Cucumber vs FitNesse: What are the differences?

Introduction

Cucumber and FitNesse are both popular testing tools used for behavior-driven development (BDD). While they share some similarities, they also have key differences that set them apart from each other. In this article, we will explore the key differences between Cucumber and FitNesse in detail.

1. Language Support: Cucumber primarily supports the Gherkin language, which is a simple formal language that uses structured keywords and plain language to describe testing scenarios. FitNesse, on the other hand, supports multiple programming languages such as Java, C#, and Python, allowing developers to write test cases in their preferred language.

2. Collaboration and Documentation: Cucumber emphasizes collaboration between developers, testers, and other stakeholders through its plain text feature files. These files serve as living documentation and can be easily read and understood by non-technical team members. FitNesse, on the other hand, provides a wiki-like environment where all documentation and test cases are maintained in a web-based format, making it easier for teams to collaborate and share information.

3. Test Execution: Cucumber tests are executed through various test runners and integration with automation frameworks like Selenium. This allows tests to be executed in various browsers and platforms. FitNesse, on the other hand, provides its own test runner and does not require additional frameworks for test execution. This simplicity makes it more suitable for certain types of projects.

4. Data-Driven Testing: Cucumber supports data-driven testing by using tabular data in its Gherkin scenarios. This allows testers to create multiple test scenarios with different input values without duplicating the steps. FitNesse, on the other hand, does not provide built-in support for data-driven testing, although it can be achieved through custom scripting or plugins.

5. Integration with Development Environments: Cucumber integrates well with popular development environments and build tools like IntelliJ IDEA and Maven. It provides plugins and extensions that enhance the development experience and facilitate continuous integration. FitNesse, on the other hand, is a standalone tool and does not offer the same level of integration with development environments.

6. Ease of Use: Cucumber focuses on simplicity and readability, making it easy for non-technical team members to understand and contribute to the testing process. FitNesse, while also user-friendly, may require some technical knowledge to set up and configure, especially for teams new to the tool.

In summary, Cucumber's key differences from FitNesse lie in its language support, collaboration and documentation features, test execution methods, built-in support for data-driven testing, integration with development environments, and overall ease of use. It provides a simple syntax and a collaborative approach to BDD, while FitNesse offers a more versatile language support and a web-based wiki environment for documentation and collaboration.