Entity Framework Interview Questions for Freshers

1. Explain the advantages of the Entity Framework.

Entity Framework has the following advantages:

• With its excellent prototypes, it is possible to write object-oriented programs.

• By allowing auto-migration, it is simple to create a database or modify it.
• It simplifies the developer's job by reducing the code length with the help of
alternate commands.
• It reduces development time, development cost, and provides auto-generated
code.
• A unique syntax (LINQ / Yoda) is provided for all object queries, whether they are
databases or not.
• It enables the mapping of multiple conceptual models to a single storage
schema.
• Business objects can be mapped easily (with drag & drop tables).

2. Describe some of the disadvantages of the Entity Framework.

Entity Framework has the following disadvantages:

• If the developer does not use raw SQL codes, things can become complicated
sometimes.
• It is a slower form of the Object Relational Mapper.
• For a big domain model, it's not ideal.
• Some RDMS do not offer this feature.
• EF's main drawback is its lazy loading
• This requires a non-traditional approach to handling data that isn't available for
every database.
• Since the data migration functionality is weak, it isn't fully effective in practice.

3. What are the features of the Entity Framework?

Below are some of Entity Framework's basic features:

• Cross-Platform: It is lightweight, extensible, open-source, and can be used on
Windows, Linux, and Mac.
• Querying: It allows us to retrieve data from underlying databases using LINQ
queries, which are then transformed into database-specific query languages.
 • Modeling: EDMs (Entity Data Models) are typically created based on POCOs
(Plain Old CLR Objects), which are entities with get/set properties of different
types. This model is used when querying and saving entity data to the underlying
database.
• Change Tracking: By using the SaveChanges method of the context, EF tracks
changes to entities and their relationships and ensures the correct updates are
performed on the database. Change tracking is enabled by default in EF but can
be disabled by setting the AutoDetectChangesEnabled property of DbContext to
false.
• Saving: Upon calling the "SaveChanges()" method, EF executes the INSERT,
UPDATE, and DELETE commands to the database based on the changes made to
entities. "SaveChangesAsync()" is another asynchronous method provided by EF.
• Concurrency: EF provides built-in support for Optimistic Concurrency to prevent
an unknown user from overwriting data from the database.
• Transaction: EF's transaction management capabilities automate the querying
and saving of data. Furthermore, you can customize the way that transactions are
managed.
• Caching: First-level caching of entities is supported out of the box in the EF.
Repeated queries will retrieve data from the cache rather than the database in
this case.
• Built-in Conventions: EF conforms to the conventions of configuration
programming and has a set of default settings that automatically configure the
model.
• Configuration: By using the data annotation attribute or Fluent API, we can
configure the EF model and override the default conventions.
• Migrations: EF provides migration commands that are executable on the
command-line interface or NuGet Package Manager Console to incrementally
update the database schema to keep it in sync with the application's data model.

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4. What are the main components of Entity Framework Architecture?

Entity Framework Architecture consists of the following components:

 • Entity Data Model (EDM): EDMs abstract logical or relational schema and
expose conceptual schema of data with a three-layered model, i.e., Conceptual
(C-Space), Mapping (C-S Space), and Storage (S - Space).
• LINQ to Entities (L2E): L2E is basically a query language generally used to write
queries against the object model. The entities defined in the conceptual model
are returned by L2E.
• Entity SQL (E-SQL): Similar to L2E, E-SQL is another query language (for EF6
only). The developer must however learn it separately since it is more difficult
than L2E. Internally, E-SQL queries are translated or converted to data store-
dependent SQL queries. EF is used for converting E-SQL queries to their
respective datastore queries, such as T-SQL.
• Entity Client Data Provider: This layer's main task is to convert E-SQL or L2E
queries into SQL queries that the database understands. In turn, the ADO.Net
data provider sends and retrieves data from the database.
• Net Data Provider: It uses standard ADO.NET to enable interaction with the
database.
• Object Service: It is a service that facilitates access to a database, and returns
data for analysis when necessary. By using it, you are able to translate data
coming from entity clients into entity object structures.

5. Explain different parts of the entity data model.

The Entity Data Model consists of 3 core components that form the basis for Entity
Framework. The three main components of EDM are as follows:

• Conceptual Model: It is also referred to as the Conceptual Data Definition

Language Layer (C-Space). Typically, it consists of model classes (also known as
entities) and their relationships. Your database table design will not be affected
by this. It makes sure that business objects and relationships are defined in XML
files.
 • Mapping Model: It is also referred to as the Mapping Schema Definition
Language layer (C-S Space). Information about how the conceptual model is
mapped to the storage model is usually included in this model. In other words,
this model enables the business objects and relationships defined at the
conceptual layer to be mapped to tables and relationships defined at a logical
layer.
• Storage Model: It is also referred to as the Store Space Definition Language
Layer (S-Space). Schematically, it represents the storage area in the backend.
Therefore, the storage model is also known as a database design model that is
composed of tables, keys, stored procedures, views, and related relationships.

6. Explain what the .edmx file contains.

First of all, a database lets you reverse engineer a model from an existing database.
Entity Framework Designer is used to view and edit models stored and created in EDMX
files (.edmx extensions). Using the EDMX file, you automatically generate classes that
you can interact with within your application.

EDMX files represent conceptual models, storage models, and their mappings. This file
contains all the mapping information between SQL tables and objects. In addition, it
also includes essential information required for rendering models graphically with
ADO.NET Entity Data Designer. Furthermore, it is divided into three divisions, CSDL, MSL,
and SSDL.

7. What do you mean by migration? Write its type.

Migration is a tool that was introduced in EF to update the database schema

automatically when a model is modified without losing any data or other objects.
Migrate Database To Latest Version is a new database initializer used by it. Entity
Framework offers two types of migration:

• Automated Migration: Entity Framework 4.3 was the first to introduce

automated migration so you don't have to manually migrate databases every
time you alter a domain class. For example, you must also change the domain
classes for each time you make a change, but with automated migration, you can
simply run a command through the Package Manager Console.
• Code-based Migration: When you use a code-based migration, you can
configure additional aspects of the migration, like setting the default value of a
column, configuring a computed column, etc.

8. What are different types of Entity framework approaches?

Three different approaches to implement Entity Framework are as follows:

• Code First Approach: The Code First approach primarily uses classes to create
the model and its relations, which are then used to create a database. This way,
developers can work in an object-oriented manner without considering the
database structure. By following this model, developers first write POCO classes
and then use these classes to create the database. Code First is the method used
by most developers using Domain-Driven Design (DDD).
• Model First Approach: In contrast, the Model First approach uses ORM to build
model classes and their relationships. Following the successful creation of the
model classes and relationships, the physical database is created using these
models.
• Database-First Approach: In Entity Framework, Database First approach is used
to build entity models based on existing databases and reduce the amount of
code required. By using this approach, domain and context classes can be
created based on existing classes.

9. Which according to you is considered the best approach in Entity

Framework?

It is impossible to define one approach as the optimal approach when using the Entity
Framework. Project requirements and the type of project determine which development
approach should be used. Database First is a good approach if there is a database
present. Model First is the optimal choice if no database and model classes exist. As
long as the domain classes are available, the Code First method is the best choice.

10. What do you mean by the term navigation property in the entity
framework?

A foreign key relationship in the database is represented by the navigation property

supported by the Entity Framework. It is possible to specify relationships between
entities in a database using this property type. Relationships are defined in a way as to
remain coherent in object-oriented code.

11. What are different entity states in EF?

There are five possible states where an entity can exist:

• Added: It is a state in which an entity exists within the context but does not exist
within the database. When the user invokes the SaveChanges method, DbContext
usually generates an INSERT SQL query to insert the data into the database. Upon
successful completion of the SaveChanges method, the entity's state changes to
unchanged.
• Deleted: This state indicates that the entity is marked for deletion has not been
removed from the database. Also, it indicates the existence of the entity in the
database. When the user invokes the SaveChanges method, DbContext usually
generates a DELETE SQL query to delete or remove the entity from the database.
Upon successful completion of the delete operation, DbContext removes the
entity.
• Modified: When the entity is modified, its state becomes Modified. Also, it
indicates the existence of the entity in the database. When the user invokes the
SaveChanges method, DbContext usually generates an UPDATE SQL query to
update the entity from the database. Upon successful completion of the
SaveChanges method, the entity's state changes to unchanged.
• Unchanged: Since the context retrieved the entity's property values from the
database, the values have not changed. This entity is ignored by SaveChanges.
• Detached: This state indicates that the entity is not tracked by the DbContext. If
an entity was created or retrieved outside the domain of the current instance of
DbContext, then its entity state will be Detached.

The following diagram represents the different entity states in Entity Framework:
12. Write the importance of the T4 entity in Entity Framework.

In Entity Framework code generation, T4 files are crucial. EDMX XML files are read by T4
code templates, which generate C# behind code. The generated C# behind code
consists only of your entity and context classes.

13. Explain CSDL, SSDL, and MSL sections in an Edmx file?

• CSDL: This stands for Conceptual Schema Definition Language. Basically, it's a
conceptual abstraction that is exposed to the application. In this file, you will find
a description of the model object.
• SSDL: This stands for Storage Schema Definition Language. In this section, we
define the mapping to our RDBMS data structure.
• MSL: This stands for Mapping Schema Language. SSDL and CSDL are connected
by it. It bridges the gap between the CSDL and SSDL or maps the model and the
storage.
14. Explain the ways to increase the performance of EF.

Entity Framework's performance is enhanced by following these steps:

• Choose the right collection for data manipulation.

• Do not put all DB objects into one entity model.
• When the entity is no longer required, its tracking should be disabled and altered.
• Use pre-generating Views to reduce response time for the first request.
• Don't fetch all fields unless needed.
• Whenever possible, avoid using Views and Contains.
• Bind data to a grid or paging only by retrieving the number of records needed.
• Optimize and debug LINQ queries.
• Whenever possible, use compiled queries.

15. Write some XML generation methods provided by the dataset object.

DataSet objects provide the following methods for generating XML:

• ReadXml(): This method reads an XML document into a DataSet object.

• GetXml(): This method returns a string containing an XML document.
• WriteXml(): This method writes XML data to disk.

16. What do you mean by the migration history table in Entity

Framework?

EF6's Migration's history table (__MigrationHistory) is basically a database table that is

used to store data about migrations applied to a database by Code First Migrations. A
table like this is created when the first migration is applied to the database. Within a
given database, this table contains meta-data describing the EF Code First models'
schema versions. When you used the Microsoft SQL Server database, this table was
considered a system table in EF5.

17. Explain how EF supports transactions.

The SaveChanges() method in EF always wraps any operation involving inserting,

updating, or deleting data into a transaction. Hence, you do not have to explicitly open
the transaction scope.

18. What do you mean by Deferred Execution in EF?

Deferred Execution refers to the process of delaying the evaluation of an expression

until its realized value is actually required. As a result, performance is greatly improved
since unnecessary execution is avoided. Queries are deferred until the query variable or
query object is iterated over a loop.

Entity Framework Interview Questions for Experienced

19. Write difference between LINQ and Entity Framework.

LINQ Entity Framework

In order to operate, the entity framework relies on
In order to operate, LINQ relies
several databases including SQL Server, Oracle, MYSQL,
only on SQL Server Databases.
DB2, etc.
In this case, an .edmx file is generated first, then an
It generates a .dbml to
.edmx file is maintained using three separate files- .csdl,
maintain the relationship.
.msl, and .ssdl.
DataContext enables you to ObjectContext, DbContext, and EntitySQL can all be
query data. used to query data.
Complex types are not
Complex types are supported.
supported.
A database is not created from
A database can be created from the model.
the model.
Applications are developed more quickly using SQL
Application is developed more
Server and other databases like MYSQL, Oracle, DB2,
quickly using SQL Server.
etc.
It consists of a tightly coupled
It consists of a loosely coupled mechanism.
mechanism.
LINQ Entity Framework
Only one-to-one mappings are One-to-one, one-to-many & many-to-many mappings
allowed. are allowed.
It takes longer to develop than LINQ, but it provides
It displays rapid development.
more capabilities.

20. Write the steps to retrieve data from database using Entity
Framework in MVC.

The following steps will show you how to retrieve data from a database in MVC (Model
View Controller) using Entity Framework:

• As a first step, we must create a new project.

• The next step is to add an Entity Framework reference from the NuGet package
manager.
• Then, a new class has to be created within the model inside the table structure.
• After that, we are required to add a connection string in the
web.config.connection. It should be matched with the context.
• The next step is to open the Global.asax.cs class and add the new namespace of
EF. We must then initialize the database.
• You will now need to right-click on the Controller folder and add a new
controller, followed by a model reference in the section namespace.
• Last but not least, right-click on the controller's name and add the sections you
want to retrieve.

21. Explain the term dbcontext and dbset.

DbSet: An entity set is represented by a DbSet class that can be used for creating,
reading, updating, and deleting operations on it. Those DbSet type properties, which
map to database tables and views, must be included in the context class (derived from
DbContext).

DbContext: It is considered an essential class in EF API that bridges the gap between an
entity or domain class and the database. Communication with the database is its
primary responsibility.

22. Difference between ADO.Net and Entity Framework.

Below are the differences between Aadonet and Entity Framework:

 • A few data layer codes are created by Ado.Net that Entity Framework doesn't
create.
• Entity Framework, unlike ADO.Net, generates code for intermediate layers, data
access layers, and mappings automatically. This results in a reduction in
development time.
• On a performance basis, ADO.Net is more efficient and faster than Entity
Framework.

23. Explain the role of Pluralize and Singularize in the entity framework.

Objects in Entity Framework are primarily assigned names using Pluralize and
Singularize. This feature is available when adding a .edmx file. Entity Framework
automatically assigns the Singular or Plural coding conventions when using this feature.
In convention names, an additional 's' is added if there is more than one record in the
object.

24. What is the difference between Dapper and Entity Framework?

.NET developers are allowed to work with relational data using domain-specific objects
by object-relational mappers such as Entity Framework (EF) and Dapper. Performance-
wise, Dapper is the King of Micro ORMs.

• Dapper: A simple micro ORM, Dapper is considered a powerful system used for
data access in the .NET world. As a means to address and open-source their
issues, the Stack Overflow team created Dapper. Adding this NuGet library to
your .NET project allows you to perform database operations. In terms of speed,
it is the king of Micro ORMs and is almost as fast as using raw ADO.NET data
readers.
• Entity Framework: It is a set of .NET APIs used in software development for
performing data access. It is Microsoft's official tool for accessing data.

Comparison

• According to NuGet downloads and performance, Dapper is the world's most

popular Micro ORM. In contrast, Entity Framework is significantly slower than
Dapper.
• In comparison to other ORMs, such as the Entity Framework, Dapper does not
generate as much SQL, but it does an excellent job mapping from database
columns to CLR properties.
 • Since Dapper uses RAW SQL, it can be difficult to code, especially when multiple
relationships are involved, but when a lot of data is involved and performance
matters, it is worth the effort.
• Since Dapper uses IDbConnection, developers can execute SQL queries to the
database directly rather than put data in other objects as they do in Entity
Framework.

25. Explain POCO Classes in EF.

POCO stands for 'Plain Old CLR Objects'. Yet, it does not mean these classes are plain or
old. A POCO class is defined as a class that contains no reference to the EF Framework
or the .NET Framework at all. In EF applications, Poco entities are known as available
domain objects.

POCO class is just like other normal .NET classes as these classes don't depend on any
framework-specific base class, unlike the standard .NET class. Persistence-ignorant
objects, or POCOs, support LINQ queries, which are supported by entities derived from
the Entity Object itself. Both EF 6 and EF Core support POCO entities.

26. In Entity Framework, what are the ways to use stored procedures?
This figure shows how stored procedure mapping details can be used in EDMX:

27. Explain database concurrency and the way to handle it.

Database concurrency in EF means that multiple users can simultaneously modify the
same data in one database. Concurrency controls help safeguard data consistency in
situations like these.

Optimistic locking is usually used to handle database concurrency. We must first right-
click on the EDMX designer and then change the concurrency mode to Fixed in order to
implement locking. With this change, if there is a concurrency issue, we will receive a
positive concurrency exception error.

28. What are different types of loading available to load related entities
in EF?

Entity Framework offers the following types of loading:

• Eager Loading
• Lazy Loading
• Explicit Loading

29. What do you mean by lazy loading, eager loading and explicit
loading?

• Lazy Loading: This process delays the loading of related objects until they are
needed. During lazy loading, only the objects needed by the user are returned,
whereas all other related objects are only returned when needed.
• Eager Loading: This process occurs when you query for an object and all of its
related objects are returned as well. Aside from that, all related objects will load
with the parent object automatically. When the Include method is used, eager
loading can be achieved in EF6.
• Explicit Loading: Explicit loading occurs only when lazy loading is desired, even
when lazy loading is disabled. We must explicitly call the relevant load method on
the related entities to process explicit loading. When the Load method is used,
explicit loading can be achieved in EF6.

30. What are the pros and cons of different types of loading?
1. Lazy Loading

Pros

• When the relationships are not too high, use Eager Loading. So you can reduce
further queries on the server by using Eager Loading.
• If you know that related entities will be used everywhere with the main entity, use
Eager Loading.

Cons

• Adding the extra lines of code to implement lazy load makes the code more
complicated.
• It can affect a website's search engine ranking sometimes because the unloaded
content is not properly indexed.

2. Eager Loading

Pros

• Upon executing the code, the system initializes or loads the resource.
• Additionally, related entities that are referenced by a resource must be pre-
loaded.
• It is advantageous when resources need to be loaded in the background.
• It saves you time by avoiding the need to execute extra SQL queries.

Cons

• Since everything must be loaded to begin running, starting the application takes
a longer time.

Choosing the right tool

• When you know you will use related entities with your main entity everywhere,
use Eager Loading.
• You should use Lazy Loading whenever you have one-to-many collections.
• Use lazy loading only if you are sure you won't need related entities right away.
• When you are unsure about whether or not an entity will be used, use explicit
loading after you have turned off Lazy Loading.
•
31. Write different types of inheritance supported by Entity Framework.

In Entity Framework, inheritance is primarily divided into three types:

• Table per Hierarchy (TPH): The TPH inheritance representation shows one table
per inheritance hierarchy class. A discriminator column also aids in distinguishing
between inheritance classes. This is Entity Framework's default inheritance
mapping technique.
• Table per Type (TPT): In this inheritance method, each domain class has its own
table.
• Table per Concrete Class (TPC): TPC demonstrates a single table per concrete
class, but does not include the abstract class. Because of this, if an abstract class
is inherited by many concrete classes, then the tables in all those concrete classes
will have the same properties as that of an abstract class.

32. Explain Complex Type in Entity Framework.

Complex types are defined as the non-scalar properties of entity types that assist in
organizing scalar properties within entities. In addition to scalar properties, complex
types may also have other complex type properties. Instances of complex types are
complex objects.

33. What do you mean by Micro ORM?

Rather than creating database schemas, modifying database schemas, tracking changes,
etc., Micro ORMs focus on working with database tables. EF 6.x and EF Core provide a
full set of capabilities and features, making them ORMs.

34. Explain EF Data access Architecture.

There are two types of Data Access Architecture supported by the ADO.NET Framework:

• Disconnected data access: Disconnected data access is possible with the Data
Adapter object. Datasets work independently of databases, and the data can be
edited.
• Connected data access: A Data Reader object of a Data Provider allows you to
access linked data. Data can be accessed quickly, but editing is not permitted.
35. What do you mean by SQL injection attack?

SQL injection is a method that hackers use to access sensitive information from an
organization's database. This application-layer attack is the result of inappropriate
coding in our applications, allowing hackers to inject SQL statements into your SQL
code.

The most common cause of SQL Injection is that user input fields allow SQL statements
to pass through and directly query the database. ADO.NET Data Services queries are
commonly affected by SQL Injection issues.

36. What is the best way to handle SQL injection attacks in Entity
Framework?

The injection-proof nature of Entity Framework lies in the fact that it generates
parameterized SQL commands that help prevent our database from SQL injections.

By inserting some malicious inputs into queries and parameter names, one can generate
a SQL injection attack in Entity SQL syntax. It is best to never combine user inputs with
Entity SQL commands text to prevent or avoid this problem.

37. Explain the ObjectSet in EF.

ObjectSet is generally considered as a specific type of data set that is commonly used to
read, update, create, and remove operations from existing entities. Only the
ObjectContext instance can be used to create it. No Entity SQL method is supported by
it.

38. Write the namespace that is used to include .NET Data provider for
SQL server in .NET code.

NET Data Provider for SQL Server is included in .NET code by using the namespace
System.Data.SqlClient.

39. Explain EDM and write the process to create it.

In Entity Framework, EDM refers to the 'Entity Data Model'. It is considered as an

entity-relationship prototype that assigns some basic prototypes for the data using
various modeling procedures. Moreover, it is defined as a set of principles pertaining to
the formation of data, regardless of how it is collected. Shortly, it's just a simple link or
connection created between the database and the prototype. The steps for creating an
Entity Data Model are as follows:

• Right-click on a project in the Solution Explorer.

• Select the Add>New Item option from the menu.
• Select the ADO.Net Entity Data Model arrangement or template.
• Please enter a name and click the 'Add' button.

40. What do you mean by DbEntityEntry Class in EF?

An important class, DbEntityEntry helps you retrieve a variety of information about an

entity. DbContext offers the Entry method for retrieving an instance of DBEntityEntry
of a specific entity.

Example:

DbEntityEntry studentEntry = dbcontext.Entry(entity);

You can access the entity state, as well as the current and original values of all
properties of an entity using the DbEntityEntry. EntityState can be set using the
DbEntityEntry, as shown below.

context.Entry(student).State = System.Data.Entity.EntityState.Modified;

41) Mention what is CSDL, SSDL and MSL sections in an EDMX file?

• CSDL: It stands for Conceptual Schema Definition Language, it is the

conceptual abstraction which is exposed to the application
• SSDL: It stands for Storage Schema Definition Language, it defines the
mapping with our RDBMS data structure
• MSL: It stands for Mapping Schema Language, it connects the SSDL and
CSDL
42) Mention what is the difference between LINQ to SQL and Entity
Framework?

LINQ to SQL Entity

• It works with various database like
DB2, MYSQL, SQL Server etc.
• It works only with SQL
• It creates an .edmx files initially and
Server Database
relation is maintained using 3
• To maintain the relation it
different files .msl, .csdl and .ssdl
generates a .dbml
• It can generate database from
• It cannot generate database from
model
model
• Between the entity classes and
• It permits one to one mapping
relational tables, it permits one-to-
between the entity classes and
one, one-to-many and many-to-
relational views/tables
many
• It enables you to query data using
• It enables you to query data using
DataContext
EntitySQL, DBContext, and
• It provides tightly coupled
ObjectContext
approach
• It provides loosely coupled
approach
43) How can you enhance the performance of Entity Framework?

To enhance the performance of Entity Framework, you have to follow the

following steps

• Try to avoid to put all the DB objects into one single entity model
• Disable change tracking for entity if not needed
• Reduce response time for the first request by using pre-generating Views
• If not required try to avoid fetching all the fields
• For data manipulation select appropriate collection
• Wherever needed use compiled query
• Avoid using Views and Contains
• While binding data to grid or paging, retrieve only required no of records
• Debug and Optimize LINQ query

44) Explain why T4 entity is important in Entity Framework?

T4 entity is important in Entity framework as it is the heart of entity framework

code generation. It reads the EDMX XML file and generate C# behind code.

45) Explain how you can load related entities in EF (Entity Framework)?

You can load related entities or data in EF in three ways

• Eager Loading
• Lazy Loading
• Explicit Loading

46) Mention what is Code First approach and Model First Approach in Entity
Framework?

In Entity Framework,

• Model First Approach: In this approach we create entities, relationships

directly on the design surface of EDMX.

• Code Approach: For code approach we avoid working with the visual
designer or entity framework.
47) Explain Lazy loading, Eager Loading, and Explicit Loading?

• Lazy Loading: It is a process to delay the loading of related objects until it is

required.
• Eager Loading: It occurs when you query for an object and all of the related
objects are also returned. In eager loading, related objects are loaded
automatically with its parent object
• Explicit Loading: Explicitly loading takes place when you have disabled Lazy
loading, and you still want to lazy loading. For this, we have to call the load
method on the related entities.

48) Mention what is the difference between ADO.NET and classic ADO?

• In NET, we have data-set while ADO we have record-set

• In record-set we can only have one table and to insert more than one table
you have to do inner join. While the dataset in ADO.NET can have multiple
tables
• In NET, all data persist in XML while in classic ADO the data persists in binary
format also

49) What is the namespace used to include .NET Data provider for SQL server
in .NET code?
The namespace System.Data.SqlClient is used to include.NET data provider for SQL
server in .NET code.
50) Mention what is DataAdapter class in ADO.NET?
In ADO.NET data-adapter class fetch data from the database, stores data in a dataset
and reflects the changes made in the dataset to the database. For all type of
communication, data-adapter act as an intermediary. Using the Fill() method, data-
adapter fills data to a Data-table.
Serenity framework Interview Questions
1) What is serenity framework?

Serenity Framework is an open-source reporting library that enables

developers to write easily understandable and better-structured acceptance
criteria for test automation projects.

2) What are advantages of serenity framework?

The advantages of the serenity framework are:

• It uses Domain-Specific Language (DSL)

• It gives you the ability to target test runs on specific functional areas
• It provides a good collaboration between business users, developers, and
testers.

3) What are prerequisites for installing Serenity framework?

The prerequisite for installing Serenity Framework are Java SDK, Eclipse IDE,
and Selenium Driver files.

4) What is Screenplay pattern in Serenity?

The Screenplay Pattern is an approach for writing high-quality automated

acceptance tests that are based on good software engineering principles.

5) What is a BDD framework?

BDD framework is also known as the Behavior Driven Development framework

is a software development process that is an offshoot of the Test-Driven
Development framework and it is based on the agile testing methodology.
6. What is Cucumber?

Cucumber is an automation testing framework based on Behavior Development (BDD)

methodology, which tests software applications without any programming skills. It
increases the quality of testing and reduces the difficulty.

The Cucumber is an open-source tool that supports the English language specifications
required for testing. Other technical methods to use the programming languages are
.NET, Java, and other platforms. The cucumber specifications include various scenarios
and examples.

7. What is the profile of Cucumber?

Profile in cucumber allows a way to define a group of tests in a feature file to run a
selected group instead of executing all the commands while testing a feature.
Cucumber profiles allow running step definitions and features.

Use the command below to run the cucumber profile.

Cucumber features -p<profile_name>

8. What are the main files required to run a Cucumber test scenario?

The Two main files used to run a Cucumber test scenario are

• Step Definition
• Features

9. Explain the term step definition in Cucumber?

A step definition is the actual code implementation of the feature mentioned in the
feature file.

10. What is the language used by Cucumber?

Gherkin is the language that is used by the Cucumber tool. It is a simple English
representation of the application behavior. Gherkin language uses various keywords to
define application behavior such as Feature, Given, Scenario, Scenario Outline, Then,
When, etc.
11. What is meant by a feature file?

A feature file offers a high-level description of an Application Under Test (AUT). It

consists of the following components:

• Feature: It defines the implementation of the current test script.

• Scenario: It is the expected outcome and steps for a specific test case.
• Scenario outline: It can be executed for multiple sets of data.
• Given: It defines the context of the text to be implemented.
• When: It specifies the test action that has to perform.
• Then: The expected outcome of a test can be represented by “Then.”

12. Why use Cucumber with Selenium?

Cucumber and Selenium are two well-known technologies. Many companies are using
Selenium for functional testing. These organizations using Selenium want to integrate
Selenium with Cucumber as it helps to read and understand the application flow.

13. What software do you need to run a Cucumber Web Test case?

The following are the software required to run a Cucumber Web Test case:

• Cucumber
• Ruby and its Development Kit
• IDE like ActiveState
• Watir (To simulate browser)
• RSpec and Ansicon (if needed)

13. Name any two build management tools that can be integrated
with Cucumber?

The two build management tools that can be integrated with cucumber are as follows:

• Maven
• Gradle
 14. Mention differences between BDD and TDD?

The following are the difference between BDD and TDD

BDD TDD

BDD is a Behavior centered development process. TDD is Test centered development process.

These tests are represented in a readable format using BDD These tests are represented using programming languages
steps. like JAVA, Ruby, etc.,

15. Explain Regular Expressions?

A regular expression is a pattern used to describe an amount of text. The standard

Regular expression includes a single literal character.

16. Explain the test harness?

A test harness for Cucumber and RSpec enables a separate responsibility between the
context setup and interacting with the browser cleaning up the step definition files.

17. What are the two files required to run a cucumber test?

Feature file and step definition file are used to run a cucumber test.

18. What is a Step Definition?

Step definition is used to map the Test Case Steps in the feature files to code. It runs
the steps using Application Under Test (AUT) and verifies the outcomes against the
required results. To execute step definition, it must be related to the given component
in a feature.

19.What is the language used for expressing scenarios in the feature

file?

Gherkin language is used for expressing scenario in feature files and ruby files,
including hidden automation testing for the sequence in scenarios
20. What does a cucumber features/support file contain?

Features/support file includes ruby code. These files load before the step_definitions,
which can be used for environment configuration.

21. What are the Advantages of Cucumber?

The advantages of using Cucumbers Are as follows:

• Cucumber Testing enhances the end-user experience

• It helps to include business stakeholder who cannot read the code easily
• Allows quick and easy setup and execution
• Style of writing tests enables easy reuse of code in the tests

22. Give an example of a behavior-driven test in plain text?

The example of a behavior-driven test in plain text is:

• Feature: Visit the ABC page on xyz.com

• Given: I am on xyz.com
• Scenario: Visit xyz.com
• When: I click on ABC page
• Then: I should see the ABC page