        // Add Selenium code to open browser and navigate

    }

    @When("User enters valid username and password")

    public void user_enters_valid_credentials() {

        System.out.println("User enters valid login details");

        // Selenium code to enter credentials and submit

    }

    @Then("User should be redirected to the dashboard")

    public void user_redirected_to_dashboard() {

        System.out.println("User lands on dashboard page");

        // Validate the user is on dashboard

    }

}

🧪 Step 3: Create Test Runner

Location: src/test/java/testRunner/TestRunner.java

java

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package testRunner;

import io.cucumber.junit.Cucumber;

import io.cucumber.junit.CucumberOptions;

import org.junit.runner.RunWith;

@RunWith(Cucumber.class)

@CucumberOptions(

    features = "src/test/resources/features",

    glue = {"stepDefinitions"},

    plugin = {"pretty", "html:target/cucumber-report.html"},

    monochrome = true

)

public class TestRunner {

}

✅ Step 4: Run the Test

Run TestRunner.java as a JUnit test. You should see console output or browser automation (if using Selenium), and a test report.

🧠 Tips for Writing Good BDD Scenarios

Use the "Given–When–Then" format consistently.

Keep steps simple, clear, and business-focused.

Avoid technical details in the feature file.

Keep step definitions reusable.

Name feature files and scenarios meaningfully.

🔁 Sample Real-World Scenario (E-commerce)

gherkin

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Feature: Product search

  Scenario: Search for a valid product

    Given The user is on the home page

    When The user searches for "iPhone"

    Then Search results should display items related to "iPhone"

📘 Summary

Component Purpose

Feature File Contains the test scenarios in Gherkin

Step Definitions Links Gherkin steps to Java methods

Test Runner Runs the tests using JUnit or TestNG

Plugins For reporting (HTML, JSON, etc.)

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