Support For Cucumber Engine

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Introduction

Cucumber is a popular tool for behavior-driven development (BDD) that allows developers to write automated tests in a natural language style. When combined with the JUnit 5 platform, Cucumber provides a powerful framework for testing Scala applications. However, as with any complex system, there can be challenges and potential pitfalls to navigate. In this article, we will explore a specific issue with the Cucumber engine and JUnit 5 platform, and discuss potential solutions and workarounds.

The Problem

When using the Cucumber engine with JUnit 5, we encountered an issue where the test engine failed to discover tests. The error message indicated that the class with the name "Example feature" could not be loaded. This problem seemed to be related to the way the Cucumber engine was being executed, and we suspected that it might be due to the plugin executing the TestEngine twice.

The Configuration

To reproduce the issue, we created a minimal plugin for Cucumber Scala with JUnit 5. The plugin uses the following libraries:

libraryDependencies += "io.cucumber" %% "cucumber-scala" % "8.26.1" % Test
libraryDependencies += "io.cucumber" % "cucumber-junit-platform-engine" % "7.21.1" % Test
libraryDependencies += "org.junit.platform" % "junit-platform-suite" % "1.11.4" % Test
libraryDependencies += "org.junit.jupiter" % "junit-jupiter-api" % "5.11.4" % Test
libraryDependencies += "com.github.sbt.junit" % "jupiter-interface" % "0.13.3" % Test
libraryDependencies += "org.scalatest" %% "scalatest" % "3.2.19" % Test

The configuration file contains the following code:

package steps

import org.junit.platform.suite.api.{SelectPackages, Suite}
import org.junit.platform.suite.api.SelectClasspathResource

@Suite
@SelectClasspathResource("features/example.feature")
class RunCucumberTest

The Output

When we ran the test, we encountered the following error message:

org.junit.platform.commons.JUnitException: TestEngine with ID 'cucumber' failed to discover tests
Caused by: org.junit.platform.commons.PreconditionViolationException: Could not load class with name: Example feature
....

The Suspected Cause

Based on our analysis, we suspected that the plugin was executing the TestEngine twice, once without our configuration (which fails) and once with (which succeeds). However, we are not deep enough into the topic to say with certainty.

Is This a Bug or a Missing Feature?

We are not sure whether this is a bug or a missing feature of the plugin. It is possible that the plugin is designed to execute the TestEngine twice, but this behavior is not well-documented or understood.

Potential Solutions and Workarounds

To resolve this issue, we can try the following potential solutions and workarounds:

  1. Check the plugin documentation: We should review the plugin documentation to see if there are any specific instructions or configurations that need to be followed.
  2. Use a different plugin: We can try using a different plugin that is designed to work with Cucumber and JUnit 5.
  3. Modify the configuration: We can try modifying the configuration file to see if it resolves the issue.
  4. Report the issue: If we are unable to resolve the issue, we can report it to the plugin maintainers and ask for their assistance.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we encountered an issue with the Cucumber engine and JUnit 5 platform, where the test engine failed to discover tests. We suspected that the plugin was executing the TestEngine twice, but we are not sure whether this is a bug or a missing feature. We discussed potential solutions and workarounds, including checking the plugin documentation, using a different plugin, modifying the configuration, and reporting the issue.

Minimal Plugin for Reproduction

For those who want to reproduce the issue, we have created a minimal plugin for Cucumber Scala with JUnit 5. The plugin can be found at the following GitHub repository:

https://github.com/Leon0402/Cucumber-Scala-with-JUnit5

Future Work

In the future, we plan to continue investigating this issue and exploring potential solutions and workarounds. We will also report the issue to the plugin maintainers and ask for their assistance.

References

Q: What is the Cucumber engine and how does it relate to JUnit 5?

A: The Cucumber engine is a tool for behavior-driven development (BDD) that allows developers to write automated tests in a natural language style. When combined with the JUnit 5 platform, Cucumber provides a powerful framework for testing Scala applications.

Q: What is the issue with the Cucumber engine and JUnit 5 platform?

A: The issue is that the test engine fails to discover tests, resulting in an error message indicating that the class with the name "Example feature" could not be loaded. This problem seems to be related to the way the Cucumber engine is being executed.

Q: Is this a bug or a missing feature of the plugin?

A: We are not sure whether this is a bug or a missing feature of the plugin. It is possible that the plugin is designed to execute the TestEngine twice, but this behavior is not well-documented or understood.

Q: What are the potential solutions and workarounds for this issue?

A: We can try the following potential solutions and workarounds:

  1. Check the plugin documentation: We should review the plugin documentation to see if there are any specific instructions or configurations that need to be followed.
  2. Use a different plugin: We can try using a different plugin that is designed to work with Cucumber and JUnit 5.
  3. Modify the configuration: We can try modifying the configuration file to see if it resolves the issue.
  4. Report the issue: If we are unable to resolve the issue, we can report it to the plugin maintainers and ask for their assistance.

Q: What is the minimal plugin for reproduction?

A: We have created a minimal plugin for Cucumber Scala with JUnit 5, which can be found at the following GitHub repository:

https://github.com/Leon0402/Cucumber-Scala-with-JUnit5

Q: What is the future work for this issue?

A: In the future, we plan to continue investigating this issue and exploring potential solutions and workarounds. We will also report the issue to the plugin maintainers and ask for their assistance.

Q: What are the references for this article?

A: The references for this article are:

Q: How can I get help with this issue?

A: If you are experiencing this issue, you can try the following:

  1. Check the plugin documentation: Review the plugin documentation to see if there are any specific instructions or configurations that need to be followed.
  2. Search online forums: Search online forums, such as Stack Overflow, to see if others have experienced this issue and found a solution.
  3. Report the issue: If you are unable to resolve the issue, you can report it to the plugin maintainers and ask for their assistance.
  4. Contact a professional: If you are still unable to resolve the issue, you can contact a professional, such as a software engineer or a consultant, for assistance.