Scenario Lifecycle

Specify uses BDDfy's Reflective API to scan Scenario classes for methods. By default, BDDfy recognises the standard BDD methods, as well as Setup and TearDown. You can read more about them here and you can always customize them if you have your own preferences by creating a new BDDfy MethodNameStepScanner.

The methods are found based on these method name conventions - and run in this order.

• Ending with Context is considered as a setup method. Not reported.
• Setup is considered as a setup method. Not reported.
• Starting with Given is considered as a setup method.
• Starting with AndGiven is considered as a setup method that runs after Given steps.
• Starting with When is considered as a transition method.
• Starting with AndWhen is considered as a transition method that runs after When steps.
• Starting with Then is considered as an asserting method.
• Starting with And is considered as an asserting method.
• Starting with TearDown is considered as a finally method which is run after all the other steps. Not reported.

Each of the above methods is displayed on reports unless otherwise stated.

This example shows a scenario class with all of the method names that Specify supports out of the box in a random order.

internal class UserStoryScenarioWithAllSupportedStepsInRandomOrder 
    : ScenarioFor<ConcreteObjectWithNoConstructor>
{
    public UserStoryScenarioWithAllSupportedStepsInRandomOrder()
    {
        Steps.Add("Implementation - Constructor");
    }

    public void TearDown()
    {
        Steps.Add("Implementation - TearDown");
    }
    public void Setup()
    {
        Steps.Add("Implementation - Setup");
    }

    public void AndGivenSomeOtherPrecondition()
    {
        Steps.Add("Implementation - AndGivenSomeOtherPrecondition");
    }

    public void ThenAnExpectation()
    {
        Steps.Add("Implementation - ThenAnExpectation");
    }

    public void AndThenAnotherExpectation()
    {
        Steps.Add("Implementation - AndThenAnotherExpectation");
    }
    public void WhenAction()
    {
        Steps.Add("Implementation - WhenAction");
    }

    public void GivenSomePrecondition()
    {
        Steps.Add("Implementation - GivenSomePrecondition");
    }

    public void AndWhenAnotherAction()
    {
        Steps.Add("Implementation - AndWhenAnotherAction");
    }
}

All of the methods are executed and the Setup and Teardown methods are not displayed on the report:

Scenario: User Story Scenario With All Supported Steps In Random Order
    Given some precondition
      And some other precondition
    When action
      And another action
    Then an expectation
      And another expectation