{"id":28678,"date":"2019-05-08T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-05-07T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blexin.com\/dai-requisiti-al-testing-con-specflow\/"},"modified":"2021-05-20T19:17:52","modified_gmt":"2021-05-20T17:17:52","slug":"from-requirements-to-testing-with-specflow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blexin.com\/en\/blog-en\/from-requirements-to-testing-with-specflow\/","title":{"rendered":"From requirements to testing with SpecFlow"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Foreword<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

In past few months, I casually analyze the employment of frameworks and codes testing methods. In particular, I am using two code writing methods, which are intriguing me a lot: the TDD (Test Driven Development) and the BDD (Behaviour Driven Development). In this article, I will talk you about a framework called SpecFlow, which will help you to easily make BDD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SpecFlow<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

SpecFlow is a testing framework supporting BDD. It allows to define tests based on the behavior that our feature <\/em>should have , using a simple grammar through a language called Gherkin<\/strong>. To do so, it uses a file type with feature<\/strong> extension. Below you can find an example:<\/p>\n\n\n

\nFeature: Batmobile Weapons\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0In order fight villains\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0As Batman\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0I want to fire weapons from Batmobile.\n\u00a0\nScenario: Fire Cannon successfully\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Given I see villain\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0When I press fire cannon button\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Then Batmobile cannons fire\n<\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n
In the feature file, you need to describe first which would be the function of the feature to test, and then you can specify different scenarios (use case in given-when-then form) on whom you will test it. It\u2019s clear that this method to write tests allows you not only to test the written code, but also permits you to support with precision our feature\u2019s environment. Let\u2019s use SpecFlow with an instance within Visual Studio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Installation and setup<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
The installation of SpecFlow consists of two steps: 1) install the extension to Visual Studio 2017 and 2) create a project and configure it to be used with SpecFlow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To install the extension, we go in the Tools menu and select Extensions and updates<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Now we can create a new project, a MSTest Test Project <\/em>type<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Once the project has been created, right click on solution and choose manage NuGet package for the solution <\/em>and then we install following packages: 1) SpecFlow 2) SpecFlow.Tools.MsBuild.Generation 3) SpecRun.SpecFlow<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Well, we can now create our first feature file!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Add a feature file<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
We now need to add a feature file to our project, which defines the specific feature and includes test scenarios. It\u2019s very easy to add a feature file to the project: right click on the project, then \u201cadd\u201d and \u201cnew element\u201d. On the left, we find the choice to select SpecFlow templates: we choose SpecFlow Feature File<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Now we have to define our features and scenarios: I take as example a case I create specifically to easily explain the procedure. Imagine a project, where you have to import some CSV files from an external source and suppose you need to verify if the imported data are congruent with the origin. This is the feature file:<\/p>\n\n\n
\nFeature: Items\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Import files from external application\n\u00a0\nScenario: Import a valid Items file\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Given the following specific Items file\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0"""\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0ItemNo;CreatedOn;ModifiedOn;Disabled\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a010045112022051066;"4\/20\/2017 10:32 AM";"4\/21\/2017 10:32 AM";No\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a010045112022051064;"4\/20\/2017 10:32 AM";"4\/21\/2017 10:32 AM";No\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a010045112022051062;"4\/20\/2017 10:32 AM";"4\/21\/2017 10:32 AM";No\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a010045112022051070;"4\/20\/2017 10:32 AM";"4\/21\/2017 10:32 AM";No\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a010045112022051071;"4\/20\/2017 10:32 AM";"4\/21\/2017 10:32 AM";No\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a010045112022051072;"4\/20\/2017 10:32 AM";"4\/21\/2017 10:32 AM";No\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a010045112022051073;"4\/20\/2017 10:32 AM";"4\/21\/2017 10:32 AM";No\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a010045112022051074;"4\/20\/2017 10:32 AM";"4\/21\/2017 10:32 AM";No\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a010045112022051075;"4\/20\/2017 10:32 AM";"4\/21\/2017 10:32 AM";No\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0"""\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0When the service is started\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Then the following records must be present in Items table\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0| ItemNo\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | CreatedOn\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | ModifiedOn\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Disabled | \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0| 10045112022051066 | '2017-04-20 10:32:00.000' | '2017-04-21 10:32:00.000' | 0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0| 10045112022051064 | '2017-04-20 10:32:00.000' | '2017-04-21 10:32:00.000' | 0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0| 10045112022051062 | '2017-04-20 10:32:00.000' | '2017-04-21 10:32:00.000' | 0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0| 10045112022051070 | '2017-04-20 10:32:00.000' | '2017-04-21 10:32:00.000' | 0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0| 10045112022051071 | '2017-04-20 10:32:00.000' | '2017-04-21 10:32:00.000' | 0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0| 10045112022051072 | '2017-04-20 10:32:00.000' | '2017-04-21 10:32:00.000' | 0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0| 10045112022051073 | '2017-04-20 10:32:00.000' | '2017-04-21 10:32:00.000' | 0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0| 10045112022051074 | '2017-04-20 10:32:00.000' | '2017-04-21 10:32:00.000' | 0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0| 10045112022051075 | '2017-04-20 10:32:00.000' | '2017-04-21 10:32:00.000' | 0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 |\n<\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n
In this file, our feature Items<\/strong> only import input files from an external application. Our scenario, on the contrary, specifies that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n