How can I execute a specific feature file before the execution of remaining feature files in goDog?

Question

I have a few data setup before implementing the remaining test cases. I have grouped all the data setup required to be executed before the execution of test cases in a single feature file.

How can I make sure that this data setup feature file is executed before executing any other feature file in goDog framework?

Answer 1

As I understand your question, you're looking for a way to run some setup instructions prior to running your feature/scenario's. The problem is that scenario's and features are, by design, isolated. The way to ensure that something is executed prior to the scenario running is by defining a Background section. AFAIK you can't apply the same background across features. Scenario's are grouped per feature, and each feature can specify a Background that is executed before each scenario. I'd just copy-paste your setup stuff everywhere you need it:

Background:
  Given I have the base data:
    | User | Status   | other fields |
    | Foo  | Active   | ...          |
    | Bar  | Disabled | ...          |

If there's a ton of steps involved in your setup, you can define a single step that you expand to run all the "background" steps like so:

Scenario: test something
Given my test setup runs

Then implement the my test setup runs like so:

s.Step(`^my test setup runs$`, func() godog.Steps {
    return godog.Steps{
                   "user test data is loaded", 
                   "other things are set up",
                   "additional data is updated",
                   "update existing records",
                   "setup was successful",
            }
})

That ought to work.

Of course, to avoid having to start each scenario with that Given my test setup runs, you can just start each feature file with:

Background:
   Given my test setup runs

That will ensure the setup is performed before each scenario. The upshot will be: 2 additional lines at the start of each feature file, and you're all set to go.