Develop smarter with behavior driven development (BDD)

Behavior Driven Development (BDD) offers a solution to communication problems in software development. It is a development process that helps define software in an understandable language, improving collaboration between teams. By using BDD, you ensure that everyone - from product owners to developers - is on the same page about what the software should do.

After all, software development is not just about writing code, but also about effective collaboration and shared understanding. Misunderstandings often arise between developers, testers and business stakeholders about exactly what needs to be built. This leads to inefficient workflows, unnecessary bugs and delays in projects.

What is behavior-driven development?

Behavior Driven Development (BDD) is a software development process that builds on Test Driven Development (TDD), but with a strong focus on collaboration and clear specifications. The goal is to describe feature acceptance criteria in an understandable language so that both technical and non-technical stakeholders can understand them.

In BDD, tests are written in a natural, structured language, usually in the Gherkin format, which consists of scenarios with the structure:

• Given: the initial situation of a test

• When: the action that is performed

• Then: the expected result

A simple example of a BDD scenario for a login functionality:

Scenario: Successful Login
Given a registered user with the username "johndoe" and password "12345"
When the user logs in with these credentials
Then the user sees a welcome message

Through this approach, not only is the functionality being tested, but also how a particular feature should behave is directly defined. This makes it easier to avoid bugs and implement functionality correctly.

How does BDD work in practice?

To apply BDD effectively, teams work together to define scenarios before code is written. These scenarios describe the expected behavior of an application in a way that is understandable to both developers and non-technical stakeholders.

The Gherkin Format: Given-When-Then

BDD often uses the Gherkin format, a simple way to describe test scenarios in natural language. This helps teams clearly define acceptance criteria.

A practical example for an e-commerce website:

Feature: Place order

Scenario: Customer adds product to shopping cart and checkout
 Given the customer has a product in the shopping cart
 When the customer goes to checkout and completes payment
 Then the customer receives a confirmation email

Here you can see how BDD tests serve not only as a control mechanism, but also as documentation of functional requirements. This makes it easier for developers, testers and product managers to understand what needs to be done.

How do you integrate BDD into your workflow?

• Start with a conversation: Involve stakeholders in defining scenarios.

• Write the scenarios in Gherkin: Use clear and unambiguous language.

• Use a testing tool: Frameworks such as Cucumber, SpecFlow or Behave help automate and execute BDD scenarios.

• Iterative improvement: Collaborate and modify scenarios as you learn more about the requirements.

This approach makes the development process more predictable and the quality of the software higher.

Benefits of behavior-driven development

Why should you consider BDD as a software developer or team? Here are some of the key benefits:

Better collaboration between teams

Because BDD is all about natural language and clear scenarios, developers, testers and product owners alike can easily contribute. This prevents misunderstandings and ensures that everyone has the same expectations.

Fewer bugs and more efficient development

BDD helps define clear acceptance criteria before the code is written. This detects and avoids common bugs early in the process.

Automated tests and better documentation

BDD tests can be easily automated with tools such as Cucumber and SpecFlow, making for faster and more reliable tests. In addition, scenarios serve as living documentation of functionality.

Improved testability and maintainability

Because BDD uses a test-first approach, code is written from the outset with testability and modularity in mind. This makes it easier to modify and extend code without introducing unexpected errors.

Better user experience

Because BDD focuses on behavior from the end user's perspective, it often leads to software that better meets the user's needs.

How do you implement BDD in your development process?

Successfully implementing Behavior Driven Development requires a structured approach. Below is a step-by-step way to integrate BDD into your development process.

Step 1: Get all stakeholders involved

BDD is most effective when developers, testers and business stakeholders work together. This means involving all parties early in the process to define acceptance criteria and test scenarios.

Step 2: Write scenarios in understandable language

Use the Gherkin format to draft scenarios. Make sure they are concrete and testable. Avoid technical terms that may hinder readability for non-technical stakeholders.

Example of a good scenario:

Scenario: A user receives a password reset link
 Given a user has forgotten his password
 When he requests a password reset
 Then he receives an email with a reset link

Step 3: Use the right tools

There are several frameworks that support BDD and help automate testing:

• Cucumber - Suitable for multiple programming languages and often used in conjunction with Selenium for UI testing.

• SpecFlow - BDD tool for .NET developers.

• Behave - Suitable for Python-based projects.

Step 4: Integrate BDD into your CI/CD pipeline

BDD tests should be a regular part of the development process. By integrating them into a Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipeline, tests can be run automatically with every code change. This helps with early bug detection.

Step 5: Keep optimizing

As with other development methodologies, BDD is a continuous process. Regularly evaluate whether the written scenarios are still relevant and improve them as needed.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

Although BDD offers many benefits, there are some pitfalls that can limit its effectiveness. Below are common problems and how to avoid them.

Too technical scenarios

Some teams make the mistake of including too much technical detail in their BDD scenarios. This makes the tests less understandable to non-technical stakeholders and limits collaboration.

Solution

Write scenarios in simple, clear language that everyone can understand. Do not use code or technical terms in Gherkin scripts.

Unclear or overly broad tests

A scenario that tests multiple functionalities at once can be difficult to maintain and often leads to vague results.

Solution

Keep scenarios small and focused. Test one behavior per scenario and make sure the expected outcomes are clearly defined.

Insufficient collaboration between teams

If only developers engage in scenario writing, the goal of BDD - better collaboration between teams - is not achieved.

Solution

Encourage collaboration by organizing joint meetings in which stakeholders, testers and developers discuss and draft scenarios.

Over-reliance on automation

Although automating BDD tests is efficient, over-reliance on it can lead to a lack of critical thinking when writing tests.

Solution

Combine automated tests with manual review and discuss scenarios in team meetings to ensure they are still relevant and accurate.

Time to Apply BDD

Behavior Driven Development is more than just a testing method; it is a way to improve collaboration between teams and develop software that better matches user expectations. Writing tests in understandable language and establishing acceptance criteria early in the development process reduces misunderstandings and increases software quality.

Want to apply BDD in your own development process? Start with a small project, involve your team members in writing scenarios and experiment with tools that support BDD. The sooner you get started, the sooner you'll experience the benefits.

Looking for a custom software solution where BDD is implemented, ensuring full transparency in development? Contact us to bring your project to life with clear collaboration and high-quality results.