generate-bdd-specs

name	generate-bdd-specs
description	Use when the user wants to convert acceptance criteria into Cucumber/Gherkin feature files, write a .feature file, or produce BDD scenarios for a story.

Generate BDD Specs (Gherkin)

Purpose

Convert approved ACs into well-formed Cucumber/Gherkin feature files.

Format rules

• One feature file per story (<PROJ-NNN>.feature or equivalent naming)
• Feature: block contains the user story statement
• Background: for context shared by all scenarios in the file
• Scenario: for individual ACs
• Scenario Outline: + Examples: for data-driven variations
• Tags on each scenario: @smoke, @regression, @accessibility, @negative

Language rules

• Gherkin steps must be in business language — no technical implementation detail
• Given = state setup (not "I click the login button")
• When = single action (not "I fill in the form and submit it")
• Then = observable outcome from the actor's perspective
• Avoid UI selectors, SQL, HTTP verbs, class names in Gherkin

Template

@regression
Feature: [Story title — PROJ-NNN]
  As a [actor]
  I want [goal]
  So that [benefit]

  Background:
    Given the system is in [base state]
    And [shared precondition]

  @smoke
  Scenario: [Happy path — AC-001]
    Given [specific context]
    When [actor performs action]
    Then [expected outcome]
      And [secondary outcome if needed]

  @negative
  Scenario: [Failure mode — AC-002]
    Given [context]
    When [action with invalid input]
    Then [error is surfaced appropriately]
      And [no state change occurred]

  @accessibility
  Scenario: [Accessibility — AC-00N]
    Given [page/component is rendered]
    When [axe-core scan is run]
    Then [zero violations are reported at WCAG 2.1 AA level]

  Scenario Outline: [Data-driven scenario]
    Given [context with <variable>]
    When [action with <input>]
    Then [outcome is <expected>]

    Examples:
      | variable | input | expected |
      | ...      | ...   | ...      |

Tagging convention

Tag	Meaning
@smoke	Run on every deploy — critical path only
@regression	Full regression suite
@negative	Error handling, invalid inputs, boundary failures
@accessibility	axe-core or manual WCAG check required
@contract	Cross-service contract test
@wip	In progress — excluded from CI until removed