JBehave

JBehave is an open-source framework for behavior-driven development (BDD) in Java. It enables executable specifications by allowing developers to write user stories in plain text and connect them to Java code that implements the steps described in the stories. Stories are stored in .story files and describe narratives, scenarios, and steps using natural language, typically with Given, When, Then lines.

A JBehave test run comprises three parts: the story files, the Java step definitions, and a runner or embedder that executes the stories. Step libraries contain methods annotated with @Given, @When, and @Then (and related annotations) that match the text in the story. When a story is executed, JBehave maps each step in the narrative to a corresponding Java method, executes it, and records the outcome. Reports are produced to show which steps passed or failed, often in HTML or text form.

JBehave integrates with build and test tools such as Maven or Gradle and can be run from JUnit or TestNG test runners. It supports parameterization, story metadata, and lifecycle hooks, enabling reuse of steps across stories and data-driven scenarios. It emphasizes human-readable specifications as a source of truth for behavior while retaining a strong Java-based implementation.

History note: JBehave is one of the early Java BDD frameworks and was developed as an alternative to later tools like Cucumber-JVM. It remains in use in some projects, though activity and community momentum vary.