Data QA Developer with Cucumber Salary in 2024

Where is Cucumber used?

Behaving like a Veggie: BDD in Action

• Cucumber flexes its greens by keeping devs and non-techies in harmony, translating tech jabberwocky into real-world scenarios via BDD!

Epic Feature Film Director

• Our leafy friend takes the director's seat, orchestrating test scripts that dress up as user stories. Lights, camera, action - ensure features behave!

Mix 'n Match: Integration Disco

• It throws a wild party where systems shake their interfaces, twirling through integration tests to a beat that screams compatibility!

Automation Idol

• Grab your popcorn as Cucumber belts out automated test hits, auditioned by scenarios, leaving regression bugs cowering in the corner!

Cucumber Alternatives

SpecFlow

It's a .NET framework for Behavior-Driven Development (BDD), integrating with Visual Studio. Like Cucumber, it parses Gherkin-language files into executable code but is C# focused.

# Example SpecFlow scenario
Feature: Login functionality
Scenario: User logs in with valid credentials
    Given the login page is open
    When the user enters valid credentials
    Then the account dashboard should be displayed

• Integrated with .NET development environment


• Natural fit for teams already using Microsoft stack


• Strong community and tooling support within Visual Studio


• Less cross-platform than Cucumber


• May have a steeper learning curve for non-.NET developers


• Windows-centric, though .NET Core extends usability

Behave

Pythonic BDD framework. Utilizes Gherkin language for writing tests, similar to Cucumber, but integrates tightly with Python developments.

# Example Behave feature
Feature: Showing account balance
  Scenario: Account has sufficient funds
    Given the account balance is $100
    When the user checks their balance
    Then the balance should be $100

• Natural integration with Python codebases


• Enables writing tests in Pythonic idioms


• Good for Django or Flask based web apps


• Lacks the language support breadth of Cucumber


• Community smaller than Cucumber's


• Tooling and integrations not as extensive

JUnit

A foundation for testing frameworks in Java, JUnit enables developers to write repeatable tests. It does not support BDD out-of-the-box but can be used in conjunction with BDD tools.

// Example JUnit test
import static org.junit.Assert.*;
import org.junit.Test;

public class SimpleTest {
    @Test
    public void testAddition() {
        assertEquals(2, 1 + 1);
    }
}

• Very mature and stable


• Extensive tooling and integration in Java ecosystem


• Supports a broad range of testing types


• Not inherently a BDD framework


• Requires additional libraries for BDD-style tests


• Verbosely written tests compared to Gherkin

Quick Facts about Cucumber

The Birth of Cucumber: Tackling Communication Gaps with Gherkin!

Imagine tech wizards sprinkling fairy dust to bridge the chasm between code gremlins and suit-clad business moguls. That's what Aslak Hellesøy did in 2008 by creating Cucumber. This tool turned tech babble into business lingo with its Gherkin language - a set of words so simple even your grandma could write test cases. Abracadabra! No more lost-in-translation fiascos.

Cucumber Versions: A Time-Traveling Veggie?

With more versions than a compulsive liar’s story, Cucumber has been shape-shifting since its inception. From its humble beginnings in Ruby, this veggie hopped onto Java, JavaScript, and .NET gardens. Every new release peppers in nifty features, ensuring it never goes out of season among the agile crop.

The Revolutionary Snap: Cucumber Studios!

Picture a superhero movie moment. The year is 2011: Cucumber Studios makes an entrance, dramatically tossing a cape over the shoulders of befuddled testers and developers. This visual aid toolkit not only squashed bugs but did a little victory dance afterwards, revolutionizing the way folks visualized their scenarios. Bam! Who said cucumbers couldn't be cool?

Feature: Guess the word
  Scenario: Maker starts a game
    When the Maker starts a game
    Then the Maker waits for a Breaker to join

What is the difference between Junior, Middle, Senior and Expert Cucumber developer?

Top 10 Cucumber Related Tech

1. Gherkin Language

   
   

   Imagine a world where writing documentation for software is as fun as weaving a bedtime story. Welcome to Gherkin, the lingua franca of Cucumber. It's a domain-specific language that looks like you scribbled it on a napkin during a coffee break. Gherkin is all about legibility—synonymous with "my grandma could write these specs." Its main components are Feature, Scenario, Given, When, Then, And, But – each one crafting an ever-so-enticing tale of software behavior.

   
   

   
   Feature: Serve coffee
     Scenario: Buy last coffee
       Given there are 1 coffees left in the machine
       When I deposit 1 dollar
       And I press the coffee button
       Then I should be served a coffee
   

   
   




2. JVM Languages (Java, Kotlin, Scala)

   
   

   Think of the JVM as the grand stage and Java, Kotlin, and Scala as the prima ballerinas, each bringing their own flavor of dance to choreograph your Cucumber steps. Whether it’s the tried-and-true robust Java, the sleek Kotlin cutting through boilerplate like it's butter, or Scala, twirling with functional programming finesse – they're all ready to pirouette through your Cucumber scenario steps.

   
   

   
   // Java
   @Given("there are {int} coffees left in the machine")
   public void there_are_coffees_left_in_the_machine(Integer count) {
       // Code to check coffee machine state
   }
   
   // Kotlin
   @Given("there are {int} coffees left in the machine")
   fun thereAreCoffeesLeftInTheMachine(count: Int) {
       // Kotlin code to check coffee machine state
   }
   

   
   




3. JUnit

   
   

   Consider JUnit the strict ballet instructor for your software dance routines, ensuring each step is executed with absolute precision. It's the favored testing framework that Cucumber integrates with for validating Java code. Without it, your test suite is like an unchoreographed flash mob; with it, it's like the Bolshoi Ballet – graceful, coordinated, and error-free.

   
   

   
   @RunWith(Cucumber.class)
   @CucumberOptions(features = "classpath:features")
   public class RunCucumberTest {
       // The bridge between Cucumber and JUnit
   }
   

   
   




4. Selenium WebDriver

   
   

   Let's get 'wheely' serious — Selenium WebDriver is the stunt driver for your automated web tests. Picture your Gherkin scenarios as high-octane chase scenes that WebDriver translates into thrilling browser maneuvers. Fasten your seatbelts; we're automating UI testing, turning clicks, and keystrokes into cinematic gold.

   
   

   
   @When("I press the coffee button")
   public void iPressTheCoffeeButton() {
       driver.findElement(By.id("coffee-button")).click();
   }
   

   
   




5. TestNG

   
   

   Not to be upstaged, TestNG enters the testing tango with its own set of spicy steps. Versatile and configurable, TestNG will sweep you off your feet, especially if you're into parallel dancing...erm, testing. It waltzes with Cucumber as effortlessly as a seasoned dancer, providing annotations that make test scripts sing.

   
   

   
   @Test
   @CucumberOptions(features = "classpath:features")
   public class RunCucumberTest {
       // TestNG shaking hands with Cucumber
   }
   

   
   




6. Maven/Gradle

   
   

   These build tools are the backstage crew that no show can do without. Maven, the seasoned stage manager, ensures all scripts, props, and actors (dependencies) are in place. Gradle, with its DSL flair, is the hip new technician who gets the job done with a dash of Groovy. Both make building, testing, and deploying as smooth as a Broadway hit’s opening night.

   
   

   
   
   
     io.cucumber
     cucumber-java
     X.X.X
   
   
   // Gradle
   dependencies {
       testImplementation 'io.cucumber:cucumber-java:X.X.X'
   }
   

   
   




7. Appium

   
   

   Did someone say "mobile testing escapade"? Buckle up with Appium, the wheelman specializing in mobile applications, treating iOS and Android platforms as playgrounds. An extension of the Selenium Webdriver family, Appium ensures your Cucumber scripts don't suffer from device discrimination and flirt seamlessly across different platforms.

   
   

   
   @When("I tap the coffee button")
   public void iTapTheCoffeeButton() {
       WebElement coffeeButton = driver.findElement(By.id("coffee_button"));
       coffeeButton.click();
   }
   

   
   




8. REST-assured

   
   

   When API testing is your jam, REST-assured steps up as your headliner DJ, mixing Gherkin beats with HTTP requests. It turns testing RESTful services into a dance-off that even the least technical crowd member could follow. Want to check if the coffee machine’s REST endpoint is brewing correctly? REST-assured has your back.

   
   

   
   @When("I send a GET request to the coffee machine status")
   public void iSendAGETRequestToTheCoffeeMachineStatus() {
       RestAssured.get("/coffee-machine/status").then().statusCode(200);
   }
   

   
   




9. Spring Framework

   
   

   Invite Spring to the party, and it brings along its entire entourage of IoC, AOP, and MVC to keep the software soirée hoppin’. In the Cucumber courtyard, Spring works its magic with dependency injection, allowing your step definitions to be as decoupled as strangers at a masquerade ball – but working together in mysterious harmony.

   
   

   
   @Autowired
   private CoffeeMachine coffeeMachine;
   
   @Given("the coffee machine is initialized")
   public void theCoffeeMachineIsInitialized() {
       assertNotNull(coffeeMachine);
   }
   

   
   




10. Cucumber Reports

    
    

    Last but certainly not the paparazzi of the tech show, Cucumber Reports snap pictures of your test executions like they’re red carpet moments. With illustrious charts, breakdowns, and insights, you'll have documentation glitzier than a celebrity Instagram feed. Who says test reporting can’t have a bit of bling?

    
    

    
    @CucumberOptions(
      plugin = {"pretty", "html:target/cucumber-reports"},
      features = "classpath:features",
      // More options...
    )
    public class RunCucumberTest {
        // Where the reports are made fancy
    }