Reconstruct the user-visible behavior before writing scenarios.
Prefer standard Gherkin keywords: Feature, Rule, Background, Scenario, Scenario Outline, Examples, Given, When, Then, And, But.
Preserve the product domain vocabulary from the request. Keep keywords in English unless the user explicitly wants localized Gherkin keywords.
Treat examples as executable acceptance criteria: specific actors, concrete data, observable outcomes, and named business rules.
Make non-blocking assumptions explicit instead of leaving ambiguity hidden in the scenarios.

Workflow

Define the behavior surface.

Extract actor, goal, trigger, preconditions, business rule, observable result, and failure modes.
If the request is incomplete or ambiguous, read references/scenario-discovery.md and build the smallest safe set of assumptions.

Discover the scenario set.

Cover the happy path first.
Add boundary, validation, authorization, exception, and state-transition scenarios that materially affect behavior.
Group related scenarios under one Feature.
Introduce a Rule when multiple scenarios are governed by the same policy.
Use Background only for context repeated across most scenarios and unlikely to vary.

Write the Gherkin.

Keep each Scenario focused on one behavior.
Write Given as context or state, When as the trigger, and Then as an observable outcome.
Use And or But only to extend the same semantic role.
Use Scenario Outline only when the same behavior is exercised with a small table of meaningful example values.
Prefer concrete example data when it clarifies the rule or boundary.

Review the result.

Remove implementation details, UI micro-steps, and internal method names.
Replace vague terms like valid data or works correctly with domain values and observable outcomes.
Check that every Then can be verified by a user, tester, or system observer.
Call out remaining open questions or coverage gaps after the scenarios.

Output Contract

When drafting from raw requirements, produce output in this order:

Assumptions / Open Questions

Include this section only when the source material is incomplete.
Keep it short and concrete.

Gherkin Spec

Return one or more fenced gherkin blocks.
Use clear scenario names that describe the rule being demonstrated.

Coverage Notes

Summarize omitted scenarios, unresolved business rules, or suggested next examples only when useful.

When reviewing existing BDD text, keep the original intent, tighten the language, and list gaps separately instead of silently rewriting around ambiguity.

Quality Bar

Express business behavior, not implementation.
Keep one behavior per scenario.
Make results observable: responses, messages, status changes, emitted events, notifications, or persisted state.
Cover at least the happy path plus the most relevant negative or boundary paths.
Prefer a small number of high-signal scenarios over exhaustive but repetitive cases.
Use domain language consistently across steps.
Avoid hidden preconditions. If a condition matters, state it.
Avoid Background when it obscures what makes a scenario distinct.
Avoid huge Examples tables that mix multiple rules at once.

Example Shape

Feature: Apply a coupon during checkout

  Rule: A coupon can be used only when the order total meets the threshold

  Scenario: Apply a coupon when the threshold is met
    Given a signed-in customer has items worth 120 CNY in the cart
    And the customer owns a "Spend 100 Save 10" coupon
    When the customer applies the coupon at checkout
    Then the discount should be 10 CNY
    And the amount due should be 110 CNY

  Scenario: Reject a coupon when the threshold is not met
    Given a signed-in customer has items worth 99 CNY in the cart
    And the customer owns a "Spend 100 Save 10" coupon
    When the customer applies the coupon at checkout
    Then the coupon should be rejected
    And the customer should see "Order total does not meet the coupon threshold"

References

Read references/gherkin-style-guide.md when wording, scenario shape, or keyword choice needs tightening.
Read references/scenario-discovery.md when the input is a PRD, user story, workflow note, or otherwise incomplete requirement and more example discovery is needed.

bdd-skill

BDD / Gherkin

Overview

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