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Using Cucumber Example Tables

The use of Cucumber example tables within your features and scenarios enables the repetition of tests with varying datasets. It also provides a very transparent means of demonstrating your varying test coverage. They can be used in a variety of different ways and some common examples can be found below.

Example 1. Inline Tables​

Scenario

  Scenario Outline: Organisation created with specified end date for subscription id
    Given I create a new organisation
      | id   | validity_end_date   |
      | <id> | <validity_end_date> |
    When I specify a subscription expiry date and subscription id
    Then the specified date and id overrides the default subscription type and its validity period expiration date
      | id   | validity_end_date   |
      | <id> | <validity_end_date> |

    Examples:
      | id              | validity_end_date        |
      | EVALUATION      | 2021-07-01T00:00:00+0000 |
      | EVALUATION      | 2021-05-01T00:00:00+0000 |

Matching Step Definitions

  Given(/^I create a new organisation$/) do |table|
    table.hashes.each do |value|
      @new_org = AdminOrg.new_org_with_validity_end_date(id: "#{value[:id]}", validity_end_date: "#{value[:validity_end_date]}")
    end
  end

  Then(/^the specified date and id overrides the default subscription type and its validity period expiration date$/) do |table|
    table.hashes.each do |value|
      database.verify_subs_id_and_end_date('core', @new_org[:org_id], value[:id], value[:validity_end_date])
    end
  end

In the above example, we can see that the Given and Then step definitions both receive a 'table' parameter and the table and the table column header are then referenced in order to pass a specific value from the inline Cucumber scenario table to the Ruby method call within the associated step definintions.

Example 2. In Step References​

Scenario

  Scenario Outline: Tab names are correct
    Given a user is logged in to TE Reporting
    When I navigate to the following url - <url>
    Then the tab name is: <tab_name>
    Examples:
      | url                         | tab_name               |
      | /                           | Home                   |
      | /dashboards/summary         | All Dashboards         |

Matching Step Definitions

  When(/^I navigate to the following url \- (.*)$/) do |url|
    visit TE.environment['site_url'] + url
    raise unless current_url == TE.environment['site_url'] + url
  end

  Then(/^the tab name is: (.*)$/) do |expected_tab_name|
    raise "Tab name incorrect! \nExpected: #{expected_tab_name} \nActual: #{tab_title}" unless tab_title.include? expected_tab_name
  end

In the above example, we can see that the When and Then step definitions each receive a unique parameter by way of reference to the underlying Cucumber scenario table. It is then directly referenced within the Ruby method call.

Example 3. In Step Strings​

Scenario

  Scenario Outline: Can't create an organisation with invalid org ID
    Given I am an authenticated user
    When I make a POST request to api organisation with an orgId which is invalid as per the schema naming requirements
    """
    <orgID>
    """
    Then the response body contains a 'validation_error' error message
    Examples:
      | orgID  |
      | 1e2x   |

Matching Step Definitions

  When(/^I make a POST request to api organisation with an orgId which is invalid as per the schema naming requirements$/) do |org_id|
    new_org = AdminOrg.new_organisation(org_id: org_id)
    @response = Admin.create_organisation(cookies: @cookies, payload: new_org, response_code: 400)
  end

In the above example, we can see that the When step definition receives an 'org_id' parameter string by way of reference to the underlying Cucumber scenario table. It is then directly referenced within the Ruby method call.