Behavior Driven Development (BDD)

Behavior Driven Development (BDD) is an agile software development approach that extends Test Driven Development (TDD) by focusing on the behavioral aspects of a system rather than implementation details. BDD emphasizes collaboration between developers, QA professionals, and business stakeholders to create a shared understanding of how the software should behave from a user's perspective. BDD uses natural language constructs (given-when-then) to express behaviors and expected outcomes. These specifications serve as both documentation and automated tests. The process typically follows these steps: 1. Identify business value: Stakeholders define features that deliver value. 2. Express behaviors in ubiquitous language: Teams write scenarios in simple language everyone understands. 3. Automate scenarios: Developers implement code that translates natural language scenarios into executable tests. 4. Develop solution iteratively: Code is written to pass these scenarios, following the red-green-refactor cycle. 5. Deliver working software: Features are completed when all scenarios pass. Key BDD frameworks include Cucumber, SpecFlow, and JBehave, which allow teams to write specifications in Gherkin syntax: Given [initial context] When [event occurs] Then [ensure outcomes] BDD offers several benefits in agile environments: - Improved communication across roles - Clearer requirements through examples - Living documentation that stays current - Higher quality code with fewer defects - Better alignment between technical implementation and business needs - Enhanced collaboration and shared ownership For PMI-ACP practitioners, BDD aligns with agile principles by promoting customer collaboration, responding to change, and delivering working software. It helps teams focus on delivering business value rather than just technical solutions, ensuring that what's built truly meets stakeholder needs.

Behavior Driven Development (BDD) is an agile software development approach that extends Test Driven Development (TDD) by focusing on the behavioral aspects of a system rather than implementation det…

Concepts covered: Ubiquitous Language, Scenario Mapping, SpecBDD, Living Documentation, Outside-in Development, Automated Testing, User Stories, Gherkin Language, Acceptance Test-Driven Development, Three Amigos