Background

The **Background** keyword in Cucumber is used to define common preconditions or steps that are shared across multiple scenarios in a feature file.

It helps you avoid duplication of repeated steps and improves readability and maintainability.

How It Works:

• The steps inside the Background block are executed before every scenario in the feature file.
• Only one Background block is allowed per feature file.
• It runs before each Scenario or Scenario Outline but not before Hooks (@Before).

When to Use Background:

• When multiple scenarios share the same preconditions.
• Example: Launching a browser, opening a URL, or navigating to a common page.

When NOT to Use Background:

• When only one or two scenarios need those steps.
• If the setup is specific to a tag, prefer @Before("@tag") hook instead.

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Feature: Application Login

Background:

Given user launches the browser

And user navigates to Gmail login page

#Data Driven:

@backgroundkeyword

Scenario: Gmail login page

Given user signing into Gmail login page

When user login into Gmail application

| Prabhu |

| Manyam |

| Prabhu65656@gmail.com |

Then Gmail homepage is displayed

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package stepDefinitions;

import java.util.List;

import java.util.Map;

import io.cucumber.java.en.Given;

import io.cucumber.java.en.Then;

import io.cucumber.java.en.When;

public class MainSteps {

@Given("user launches the browser")

public void launch_browser() {

System.out.println("Browser launched");

}

@Given("user navigates to Gmail login page")

public void navigate_to_facebook() {

System.out.println("Navigated to Gmail");

}

@Given("user signing into Gmail login page")

public void user_signing_into_gmail_login_page() {

// Write code here that turns the phrase above into concrete actions

System.out.println("User logging in Gmail page");

}

@When("user login into Gmail application")

public void user_login_into_gmail_application(List<String> data) {

System.out.println(data.get(0)); // Prints "Hari"

System.out.println(data.get(1)); // Prints "Taraka"

System.out.println(data.get(2)); // Prints "samplemail@gmail.com"

}

//Note: It takes a list of strings (data) and prints out user details such as the name and email address.

@Then("Gmail homepage is displayed")

public void gmail_homepage_is_displayed() {

System.out.println("Gmail homepage is displayed");

System.out.println("=================================================");

}

}

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package cucumberOptions;

import io.cucumber.testng.AbstractTestNGCucumberTests;

import io.cucumber.testng.CucumberOptions;

@CucumberOptions(features="src/test/java/features", glue ="stepDefinitions", tags= "@backgroundkeyword", monochrome=true)

public class TestNGRunner extends AbstractTestNGCucumberTests {

}

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Output:

Browser launched

Navigated to Gmail

User logging in Gmail page

Prabhu

Manyam

Prabhu65656@gmail.com

Gmail homepage is displayed

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