Updated on December 4, 2024

Basics and Fundamentals

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1. What is Cucumber, and why is it used?

Answer:
Cucumber is an open-source testing tool that supports Behavior-Driven Development (BDD). It allows teams to describe application behavior in simple, human-readable language (Gherkin), bridging the gap between technical and non-technical stakeholders. By combining automated tests with plain-text specifications, Cucumber ensures better collaboration and understanding of requirements.

2. What is BDD, and how does Cucumber support it?

Answer:
Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) is a software development approach that encourages collaboration between developers, testers, and business stakeholders. BDD focuses on defining application behavior through examples. Cucumber supports BDD by allowing tests to be written in Gherkin syntax, which uses plain language to describe behaviors, ensuring everyone on the team can understand the specifications.

3. What is Gherkin, and how is it used in Cucumber?

Answer:
Gherkin is the domain-specific language used in Cucumber for writing test scenarios. It is plain-text and uses keywords like Feature, Scenario, Given, When, Then, and And to describe test cases. Each line in a Gherkin file defines a step, making it easy to read and understand.
Example:

				
					Feature: Login functionality

Scenario: Successful login
  Given the user is on the login page
  When the user enters valid credentials
  Then the user should see the homepage

4. What is a Feature File in Cucumber?

Answer:
A feature file is a plain-text file written in Gherkin syntax that contains the specification of application behavior. It is a core part of Cucumber tests and includes a Feature description and one or more Scenario definitions. Feature files are stored with a .feature extension and serve as input for test execution.

5. What are Step Definitions in Cucumber?

Answer:
Step definitions are methods in Cucumber that implement the steps defined in Gherkin feature files. They map Gherkin steps (e.g., Given, When, Then) to executable code. Each step definition contains the logic or interaction with the application under test, enabling automation.

6. What are the main components of Cucumber?

Answer:
The main components of Cucumber are:

  1. Feature Files: Contain Gherkin-based scenarios describing the behavior.
  2. Step Definitions: Bind feature file steps to code implementations.
  3. Hooks: Allow setup or teardown logic before or after scenarios.
  4. Runner Classes: Facilitate test execution and configuration.

7. How does Cucumber differ from traditional testing tools?

Answer:
Cucumber differs in the following ways:

  1. Human-Readable Language: Tests are written in plain language (Gherkin), making them understandable for non-technical stakeholders.
  2. Collaboration: Promotes collaboration between developers, testers, and business teams.
  3. Focus on Behavior: Tests are based on expected application behavior rather than implementation details.

8. What is the purpose of the Given, When, and Then keywords?

Answer:
These are Gherkin keywords used to define test steps:

  • Given: Describes the initial context or setup for the scenario.
  • When: Specifies the action or event performed by the user or system.
  • Then: Defines the expected outcome or result.
    Example:
				
					Given the user is on the login page  
When the user enters valid credentials  
Then the user should see the homepage

9. Can you explain the Cucumber test flow?

Answer:
The Cucumber test flow involves the following steps:

  1. Write feature files using Gherkin syntax to define test scenarios.
  2. Implement step definitions in a programming language (e.g., Java).
  3. Link feature steps to step definitions.
  4. Configure the test runner to execute scenarios.
  5. Run the tests, validate application behavior, and generate reports.

10. What are the advantages of using Cucumber?

Answer:

  1. Collaboration: Encourages teamwork by using plain-language specifications.
  2. Readable Tests: Gherkin syntax is easy to read and write for all team members.
  3. Reusability: Step definitions can be reused across multiple scenarios.
  4. Integration: Works well with tools like Selenium, RestAssured, and CI/CD pipelines.
  5. Automation-Friendly: Supports automated testing to save time and effort.

11. How is Cucumber installed and set up?

Answer:

  1. Install Dependencies: Add Cucumber dependencies to your project using a build tool like Maven or Gradle.
    Example for Maven:
				
					<dependency>
    <groupId>io.cucumber</groupId>
    <artifactId>cucumber-java</artifactId>
    <version>7.x</version>
</dependency>

2. Set Up the Project: Organize your project into directories for feature files, step definitions, and test runners.

3. Write Feature Files and Step Definitions: Create the test cases and implement step logic.

4. Run Tests: Use a test runner or command-line tool to execute scenarios.

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