Gherkin is one of the most popular languages for writing formal behavior specifications – it captures behaviors as “Given-When-Then” scenarios.
With the help of automation tools, scenarios can easily be turned into automated test cases.
Quick Points
BDD is specification by example.
When someone says “BDD”, immediately think of “Given-When-Then”.
BDD focuses on behavior first.
Behavior scenarios are the cornerstone of BDD.
BDD is a refinement of the Agile process, not an overhaul.
It formalizes acceptance criteria and test coverage.
BDD is a paradigm shift.
Behaviors become the team’s main focus.
12 Awesome Benefits
Inclusion
Clarity
Streamlining
Artifacts
Shift-Left
Automation
Test-Driven
Code Reuse
Parameterization
Variation
Momentum
Adaptability
behavior-driven development
Testing Recommendations
Since BDD focuses on actual feature behavior, behavior specs are best for higher-level, functional, black box tests. For example, BDD is great for testing APIs and web UIs.
Gherkin excels for acceptance testing
However, behavior specs would be overkill for unit tests, and it is also not a good choice for performance tests
For most enterprises moving to Agile, this is a new and critical role, typically translating into a full-time job, requiring one PO to support each Agile team (or, at most, two teams).
This role has significant relationships and responsibilities outside the local team, including working with Product Management, Customers, Business Owners, and other stakeholders
Without the right number of people in the right roles, bottlenecks will severely limit velocity.