Context

Docs for xUnit SDK v0.4.0

Context objects carry metadata and extracted values through test execution. LiveDocContext is passed to step lambdas. FeatureContext, ScenarioContext, StepContext, SpecificationContext, and RuleContext provide typed access to the current test's title, description, tags, and values.

Given("a user with '100' credits", ctx =>
{
    // Step-level context
    var credits = ctx.Step!.Values[0].AsInt();
    var stepTitle = ctx.Step!.Title;

    // Feature-level context
    var featureTitle = ctx.Feature?.Title;
    var featureDesc = ctx.Feature?.Description;

    // Scenario-level context
    var scenarioName = ctx.Scenario?.Name;
});

---

Reference

LiveDocContext

The primary context object passed to step lambdas via the Action<LiveDocContext> and Func<LiveDocContext, Task> overloads.

public class LiveDocContext

Properties

Property	Type	Description
Feature	FeatureContext?	Feature metadata (BDD tests only).
Specification	SpecificationContext?	Specification metadata (MSpec tests only).
Scenario	ScenarioContext?	Current scenario metadata (BDD tests only).
Rule	RuleContext?	Current rule metadata (MSpec tests only).
Step	StepContext?	Current step metadata with extracted values.
Example	dynamic?	Current example row data (outlines only).
TestCase	object?	Base test case context.

Null safety

Properties are nullable. In a [Scenario] method, Feature and Scenario are populated but Specification and Rule are null. In a [Rule] method, the reverse is true. Step is populated inside step lambdas.

StepContext

Contains metadata about the currently executing step, including extracted values and parameters.

public class StepContext

Properties

Property	Type	Description
Title	string	The original step title as written in code.
DisplayTitle	string	The rendered title with placeholders replaced and quotes removed.
Type	string	The step keyword: "Given", "When", "Then", "And", or "But".
Values	LiveDocValueArray	Ordered array of quoted values ('value').
ValuesRaw	string[]	Quoted values as raw strings.
Params	LiveDocValueDictionary	Named parameters (<name:value>).
ParamsRaw	IReadOnlyDictionary<string, string>	Named parameters as raw strings.

Given("transferring '250.00' from <account:checking>", ctx =>
{
    // Values: ordered quoted values
    var amount = ctx.Step!.Values[0].AsDecimal();     // 250.00m

    // Params: named parameters
    var account = ctx.Step!.Params["account"].AsString(); // "checking"

    // Metadata
    var title = ctx.Step!.Title;        // "transferring '250.00' from <account:checking>"
    var display = ctx.Step!.DisplayTitle; // "transferring 250.00 from checking"
    var type = ctx.Step!.Type;           // "Given"
});

FeatureContext

Metadata about the current BDD feature, populated from the [Feature] attribute.

public class FeatureContext

Properties

Property	Type	Description
Title	string	The feature title from [Feature("title")].
Description	string?	The description from Description = "...".
Tags	string[]	Tags associated with the feature.

[Feature("Shopping Cart", Description = "Gives cart-related steps a recognizable feature context.")]
public class CartTests : FeatureTest
{
    public CartTests(ITestOutputHelper output) : base(output) { }

    [Scenario]
    public void Access_feature_context()
    {
        Given("context is available", ctx =>
        {
            Assert.Equal("Shopping Cart", ctx.Feature!.Title);
            Assert.Equal("Gives cart-related steps a recognizable feature context.", ctx.Feature!.Description);
        });
    }
}

ScenarioContext

Metadata about the current BDD scenario, populated from the [Scenario] or [ScenarioOutline] attribute.

public class ScenarioContext

Properties

Property	Type	Description
Name	string	The scenario title/display name.
Description	string?	The scenario description.
Tags	string[]	Tags associated with the scenario.
Steps	List<StepExecution>	List of executed steps with results.

[Scenario("Login with valid credentials", Description = "Happy path")]
public void Login()
{
    Given("a registered user", ctx =>
    {
        Assert.Equal("Login with valid credentials", ctx.Scenario!.Name);
        Assert.Equal("Happy path", ctx.Scenario!.Description);
    });
}

SpecificationContext

Metadata about the current MSpec specification, populated from the [Specification] attribute.

public class SpecificationContext

Properties

Property	Type	Description
Title	string	The specification title.
Description	string?	The specification description.
Tags	string[]	Tags associated with the specification.

RuleContext

Metadata and values for the currently executing MSpec rule. This is the primary API for value extraction in SpecificationTest.

public class RuleContext

Properties

Property	Type	Description
Name	string	The rule title.
Description	string?	The rule description.
Tags	string[]	Tags associated with the rule.
Values	LiveDocValueArray	Ordered array of quoted values from the rule title.
ValuesRaw	string[]	Quoted values as raw strings.
Params	LiveDocValueDictionary	Named parameters from the rule title.
ParamsRaw	IReadOnlyDictionary<string, string>	Named parameters as raw strings.

[Specification("Calculator")]
public class CalcSpec : SpecificationTest
{
    public CalcSpec(ITestOutputHelper output) : base(output) { }

    [Rule("Multiplying '6' by '7' returns '42'")]
    public void Multiplication()
    {
        var (a, b, expected) = Rule.Values.As<int, int, int>();
        Assert.Equal(expected, a * b);

        // Also available:
        Assert.Equal("Multiplying '6' by '7' returns '42'", Rule.Name);
    }
}

---

EnsureContext()

// On FeatureTest
protected LiveDocContext EnsureContext()

// On SpecificationTest
protected LiveDocContext EnsureContext()

Returns the current LiveDocContext, initializing it if it hasn't been created yet. Normally the context is created automatically when the first step executes, but EnsureContext() can be called explicitly if you need context before any steps run.

[Scenario]
public void Verify_feature_metadata()
{
    var ctx = EnsureContext();
    Assert.Equal("Shopping Cart", ctx.Feature?.Title);
}

---

Context Flow

BDD / FeatureTest

[Feature] attribute
  └── FeatureContext (title, description, tags)
        │
[Scenario] / [ScenarioOutline] attribute
  └── ScenarioContext (name, description, tags, steps)
        │
Given/When/Then/And/But step method
  └── StepContext (title, type, values, params)
        │
LiveDocContext (aggregates all above)
  └── Passed to: Action<LiveDocContext> lambda

[Feature("Checkout", Description = "Keeps payment details accessible to this checkout scenario.")]
public class CheckoutTests : FeatureTest
{
    public CheckoutTests(ITestOutputHelper output) : base(output) { }

    [Scenario("Process payment")]
    public void Process_payment()
    {
        // ctx has: Feature, Scenario, Step
        Given("a valid credit card with number '4111111111111111'", ctx =>
        {
            Assert.Equal("Checkout", ctx.Feature!.Title);
            Assert.Equal("Process payment", ctx.Scenario!.Name);
            Assert.Equal("Given", ctx.Step!.Type);
            Assert.Equal("4111111111111111", ctx.Step!.Values[0].AsString());
        });
    }
}

MSpec / SpecificationTest

[Specification] attribute
  └── SpecificationContext (title, description, tags)
        │
[Rule] / [RuleOutline] attribute
  └── RuleContext (name, description, tags, values, params)
        │
Rule property on SpecificationTest
  └── Provides: Values, Params, ValuesRaw, ParamsRaw

[Specification("Math", Description = "Callers can rely on the arithmetic results covered by these rules.")]
public class MathSpec : SpecificationTest
{
    public MathSpec(ITestOutputHelper output) : base(output) { }

    [Rule("Adding '2' and '3' returns '5'")]
    public void Addition()
    {
        // Specification context
        Assert.Equal("Math", Specification.Title);
        Assert.Equal("Callers can rely on the arithmetic results covered by these rules.", Specification.Description);

        // Rule context with values
        Assert.Equal("Adding '2' and '3' returns '5'", Rule.Name);
        var (a, b, expected) = Rule.Values.As<int, int, int>();
        Assert.Equal(expected, a + b);
    }
}

ScenarioOutline / RuleOutline

In outline methods, the Example dynamic property provides access to the current row's data:

[ScenarioOutline]
[Example("Alice", 25)]
public void Test(string name, int age)
{
    Given("user <name> aged <age>", ctx =>
    {
        // Method parameters (typed)
        Assert.Equal("Alice", name);
        Assert.Equal(25, age);

        // Dynamic Example property
        Assert.Equal("Alice", (string)ctx.Example!.name);
        Assert.Equal(25, (int)ctx.Example!.age);
    });
}

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Caveats

• ctx.Step is only populated inside step lambdas that use the Action<LiveDocContext> or Func<LiveDocContext, Task> overload. It is null if you use Action (no context).
• Feature / Specification are mutually exclusive — one is always null depending on the base class.
• Scenario / Rule are mutually exclusive — one is always null depending on the test attribute.
• Example is null unless the test is a [ScenarioOutline] or [RuleOutline].
• RuleContext on SpecificationTest provides Values and Params directly — you don't need a step lambda to access them.

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See Also

• FeatureTest — base class providing BDD context
• SpecificationTest — base class providing MSpec context
• Value Extraction API — LiveDocValue, AsInt(), type conversions
• Step Methods — step lambdas receiving LiveDocContext
• [Example] — Example property for outline data