When it comes to writing and testing software, teams have a lot of alternatives. How do you know what syntax to use and which testing solution is best for you? In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the common question, “What is Gherkin language?” and provide a practical explanation and examples of how to master Gherkin testing. We'll cover the syntax, demonstrate how to construct modern test scenarios, and examine the benefits and challenges of this approach.

What Is Gherkin?

Gherkin is a business-readable language that bridges the gap between technical and non-technical stakeholders in software testing. It uses simple Given-When-Then syntax to describe software behavior in plain English, making it ideal for behavior-driven development (BDD) and collaborative test management.

Under the appropriate conditions, these choices can be smart decisions since test automation is the most effective technique to improve software testing effectiveness, test coverage, and execution speed, although there are some things to be considered before you dive in.

Every feature in Gherkin testing is specified in a .feature file and adheres to a strict syntax. Each line in the file begins with a Gherkin keyword and specifies a different component of the feature. The goal is to develop clear definitions for each characteristic, which can subsequently be rigorously evaluated.

Gherkin is designed to be human-readable while remaining structured enough for automation tools to interpret and execute.

This vocabulary encourages BDD by allowing developers, managers, business analysts, and other stakeholders to understand the project's and life-cycle needs. The language facilitates the creation of simple documentation for the code that is being created. Gherkin also offers test automation scripts and supports dozens of spoken languages, making it accessible to global development teams.

Behavior-Driven Development with Gherkin

Gherkin BDD is at the heart of behavior-driven development, a collaborative methodology that brings business and technical teams together to define software behavior through concrete examples. By using Gherkin BDD syntax, teams can create executable specifications that serve as both documentation and automated tests, ensuring that what was built matches what was requested.

One of Gherkin BDD's key strengths is its ability to describe software behavior in a language that both technical and non-technical stakeholders can understand. This shared understanding helps reduce misinterpretations and ensures that everyone is aligned on what needs to be built.

Before we discuss the Gherkin language in depth and how to construct effective Gherkin testing scenarios, we need to review a few things. First, it's critical to understand the role of Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) and how it interacts with Cucumber and Gherkin.

What is BDD?

Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) is a development process that promotes team collaboration. This collaborative approach integrates the commercial and technical sides of projects. This strategy enables teams to more easily communicate needs, spot problems early on, and maintain software over time.

Teams that employ BDD have a few objectives. The first step is to ensure that everyone on the team understands the criteria. Therefore, the teams may concentrate on preventing potential problems rather than putting out flames if they arise. This frequently implies that less rework is necessary.

This evolution may be split into two parts: Discovery and testing. Before beginning work, teams must first determine what they don't know. Then they'll have a better idea of how to remain on track and be more productive.

When it comes to testing, the process of considering these tests begins before development begins. Tests are created to guide the implementation and final result.

What is Cucumber?

Cucumber is a free and open-source software testing tool that works with BDD (Behavior-Driven Development). It works with Gherkin because Gherkin syntax arranges plain text such that the tool can read it. Cucumber was first launched over a decade ago as a tool to assist Ruby developers with requirements testing. They were an early supporter of the BDD technique. Gherkin is a domain-specific language for BDD.

Cucumber reads Gherkin tests and certifies that the code works properly. It accomplishes this by executing Gherkin scenarios and stages. Cucumber will then provide a report indicating whether or not each step and scenario was successful.

What's the Point of Gherkin in 2025?

Gherkin testing serves multiple critical purposes in modern software development:

1. Unified Communication Language

Understanding “what is Gherkin language” becomes crucial when you realize it bridges the gap between technical and non-technical team members by providing a common language to discuss software features. Unlike traditional technical documentation, Gherkin scenarios read like natural language specifications.

2. Living Documentation

Gherkin scenarios serve as up-to-date documentation that evolves with the software. Unlike static documents that quickly become outdated, Gherkin tests are validated against the actual system behavior with every test run.

3. Automated Testing Foundation

Gherkin tests can be automated with modern frameworks like Cucumber, Playwright, and Selenium, turning written specifications into executable tests that provide continuous validation.

4. Requirements Clarity

Gherkin helps teams clarify requirements before development begins, using concrete examples to eliminate ambiguity and reduce misunderstandings that lead to costly rework.

5. Focus on User Value

By emphasizing behavior and outcomes rather than implementation details, Gherkin keeps teams focused on delivering actual user value rather than just completing technical tasks.

6. CI/CD Integration

Modern Gherkin implementations integrate seamlessly with continuous integration pipelines, providing immediate feedback when changes break expected behaviors.

7. The Collaboration Gap in Testing

While Gherkin improves communication, 42% of teams still struggle to trace scenarios to actual CI test results (2024 State of Testing Report). This creates blind spots where passing tests mask unmet business requirements.

Gherkin Tests: How to Write Them

To create effective Gherkin testing scenarios, you must first understand the core terminology and syntax. Here are the most commonly used keywords in modern Gherkin language:

• Feature
• Rule
• Example/Scenario
• Given, When, Then, And, But
• Background
• Scenario Outline

Each keyword is essential to creating excellent Gherkin tests. Let's examine these keywords and how they're used in 2025.

Feature

This keyword appears at the beginning of Gherkin documents, followed by content that provides a description. A feature describes what the software is meant to accomplish and serves as a container for related scenarios.

Feature: User Authentication
  As a user of the e-commerce platform
  I want to log in securely
  So that I can access my personal account and order history

This isn't just for testing; it also allows you to add requirements and business rules documentation. The description section ends when you begin a new line with another keyword, such as Scenario, Rule, or Background.

Descriptions

When necessary, free-form descriptions can be added beneath keywords, as long as none of your lines begin with a keyword. These descriptions provide context and clarify the business value.

Rule

The Rule keyword represents a single business rule that should be implemented. This sets a specific context within a feature and should have one or more scenarios to demonstrate the rule.

Feature: Password Security

  Rule: Passwords must meet minimum security requirements

    Scenario: User creates password with sufficient complexity

      Given I am on the registration page

      When I enter a password with 8+ characters, numbers, and symbols

      Then the password should be accepted

      And I should see "Password meets security requirements"

Gherkin Steps

Let's examine the core steps in modern Gherkin testing: Given, When, Then, And, and But.

Given

“Given” steps establish the setting and preconditions for the scenario. They describe the system state before user interaction begins. Think of these as the setup phase.

Given I am a registered user with email "user@example.com"

And I have 3 items in my shopping cart

And I am on the checkout page

You can have multiple Given steps to fully establish context.

When

“When” steps describe the action or trigger event. They represent user interactions or system events. Keep to one primary When step per scenario for clarity.

When I click the "Place Order" button

Then

“Then” steps define the expected outcomes and results. These should describe observable, verifiable behaviors, not internal system states.

Then I should see the order confirmation page

And I should receive an email confirmation

And my cart should be empty

And, But

Use “And” and “But” when you have multiple steps of the same type. This improves readability and flow.

Given I am logged in as a premium user

And I have an active subscription

But I have exceeded my monthly usage limit

Background

Background allows you to provide common context to all scenarios in a feature. Use this for setup steps that are shared across multiple scenarios.

Feature: Shopping Cart Management

  Background:

    Given I am logged in as a registered user

    And I am browsing the electronics section

  Scenario: Adding an item to cart

    When I click "Add to Cart" for "Wireless Headphones"

    Then my cart should contain 1 item

  Scenario: Removing an item from cart

    Given I have "Wireless Headphones" in my cart

    When I click "Remove" for that item

    Then my cart should be empty

Each feature can only have one Background section. If you need different background steps, create separate feature files.

Scenario Outline

Scenario Outlines allow you to run the same scenario with different data sets, using an Examples section for parameterization.

Scenario Outline: Login with different user types

  Given I am on the login page

  When I enter username "<username>" and password "<password>"

  Then I should see "<message>"

  And my role should be "<role>"

  Examples:

    | username | password  | message           | role  |

    | admin    | admin123  | Welcome Admin     | admin |

    | user     | user123   | Welcome User      | user  |

    | guest    | guest123  | Limited Access    | guest |

Advanced Gherkin Techniques for Modern Testing

Data Tables for Complex Input

Data Tables provide structured data to steps, making scenarios more expressive and maintainable:

Scenario: Bulk user registration

  Given I need to register multiple users:

    | Username | Email              | Department | Role       |

    | jsmith   | jsmith@company.com | IT         | Developer  |

    | mwilson  | mwilson@company.com| Marketing  | Manager    |

    | bjones   | bjones@company.com | Sales      | Associate  |

  When I submit the bulk registration form

  Then all users should be created successfully

  And each user should receive a welcome email

Doc Strings for Complex Content

Doc Strings handle multi-line text input, essential for testing content management or API payloads:

Scenario: Creating a blog post with rich content

  Given I am logged in as a content creator

  When I create a new post with the following content:

    """

    # Advanced Testing Strategies in 2025

    This comprehensive guide covers the latest trends in:

    - Behavior-Driven Development

    - Test Automation with AI

    - Continuous Testing in DevOps

    ## Key Takeaways

    Modern testing requires both technical excellence and business alignment.

    """

  Then the post should be published with proper formatting

  And it should appear in the blog feed

Tags for Organization and Execution Control

Tags help organize scenarios and control test execution in CI/CD pipelines:

@smoke @critical @user-authentication

Scenario: Basic login functionality

  Given I am on the login page

  When I enter valid credentials

  Then I should be logged in successfully

@regression @api @user-management  

Scenario: User profile API validation

  Given I have a valid API token

  When I request user profile data

  Then I should receive complete profile information

Modern Gherkin Examples for 2025

E-commerce Checkout:

Feature: Checkout Experience

  Scenario: Express checkout with saved payment

    Given I have items in my cart with saved payment method

    When I select "Express Checkout"

    Then my order should be processed quickly

    And I should receive order confirmation

API Testing:

Feature: User Management API

  Scenario: Creating a new user

    Given I have admin API credentials

    When I create a user with valid details

    Then the response status should be 201

    And the user should be retrievable

Best Practices for Writing Effective Gherkin Tests

1. Focus on Behavior, Not Implementation

Good Example:

Scenario: User subscribes to newsletter

  Given I am on the homepage

  When I subscribe to the newsletter with email "user@example.com"

  Then I should receive a confirmation email

  And I should see "Successfully subscribed" message

Avoid:

Scenario: User subscribes to newsletter

  Given I navigate to "https://example.com/home"

  When I click element with ID "email-input"

  And I type "user@example.com"

  And I click button with class "subscribe-btn"

  Then I should see element with text "Successfully subscribed"

2. Use Domain Language Consistently

Develop and maintain a ubiquitous language that all stakeholders understand:

# Use business terms, not technical ones

Scenario: Customer places an order  # ✓ Good

Scenario: User inserts data into order table  # ✗ Avoid

# Be consistent with terminology

Scenario: Customer adds item to shopping cart  # ✓ Good

Scenario: User puts product in basket  # ✗ Inconsistent

3. Keep Scenarios Independent

Each scenario should run independently without relying on other scenarios:

Scenario: Customer views order history

  Given I am logged in as a customer with previous orders

  When I navigate to my order history

  Then I should see my past purchases

4. Maintain an Appropriate Level of Detail

Strike the right balance—detailed enough to be meaningful, but not so detailed that tests become brittle:

# Good level of detail

Scenario: Processing a refund request

  Given I am a customer with a recent order

  When I request a refund with valid reason

  Then I should receive refund confirmation

  And the refund should be processed timely

5. Use Background Effectively

Extract common setup steps to Background, but don't overuse it:

Feature: Order Management

  Background:

    Given I am logged in as a customer service representative

    And I have access to the order management system

  Scenario: Updating order status

    Given customer order "ORD-2025-001" is in "Processing" status

    When I update the status to "Shipped"

    Then the customer should receive a shipping notification

  Scenario: Adding order notes

    Given customer order "ORD-2025-002" has no notes

    When I add note "Customer requested expedited shipping"

    Then the note should be visible to all team members

Integration with Modern Test Management Tools

Modern Gherkin testing requires robust integration with test management platforms that can handle both manual and automated testing workflows. When evaluating tools for your Gherkin language implementation, consider platforms that offer:

• Native Gherkin Support: Import/export capabilities for .feature files
• Real-time Integration: Bi-directional Live sync with development tools like GitHub and Jira with development tools like GitHub and Jira
• API-First Architecture: RESTful interfaces for CI/CD pipeline integration
• Unified Test Management: The ability to manage Gherkin scenarios alongside traditional test cases

Many teams find success with platforms like TestQuality that were built specifically for modern development workflows, offering seamless Gherkin feature file imports and comprehensive test automation support.

Modern CI/CD Integration

Successful Gherkin testing implementations require seamless integration with CI/CD pipelines. Modern teams structure their workflows to automatically run Gherkin tests and report results to their test management platforms.

For comprehensive guidance on implementing BDD in CI/CD environments, the Ministry of Testing community provides excellent resources and best practices from industry experts.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Gherkin

Advantages

Gherkin is Accessible: Easy to understand for both engineers and business stakeholders, making cross-team communication simpler than traditional requirement documents.

Business-Focused Specifications: Ensures development is guided by user experience and business value rather than purely technical considerations.

Code Reusability: Well-written scenarios promote reusable step definitions, leading to savings in development time and maintenance effort.

Living Documentation: Scenarios serve as always up-to-date documentation that reflects actual working behavior.

Enhanced Collaboration: Creates a shared language between developers, testers, business analysts, and product managers.

Disadvantages

Not Suitable for All Tasks: Simple features or short-term projects might not benefit from the overhead of comprehensive scenarios.

Requires Significant Collaboration: Demands continuous collaboration between team members, which can be challenging for distributed teams.

Initial Learning Curve: Teams need time to learn effective Gherkin writing. Poorly written scenarios can create more confusion than help.

Maintenance Overhead: Scenarios need regular updates as applications evolve. Outdated scenarios can become misleading. People who're doing all the BDD practices are more than twice as likely (59% vs 24%) to be releasing code to production at least several times a week than the general population.

Potential for Over-Engineering: Teams might write scenarios for every possible case, leading to expensive-to-maintain test suites.

Parameterization: Making Your Gherkin Tests More Flexible

Parameterization allows you to create versatile and reusable scenarios by running the same test logic with different inputs:

Scenario Outline: Tax calculation for different regions

  Given I have a product worth $<price> in my cart

  And my shipping address is in <region>

  When I proceed to checkout

  Then the tax rate should be <tax_rate>%

  Examples:

    | price | region     | tax_rate |

    | 100   | California | 7.5      |

    | 100   | New York   | 8.0      |

    | 100   | Oregon     | 0.0      |

Integrating Gherkin Tests with Continuous Integration

Modern software development relies heavily on CI/CD pipelines. Effective Gherkin integration involves:

1. Automated Test Execution: Configure CI systems to automatically run Gherkin tests on code changes
2. Comprehensive Reporting: Generate detailed test reports that integrate with your test management system
3. Smart Test Categorization: Use tags to run different test suites (smoke, regression, full) at appropriate pipeline stages
4. Real-time Notifications: Set up alerts for test failures with detailed context for quick issue resolution

Choosing the Right Tools for Gherkin Testing

When implementing Gherkin testing in your organization, the Gherkin tool choice can significantly impact your success. Modern teams should look for platforms that treat Gherkin language as a first-class citizen rather than an afterthought.

Key considerations when evaluating tools:

1. Native Integration Capabilities: Look for platforms that offer seamless import/export of Gherkin feature files and API-first integration with your development tools.
   
2. Unified Test Management: The best solutions unify Gherkin scenarios with manual test cases, providing comprehensive test coverage in a single platform.
   
3. Real-time Collaboration: Modern tools should support live integration with GitHub, Jira, and other DevOps tools to maintain traceability between requirements and tests.
   
4. CI/CD Integration: Robust API support for uploading test results from popular CI platforms like Jenkins, CircleCI, and GitHub Actions.
   

Many successful teams have found that purpose-built test management platforms designed for modern DevOps workflows provide better long-term value than legacy tools that have added BDD support as a secondary feature.

Final Thoughts

Gherkin testing and BDD represent a fundamental shift in how we think about software testing and requirements. When you need everyone on the team to be informed without delving into technical details, understanding the answer to “what is Gherkin language” and implementing it effectively can be transformative for team collaboration.

However, teams should carefully consider both the benefits and challenges before implementation. The most crucial factor is ensuring you have the appropriate tools and processes for your development workflow.

Key Takeaways for 2025:

• Focus on collaboration: Gherkin's greatest value lies in improving communication between technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Integrate early: Build Gherkin into your development process from the beginning rather than retrofitting it
• Keep scenarios simple: Focus on behavior and outcomes rather than implementation details
• Maintain consistently: Treat Gherkin scenarios as living documentation that evolves with your application
• Choose the right tools: Select test management tools that treat Gherkin as a first-class citizen

Modern test management platforms have evolved to make Gherkin testing a seamless part of unified testing strategies. Whether you're creating comprehensive test plans or managing complex automation workflows, the key is choosing tools designed for modern DevOps environments rather than legacy platforms with bolted-on BDD support.

As the software development landscape continues to evolve, the Gherkin language remains one of the most effective ways to bridge the communication gap between business stakeholders and technical teams, ensuring that what gets built truly matches what was envisioned. Start testing for free at Test Quality.