DocStrings

Gherkin doc strings (triple-quoted blocks) become a trailing String parameter on the step method, with formatting preserved via Java text blocks.

Source: examples/common-use-cases/example-2 on GitHub.

What this demonstrates

• Doc strings become a trailing String parameter on the step method
• Method naming is unaffected by the doc string (no extra $p placeholder)
• Formatting (newlines, indentation) is preserved via Java text blocks
• Doc strings can be combined with quoted parameters in the same step
• Content can be anything: JSON, plain text, XML, …
• A doc string may carry a content type (json, image, svg, html) — the IDE highlights or previews it, while SpecBinder still passes a plain String

Doc string only

When I submit the following shipping address:
  """
  {
    "line1": "Baker St 221B",
    "city": "London"
  }
  """

// Step method — one String parameter for the doc string
public abstract void iSubmitTheFollowingShippingAddress(String docString);

// Generated call site — Java text block preserves formatting
iSubmitTheFollowingShippingAddress("""
        {
          "line1": "Baker St 221B",
          "city": "London"
        }
        """);

Quoted args + doc string

When I add item "Wireless Headphones" with options:
  """
  { "color": "Black" }
  """

// Quoted args come first, doc string is appended after
public abstract void iAddItem$p1WithOptions(String p1, String docString);

iAddItem$p1WithOptions("Wireless Headphones", """
        { "color": "Black" }
        """);

Content types

A doc string may name its content type right after the opening fence. The last scenario of the example uses three of them — the shop's branding assets as inputs, and the confirmation page it produces as the expected outcome:

Given the shop uses the following confirmation badge:
  """image
  iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAIwAAABpCAIAAABnK1xY...
  """
And the shop uses the following delivery icon:
  """svg
  <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="120" height="72" viewBox="0 0 120 72">...</svg>
  """
And I have completed a purchase
Then I should receive the following confirmation page:
  """html
  <h2>Thank you for your order!</h2>
  ...
  """

image holds a picture base64 encoded — PNG, JPEG, GIF and WebP all work. svg holds the markup of a drawing and html a fragment of a page. The generated signatures are the same as for any other doc string:

public abstract void theShopUsesTheFollowingConfirmationBadge(String docString);
public abstract void theShopUsesTheFollowingDeliveryIcon(String docString);
public abstract void iShouldReceiveTheFollowingConfirmationPage(String docString);

So nothing about the content type reaches the test code. It is there for the reader, and for the editor: the SpecBinder IntelliJ plugin renders the picture, the drawing or the page below the doc string — see Inline previews.

Implementing the steps

The concrete ShoppingCartTest receives each doc string exactly as written, so text can be compared verbatim — line breaks included. The confirmation text and the HTML page are both built from the same completed order:

@Override
public void iShouldReceiveTheFollowingConfirmationPage(String expectedPage) {
    assertEquals(expectedPage, completedOrder.confirmationPage());
}

ShoppingCartFeature.java          (marker class, bare @Gherkin2JUnit)
  └→ ShoppingCartScenarios.java   (generated, abstract)
      └→ ShoppingCartTest.java    (your concrete class, implements the steps)

Run it

cd examples/common-use-cases/example-2
mvn test