pytest-bdd

What pytest-bdd is

pytest-bdd is a free Python package for behavior-driven development and requirements testing. It implements a subset of Gherkin and runs scenarios as pytest tests, so a separate test runner is not required. Feature steps can reuse pytest fixtures through dependency injection. Step definitions can parse arguments using string, parse, cfparse, or regular-expression parsers. The scenarios helper binds tests from feature files or folders, including recursively discovered files. Scenario outlines allow parameterized cases, and the documentation covers multiple tagged example tables. Step functions can receive Gherkin data tables as lists of rows and docstrings as strings. For browser testing, a documented example uses pytest-splinter to provide a browser fixture. Installation uses `pip install pytest-bdd`. The package requires Python 3.10 or newer, and its listed operating systems include Linux, macOS, and Windows. It is MIT-licensed and free; the listed release is version 9.0.0, released September 30, 2026.

Who it suits

pytest-bdd suits Python teams that want to express requirements as Gherkin scenarios and run them with pytest. It also fits projects that want to reuse pytest fixtures in feature steps or parameterize scenarios.

Limits

pytest-bdd implements a subset of Gherkin. The package requires Python 3.10 or newer.

Getting started

1. Open the pytest-bdd documentation website.
2. Use Python 3.10 or newer.
3. Install the package with `pip install pytest-bdd`.
4. Write feature scenarios and bind them to pytest tests.

Verdict

pytest-bdd brings Gherkin-style scenarios into pytest, with fixture reuse and parameterized examples. Check the Python requirement and the subset of Gherkin it implements before adopting it.