Cucumber vs Kotest: What are the differences?

Key Differences between Cucumber and Kotest

Cucumber and Kotest are both popular testing frameworks used in software development. While they share some similarities, there are several key differences that set them apart.

1. Language Support: Cucumber is primarily used for testing in the context of Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) and supports multiple languages such as Java, Ruby, and JavaScript. In contrast, Kotest is designed specifically for Kotlin projects and provides language support exclusively for Kotlin.

2. Syntax: Cucumber uses a plain text format known as Gherkin to define test scenarios in a natural language-like syntax. It uses keywords such as Given, When, and Then to structure the scenarios. On the other hand, Kotest utilizes a more traditional code-driven approach where tests are defined using Kotlin code with assertions and test frameworks.

3. Integration with IDEs: Cucumber has wide integration with various Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) such as IntelliJ IDEA, Eclipse, and Visual Studio Code. It provides extensive tooling support, including features like syntax highlighting, auto-completion, and debugging. Kotest, being more Kotlin-specific, has deep integration with Kotlin IDEs like IntelliJ IDEA, providing specific features tailored for Kotlin development.

4. Test Execution: Cucumber tests are typically executed through a test runner that interprets the Gherkin syntax and executes the associated step definitions. This allows for a separation between the test scenarios and the implementation code. On the other hand, Kotest follows a more traditional approach where tests are executed directly by the test runner without any intermediate interpretation.

5. Test Organization: Cucumber organizes tests into feature files, where each file contains multiple scenarios. Within scenarios, steps are defined in separate step definition files. This separation allows for better test maintainability and reusability. In contrast, Kotest uses a more traditional organization, where tests are organized based on classes and test functions within those classes.

6. Reactive Programming Support: Kotest provides native support for testing reactive and asynchronous code in Kotlin, making it easier to write tests for applications that heavily utilize reactive programming paradigms. Cucumber, while not inherently designed for reactive programming, can still be used to write tests for reactive applications with the help of appropriate plugins and frameworks.

In summary, Cucumber and Kotest differ in terms of their language support, syntax, IDE integration, test execution approach, test organization, and support for reactive programming. These differences make them suitable for different testing scenarios and development environments.