BDD: What is this form of development and why is it important?

The software have changed. Long gone are those archaic models of the 1950s and, even more so, the mathematician Ada Lovelace and her Babbage logic machine. Like all technology, it evolves. As the years go by, its complexity increases. As a result, new methodologies are emerging to assess their quality. 

One of the most current is BDD or Behaviour Driven Development, a behaviour-driven development that is very effective for teamwork.

In this article we will delve into What is BDD and why is this form of software development important?. Read on and discover its usefulness when developing a computer programme or application.

What is BDD or Behaviour Driven Development?

First of all, BDD stands for Behaviour Driven Development. In other words, by behaviour-driven development. A software development processwhose origin dates back to Testing.

This software development strategy proposes a common language, both for the technical and business side of thingsand its use for development and testing. One of its main advantages is that in this way all members of a team are familiar with the software development, because it is in an understandable form.

In other words, any comments on the development of the programme or app by project members with basic computer skills or even by the client will be possible. BDD enables joint workThe programming expert should be given the opportunity to discuss, before the programming expert starts writing the code.

Creating software with BDD is synonymous with a better end product.

How does the BDD technique work?

How does BDD or Behaviour Driven Development work? First of all, BDD specifications are not done with a standard text. No, you have to use tools like Cucumber to translate these commands into a programming language. Later, we will see more examples of BDD tools.

Thus, in order to know how this software development methodology works, it is necessary to go ahead:

• The first step is to analyse the software requirements (objectives, what functions you need it to perform). 
• That said, the functions are described in predefined scenarios. In this way, we will know how the software will react to a specific response. 
• Finally, it is noted the response of the software in each scenarioThe software is a software package, describing both the action and the status of the software.

Tools for defining BDD

On the other hand, it is worth noting that there are a multitude of BDD definition tools. In fact, there are as many as programming languages. 

Here are some examples of these:

• Python: Freshen.
• JavaScript: JSSpec.
• PHP: Behat.
• C: CSpec.
• Java: JBehave.

What are the advantages of Behaviour Driven Development or BDD?

Is it clear to you what BDD is and why it is important as a form of software development? Discover its many advantages below:

• Improving internal and external communication: Both between different experts such as software architects or web developers, as well as between management and the customer.
• A pre-development agreement: The project and its functionalities are defined prior to the development of the software.
• Easier learning: The BDD language is much simpler than the one used with TDD, hence easier to learn. 
• Agile methodologies: BDD fits very well with this type of method, as it explains the different requirements such as user stories.

And you, do you want to be a software implementer? Can you imagine yourself as a BDD expert? At IMMUNE we have the training you were looking for.

Be sure to check out our Web Development Bootcampas well as this training programme in Secure Coding. And, of course, don't forget about our Degree in Software Development Engineering! A double degree that we offer together with the University of Villanueva. 

Learn at IMMUNE from experts in the sector.