This lightning talk introduces Behat, an open source behavior-driven development (BDD) framework for writing automated acceptance tests in a business-readable language. The presenter outlines what Behat is, how to use it by writing scenarios in plain English formatted as executable code, and why organizations benefit from automated cross-browser testing that catches regressions and allows anyone to author tests. Behat converts scenarios to executable tests that interact with a website by triggering specific elements and verifying expected outcomes.

1. Lightning Talk
Behat & Automated
Testing
Rex Lorenzo
rex@oid.ucla.edu

2. The dream
“Let the computer do the
repetitive, mind numbing
work”

3. Outline
1. What?!
2. How?!
3. Why?

4. What is Behat?
PHP!
BDD!
Gerkins!
Selenium

5. What is Behat?
Converts English to Automated browser tests

6. How do you use it?
Scenario: Seeing a welcome message!
Given I log in as “teacher”!
When I follow “My Course”!
Then I should see “Welcome to My Course”

7. Hundreds of “steps”
Given I turn editing mode on!
Given I create a course with:!
| fullname | shortname | format |!
| Math 101 | math101 | topic |!
Given I import “source” course into “destination” course

8. Demo

9. How does it work?
Example: When I follow “My Course”!
/**
* @When /^I follow "(?P<link_string>(?:[^"]|")*)"$/!
*/!
public function click_link($link) {!
$linknode = $this->find_link($link);!
$linknode->click();!
}!
Regular expressions

10. Why would you use it?
Automated!
Proof!
Regressions

11. Why else?
Cross-browser/OS testing!!
!
!
!
!
!

12. Why else?
Anyone can write tests!
! With some caveats

14. Related links
❖ Moodle’s Acceptance testing docs
http://docs.moodle.org/dev/Acceptance_testing!
❖ KNP Labs BDD/Behat training
http://knplabs.com/training/behat