Skip to main content

BDD Library

Use BDD Library to manage reusable behaviors in Jira instead of rewriting the same Gherkin across multiple issues or releases.

Looking for the broader product overview first? Read BDD Jira integration.

BDD Library behaviors tab showing reusable behavior titles, authored status badges, folders, issue link counts, and evidence signals

What BDD Library Stores​

BDD Library stores reusable behaviors. Each behavior includes:

  • A title
  • One focused Gherkin scenario
  • An authored status
  • An optional folder
  • Links to Jira issues that use the behavior
  • Evidence badges that show whether the behavior already has automation, manual results, or uploaded evidence

Organize Behaviors​

Use folders to group behaviors by area, team, release stream, or product workflow.

You can:

  • Create folders
  • Rename folders
  • Delete folders when they are no longer needed
  • Keep behaviors unfiled when no grouping is required

Create a Behavior​

From BDD Library → Behaviors:

  1. Select New Behavior
  2. Enter a short behavior title
  3. Choose a folder or leave it unfiled
  4. Set the authored status to Draft or Ready
  5. Add the Gherkin body
  6. Save the behavior

BDD Library expects one focused scenario per behavior. In practice, that means:

  • Use exactly one Scenario or Scenario Outline
  • Include at least one Given
  • Include at least one When
  • Include at least one Then
Scenario: Signed-in customer completes checkout
  Given a signed-in customer has items in the cart
  When checkout completes successfully
  Then an order is created

Authored Status​

BDD Library uses two authored states:

StatusMeaning
DraftThe behavior still needs refinement or review
ReadyThe behavior is stable enough to reuse in issues, cycles, and release workflows

Keep the status focused on authoring quality, not execution outcome.

Search and Review​

The Behaviors tab lets you:

  • Search behavior titles and Gherkin text
  • Filter by folder
  • Page through large libraries
  • Review issue link count
  • Review last updated time

Status badges also help you understand whether a behavior already has supporting evidence:

  • Automation
  • Result
  • Evidence
  • Shared

Reuse Behaviors Across Jira Issues​

Behaviors are designed to be reused. A single behavior can be linked to more than one Jira issue when the same expected behavior matters across multiple work items.

This helps teams:

  • Keep acceptance criteria consistent
  • Avoid duplicating Gherkin
  • Track shared evidence across related issues
  • Measure release readiness from one reusable behavior map

BDD Library connects to the Jira issue workflow through the BDD Specs panel.

From a Jira issue:

  1. Open the BDD Specs panel for the issue.
  2. Select Link existing behavior.
  3. Search the behavior library for behaviors not yet linked to that issue.
  4. Select one or more behaviors.
  5. Confirm the link.

This lets teams reuse existing behaviors without copying Gherkin into each issue.

If no matching behavior appears, create it in BDD Library first, then return to the issue and link it.

How BDD Library Fits With BDD Specs​

BDD Specs remain useful when a team wants issue-level drafting and Rovo-assisted scenario refinement directly in the Jira issue view.

Use BDD Library when you want:

  • Reusable behaviors instead of one-off issue text
  • A browsable behavior inventory
  • Folder organization
  • Direct issue linking through the Jira BDD Specs panel
  • Selection into test cycles
  • Release-level evidence rollups

Best Practices​

  • Keep each behavior small enough to be executed and reviewed independently.
  • Prefer business-readable scenario titles over implementation details.
  • Use Ready only after the behavior is stable enough to reuse.
  • Reuse existing behaviors instead of cloning similar scenarios.
  • Use folders only when they make retrieval easier for the team.

Next Steps​