Head-to-Head: Cucumber.js vs Jest Analysis

@cucumber/cucumber

v9.5.1(28 days ago)

This package is actively maintained.Types definitions are bundled with the npm packageNumber of direct dependencies: 40Monthly npm downloads

@cucumber/cucumber is a popular npm package used for behavior-driven development (BDD) testing with Cucumber. It provides a way for developers to write and execute tests in plain language that is easily understood by both technical and non-technical team members.

Alternatives: Jest, Mocha, Protractor

Tags: npmtestingcucumberbddcollaboration

jest

v29.7.0(22 days ago)

This package is actively maintained.Types definitions are bundled with the npm packageNumber of direct dependencies: 4Monthly npm downloads

Jest is a popular JavaScript testing framework that is widely used for unit testing, integration testing, and end-to-end testing. It is popular for its simplicity, ease of use, and flexibility. Jest comes with built-in support for various features such as test-driven development, mocking, and code coverage. Jest also has a powerful API that allows developers to customize and extend the framework as per their requirements.

Alternatives: mocha, jasmine, ava

Tags: javascripttestingframeworkunit-testingintegration-testingend-to-end-testingmockingcode-coverage

Fight!

Popularity

Jest is one of the most popular testing frameworks for JavaScript, widely adopted in the industry and has a large community following. On the other hand, @cucumber/cucumber is popular in the domain of behavior-driven development (BDD) and is commonly used for writing acceptance tests using the Gherkin language.

Testing Approach

Jest is a general-purpose testing framework that can be used for various types of tests such as unit tests, integration tests, and snapshot tests. It provides a wide range of features including mocking, code coverage, and parallelization. @cucumber/cucumber, on the other hand, is specifically designed for BDD-style tests and follows a declarative style of writing tests using plain language sentences.

Developer Experience

Jest focuses on providing a smooth and intuitive developer experience. It has a built-in test runner, easy-to-use APIs, and extensive documentation. @cucumber/cucumber requires a more specific setup for BDD-style tests using Gherkin language and a separate runner like Cucumber.js. It has a steeper learning curve for developers who are new to BDD.

Integration with Frameworks

Jest is commonly used with React, but it is not limited to React and can be used with other JavaScript frameworks as well. It provides support for snapshot testing and has a rich ecosystem of plugins and extensions. @cucumber/cucumber is framework-agnostic and can be integrated with any JavaScript framework or even with plain JavaScript projects as long as the Gherkin syntax is followed.

Community Support

Both packages have active communities, but Jest has a larger community due to its broader use cases beyond BDD. It is more likely to find extensive community support, tutorials, and resources when using Jest. The community for @cucumber/cucumber is more focused on BDD practices and implementing Gherkin-based acceptance tests.