CODEWITHSUNDEEP
cucumberbddgherkin
user1559625
user1559625

Reputation: 2673

How to write feature file and when to convert them to step definition to adapt to a changing business requirement?

I am working on a BDD web development and testing project with other team members.

On top we write feature files in gherkin and run cucumber to generate step functions. At bottom we write Selenium page models and action libraries scripts. The rest is just fill in the step functions with Selenium script and finally run cucumber cases.

Sounds simple enough.

The problem comes starting when we write feature files.

Problem 1: Our client's requirement keeps changing every week as the project proceed, in terms of removing old ones and adding new ones.

Problem 2: On top of that, for some features, detailed steps keep changing too.

The problem gets really bad if we try to generate updated step functions based on updated feature file every day. There are quite some housecleaning to do to keep step functions and feature files in sync.

To deal with problem 2, I remembered that one basic rule in writing gherkin feature file is to use business domain language as much as possible. So I tried to persuade the BA to write the feature file a little more vague, and do not include too many UI specific steps in it, so that we need not to modify feature files/step functions often. But she hesitate 'cause the client's requirement document include details and she just try to follow.

To deal with problem 1, I have no solution.

So my question is:

  1. Is there a good way to write feature file so that it's less impacted by client's requirement change? Can we write it vague to omit some details that may change (this way at least we can stabilize the step function prototype), and if so, how far can we go?

  2. When is a good time to generate the step definitions and filling in the content? From the beginning, or wait until the features stabilize a little? How often should we do it if the feature keep changing? And is there a convenient way to clean the outdated step functions?

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Thanks,

Upvotes: 1

Views: 2366

Answers (1)

Greg Gauthier
Greg Gauthier

Reputation: 1436

If your client has specific UI requirements for which you are contracted to provide automated tests, then you ought to be writing those using actual test automation tools. Cucumber is not a test automation tool. If you attempt to use it as such, you are simply causing yourself a lot of pain for naught.

If, however, you are only contracted to validate that your application complies with the business rules provided by your client, during frequent and focused discovery sessions with them, then Cucumber may be able to help you.

In either case, you are going to ultimately fail, if there's no real collaboration with your client. If they're regularly throwing new business rules, or new business requirements over a transome through which you have limited or no visibility, then you are in a no-win situation.

Upvotes: 1

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