Meta-data
Meta-data with test case provides information to help manage test cases. In Java test case is defined with @Test annotation on method and in BDD test case is defined with Scenario statement. Each meta-data provided as combination of meta-key and meta-value. The meta-data are collected as part of the BDD parsing and made available for different uses, e.g. grouping scenario, setting data-provider. It can be used for scenario selection by providing meta-data filter and in listeners.
Meta-value can be string, number, boolean, list or map.
Meta data can be provided with following statements:
- Feature
- Scenario or Scenario Outline
Meta-data rules
Meta data rules can be defiened to enforce meta-data and it’s possible value for the project Meta data provided to feature will be inherited by each scenario.
Meta-data formatter
Since 2.1.15, Meta data values can be formatted by providing formmater. To provide formattor for any meta-value, you need to provide property with metadata.formatter prefix and meta-key suffix. You can set format as supported by MessageFormat that accepts one argument for format to apply on meta-value.
metadata.formatter.storyKey=<a href="${jira.url}/{0}">{0}</a>
When you provide metadata with meta-key storyKey on test case, for example in BDD, @storyKey:PRJ-123 in report story id will be formatted with link. This is applicable for BDD, Java, Keyword driven test case.
Example BDD2:
In BDD2 meta-data declaration starts with @ followed by meta-key and meta-value separated with :.
@enabled:true
@channel:['web','mobile']
Feature: example feature
@description:This is example scenario in BDD2
@grp1 @grp2
@author: Chirag Jayswal
@TestID:12345
Scenario: example
...
Meta-data without value will be considered as groups in BDD2. in example above, @grp1 and @grp2 will be considered as groups grp1 and grp2
Example BDD:
In BDD meta-data provided as JSON map of meta-key and meta-value with Meta-data statement.
Feature: example feature
Meta-data:{'enabled':true, 'channel':['web','mobile'], 'storyKey':'PRJ-123'}
Scenario: example
Meta-data:{'TestID':'12345', 'description':'This is example scenario in BDD', 'groups':['grp1','grp2'],'author':'Chirag Jayswal'}
...
Example Java:
In Java meta-data provided as JSON map of meta-key and meta-value with @MetaData annotation. Any annotation provided on test method including @Test and @QAFDataProvider represents meta-data.
@Test(description="This is example scenario in BDD",groups={"grp1","grp2"})
@MetaData("{'TestID':'12345', 'storyKey':'PRJ-123', 'channel':['web','mobile'] ,'author':'Chirag Jayswal'}}"
public void example(){
}
Example Gherkin:
In Gherkin meta-data declaration starts with @ followed by value. Gherkin syntax supports only groups which is called as tags in gherkin.
@grp1
Feature: example feature
@grp1 @grp2
Scenario: example
...
Pre-Defined Meta-data for BDD
Parameters of @Test and @QAFDataProvider can be used as meta-data and it will work same as working for test case written in Java. Refer meta-data for data-providers and predefined meta-key available to use which are listed in table below. In addition to predefined meta-data, you can have your custom meta-key to categorize scenarios as per AUT. You can choose whatever names are most appropriate for the information they are trying to convey. In examples above, TestID and channel represents custom meta-data.
| Pre-Defined Meta-Keys | Type | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| description | Text | Text to describe scenario in detail |
| enabled | True or false | Switch to consider scenario executable |
| groups | Array of String | List of groups of test case, i.e. smoke, regression, P1 etc. |
| priority | Number | Defines the order in which scenario should be executed. Higher the priority, earlier it will execute |
| dependsOnGroups | Array of String | Scenarios of Groups, to be executed before |
| dependsOnMethods | Array of String | Scenarios to be executed before |
| dataProviderClass | Fully qualified class name | required if you want to use custom data provider (since 2.1.12) |
| dataProvider | name of the data provider | required when you want to use custom data provider (since 2.1.12) |