Gherkin vs. Cucumber: Understanding the Role of Each in Behavior-Driven Development
Cucumber and Gherkin are often compared, but they are not really competing tools. In fact, they complement each other. Cucumber is a testing framework, while Gherkin is a syntax for writing test scenarios in a natural language format. In this blog post, we will explore the differences between Cucumber and Gherkin and how they work together.
What is Cucumber?
Cucumber is a popular testing framework that allows software development teams to write and execute automated acceptance tests. It supports various programming languages such as Java, Ruby, and JavaScript, and it enables teams to create tests in a behavior-driven development (BDD) style.
Cucumber enables teams to create human-readable test scenarios that can be understood by non-technical stakeholders. The test scenarios are written in a syntax called Gherkin, which provides a natural language format for describing software features and how they should behave.
What is Gherkin?
Gherkin is a plain-text language that is used to write Cucumber scenarios. It is a syntax that uses keywords to describe the behavior of a software application in a natural language format. Gherkin scenarios are written in a structured format that can be easily understood by both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Gherkin scenarios are organized into feature files, which can contain one or more scenarios. Each scenario is composed of steps, which are written using Gherkin syntax. Gherkin supports a set of keywords that define the steps of a scenario, such as Given, When, Then, And, and But.
http://informationarray.com/2023/08/03/cucumber-vs-selenium-a-comparative-analysis-of-automated-testing-frameworks/
Comparison Table: Cucumber vs Gherkin
| Criteria | Cucumber | Gherkin |
| Purpose | Testing framework | Syntax for writing test scenarios |
| Programming | Supports various programming languages | Uses a plain-text language |
| Test scenarios | Written in Gherkin syntax | Written in Gherkin syntax |
| Collaboration | Enables collaboration between development and testing teams | Enables collaboration between developers, testers, and business stakeholders |
| Reporting | Provides detailed test reports | No reporting capabilities |
| Skill level | Requires programming expertise | Easy to learn, suitable for non-technical stakeholders |
Example Scenario
Let’s take a look at an example scenario written in Gherkin syntax:
vbnet
Feature: Login As a registered user I want to log in to my account So that I can access my profile Scenario: Valid credentials Given I am on the login page When I enter valid username and password Then I should be logged in to my account
In this scenario, we have defined a feature called “Login” that describes the behavior of the login functionality. The scenario defines the steps required to test the login functionality, including navigating to the login page, entering valid credentials, and verifying that the user is logged in.
Cucumber and Gherkin work together to enable teams to write and execute automated acceptance tests in a natural language format. Cucumber provides the framework for executing tests, while Gherkin provides a syntax for writing test scenarios. Gherkin makes it easy for developers, testers, and business stakeholders to collaborate on writing tests, and Cucumber makes it easy to execute those tests and generate reports. Together, Cucumber and Gherkin help teams to create high-quality software that meets user requirements.