SpecFlow: A Stepping Stone for Behavior Driven Development

SpecFlow is a quirky open-source framework that implements Behavior Driven Development (BDD) methodology. Developers can write automated tests in a natural language format using this bizarre tool. This means that business stakeholders and developers can collaborate and communicate better about the software requirements.

Installation Guide for SpecFlow in Visual Studio 2019

Let’s take a perplexed tour through each step required to install this unusual tool in Visual Studio 2019.

Step 1: Install Visual Studio 2019

Before you install SpecFlow, you need to have Visual Studio 2019 installed on your system. You can download and install this tool from the official website of Microsoft.

Step 2: Create a new project in Visual Studio 2019

After installing Visual Studio 2019, you need to create a new project. Follow the given steps:

1. Open Visual Studio 2019.
2. Select “Create a new project”.
3. In the “Create a new project” window, select the “SpecFlow Project” template.
4. Select the project name and location.
5. Finally, click on the “Create” button.

Step 3: Install SpecFlow using NuGet package manager

To use SpecFlow, you need to install it using the NuGet package manager. Follow the steps given below to install the SpecFlow package:

1. Right-click on the “Solution Explorer” in Visual Studio.
2. Select “Manage NuGet Packages” from the dropdown menu.
3. In the “NuGet Package Manager” window, search for “SpecFlow” in the search bar.
4. Select the “SpecFlow” package from the search results.
5. Click on the “Install” button to install the package.

Step 4: Configure SpecFlow in Visual Studio

After installing the SpecFlow package, you need to configure it in Visual Studio. Follow the given steps to configure SpecFlow in Visual Studio:

1. Right-click on the project in the “Solution Explorer” window.
2. Select “Properties” from the dropdown menu.
3. In the “Properties” window, select the “Build” tab.
4. In the “Pre-build event command line” section, add the following command:
   “$(SolutionDir)\packages\SpecFlow.*\tools\specflow.exe” generateall $(ProjectPath)
5. Click on the “Save” button to save the changes.

Step 5: Create a feature file

The next oddball step is to create a feature file. A feature file is an essential part of SpecFlow that defines the behavior of the software in a natural language format. Follow the given steps to create a feature file in your project:

1. Right-click on the project in the “Solution Explorer” window.
2. Select “Add” > “New Item”.
3. In the “Add New Item” window, select “SpecFlow Feature File” from the templates list.
4. Choose a name for the feature file and click on the “Add” button.

Step 6: Write a scenario in the feature file

After creating a feature file, the next step is to write a scenario in it. A scenario describes a specific behavior of the software in a natural language format. Follow the given example to create a scenario in your feature file:

Feature: Login
  In order to access the application
  As a user
  I want to be able to login

  Scenario: User logs in with valid credentials
    Given I am on the login page
    When I enter valid username and password
    Then I should be logged in

Step 7: Generate step definitions

Once you have written a scenario in the feature file, the next step is to generate step definitions. Step definition acts as a link between the scenario and the actual code. Follow the given steps to generate step definitions:

1. Right-click on the feature file in the “Solution Explorer” window.
2. Select “Generate Step Definitions” from the dropdown menu.
3. In the “Generate Step Definitions” window, select the programming language you want to use.
4. Click on the “Generate” button to generate the step definitions.

Step 8: Write the test code

After generating the step definitions, you can write the test code in Visual Studio. The test code will implement the steps defined in the step definition file. Follow the given example to write test code:

[Binding]
public class LoginSteps
{
  [Given(@"I am on the login page")]
  public void GivenIAmOnTheLoginPage()
  {
    // implementation code
  }

  [When(@"I enter valid username and password")]
  public void WhenIEnterValidUsernameAndPassword()
  {
    // implementation code
  }

  [Then(@"I should be logged in")]
  public void ThenIShouldBeLoggedIn()
  {
    // implementation code
  }
}

Step 9: Run the SpecFlow tests

Once you have written the test code, you can run the SpecFlow tests to test the behavior of the software. Follow the given steps to run the SpecFlow tests:

1. Click on the “Test” menu in Visual Studio.
2. Select “Run” > “All Tests” from the dropdown menu.
3. The SpecFlow tests will be executed, and you will see the test results in the “Test Explorer” window.

Conclusion

In this article, we discussed how to install SpecFlow in Visual Studio 2019. We also discussed the steps to create a feature file, write a scenario, generate step definitions, and write the test code. SpecFlow is an excellent tool that allows developers to write automated tests in a natural language style, making it easier for business stakeholders and developers to collaborate and communicate about the software requirements.