QA Guide

This guide is specifically designed for QA teams and non-technical users who want to write automated tests without programming knowledge.

Understanding Test Files

TestFlowKit uses .feature files written in Gherkin — a plain English syntax that reads like natural language.

The Structure of a Test File

Feature: Login System
  As a user
  I want to log into my account
  So that I can access my dashboard

  Scenario: Successful login
    Given the user goes to the "login" page
    When the user enters "john@example.com" into the "email" field
    And the user enters "mypassword" into the "password" field
    And the user clicks the "login" button
    Then the page title should be "Dashboard"

Key Components

Writing Your First Test

Step 1: Identify What to Test

Before writing a test, answer these questions:

• What feature am I testing?
• What is the user trying to accomplish?
• What should happen when it works correctly?

Step 2: Write in Plain English

Write out the test steps as if explaining to a colleague:

"First, the user goes to the login page. Then they enter their email and password. After clicking the login button, they should see their dashboard."

Step 3: Convert to Gherkin

Transform your description into Gherkin syntax:

Scenario: User logs in successfully
  Given the user goes to the "login" page
  When the user enters "john@example.com" into the "email" field
  And the user enters "mypassword" into the "password" field
  And the user clicks the "login" button
  Then the page title should be "Dashboard"

Common Test Patterns

Testing Navigation

Scenario: Navigate to different pages
  Given the user goes to the "home" page
  When the user clicks the "about_link" link
  Then the current URL should contain "/about"

Testing Forms

Scenario: Submit a contact form
  Given the user goes to the "contact" page
  When the user enters "Jane Doe" into the "name" field
  And the user enters "jane@example.com" into the "email" field
  And the user enters "Hello, I have a question" into the "message" field
  And the user clicks the "submit" button
  Then the "success message" should be visible
  And the "success message" should contain "Thank you"

Testing Visibility

Scenario: Check element visibility
  Given the user goes to the "dashboard" page
  Then the sidebar should be visible
  And the user menu should be visible
  But the login button should not be visible

Testing Text Content

Scenario: Verify page content
  Given the user goes to the "about" page
  Then the "page title" should contain "About Us"
  And the description should contain "our mission"

Tips for QA Teams

1. Use Descriptive Scenario Names

Good:

Scenario: User receives error message when login fails with wrong password

Bad:

Scenario: Test login error

2. One Thing Per Scenario

Each scenario should test one specific behavior. If your scenario has too many "And" steps, consider splitting it.

3. Use Tags for Organization

@smoke @login
Scenario: Quick login verification
  Given the user goes to the "login" page
  Then the "login form" should be visible

@regression @login
Scenario: Full login flow with validation
  # ... more detailed steps

4. Reuse with Macros

If you find yourself writing the same steps repeatedly, ask your development team about creating macros.

Working with Developers

Your development team will help you with:

1. Setting up the configuration — Defining element selectors and page URLs
2. Creating macros — Building reusable test patterns
3. Troubleshooting — Fixing failing tests due to application changes

When a test fails, provide:

• The scenario name and feature file
• The error message
• What you expected to happen

Next Steps

• Step Definitions — Browse all available test sentences
• Variables — Learn about dynamic test data
• Troubleshooting — Solutions to common problems