Feature file
A feature file is a human-readable Gherkin document that specifies a software feature and its behavior through scenarios for execution by behavior-driven development tools.
BDD in Action, Second Edition
A feature file is a plain-text Gherkin document that describes one software feature and its scenarios.
- How it is used
- Groups a feature’s concrete behavioral examples into a readable specification that can be automated.
- How deep it goes
- Explains titles, descriptions, scenarios, step keywords, tables, naming, and organization; distinguishes an executable specification from a working automated check.
- Examples
- Uses money transfers, train departures, frequent-flyer points, and capability-based directory layouts to illustrate content and organization.
- What you can do after
- Practice/perform writing and organizing feature-level Gherkin scenarios, then connect them to automated acceptance tests.
Read how BDD in Action, Second Edition explains feature file →
Build Financial Software with Generative AI (From Scratch)
A feature file is a human-readable specification file that declares a behavior-driven development feature and its test scenarios.
- How it is used
- Defines human-readable BDD scenarios that state expected parsing and API behavior before pytest executes supporting steps.
- How deep it goes
- Explains feature declarations, scenarios, parameterized steps, folder layout, and pytest step-definition wiring without detailing BDD internals.
- Examples
- Uses batch-header record type parsing, a GET /files status check, and ACH entry application retrieval.
- What you can do after
- Apply it via pytest-bdd to specify and run readable scenarios for parsing and API behavior.
Read how Build Financial Software with Generative AI (From Scratch) explains feature file →
Shipping Go: Develop, deliver, discuss, design, and go again
A feature file is a text file that specifies software behavior as features and scenarios for a behavior-driven development test runner.
- How it is used
- Drives behavior-focused integration testing from shared requirements and scenarios.
- How deep it goes
- Explains Gherkin structure, step mapping, execution, and assertions, but stops short of defining the Gherkin language formally.
- Examples
- Uses a translation service scenario covering a word, target language, API call, and expected response.
- What you can do after
- Operate/configure Godog to turn a Gherkin scenario into an application-level test with executable step definitions.
Read how Shipping Go: Develop, deliver, discuss, design, and go again explains feature file →
Related concepts
- scenariohas part · A scenario is a concrete description of a situation or conditions, often including actions and expected or possible outcomes, for analysis or evaluation.
- Gherkinused by · Gherkin is a structured, human-readable language for expressing software behavior as features, scenarios, and steps such as Given, When, and Then.
- Cucumberused by · Cucumber is a behavior-driven development tool that executes human-readable specifications by connecting structured scenarios to automated step definitions.
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