Skip BDD Scenario at runtime using custom hook

[brunoklein]

Hello CodeceptJS community!

Is there any proper way to skip a BDD scenario at runtime?

As I didn't find a proper solution for this on CodeceptJS docs I decided to create my own solution :) I would like to see your thoughts and also appreciate any feedback.

Feature file:

Feature: Messenger

Scenario: Send a text message
  Given I am on Messenger page
  And the submit message button is available
  When I send a text message
  Then I see the text message on chat thread

Steps file:

const { I } = inject();
const textMessage = `Automatic message ${Date.now()}.`;

Given("I am on Messenger page", () => {
  I.amOnPage("/messenger");
});

Then("the submit message button is available", async () => {
  const isSubmitButtonAvailable = await tryTo(() => {
    I.seeElement("#messageSubmit");
  });

  if (!isSubmitButtonAvailable) {
      throw 'Skip Test - Submit message button is not available';
  }
});

When("I send a text message", () => {
  I.fillField('#messageInput', textMessage);
  I.click('#messageSubmit');
});

Then("I see the text message on chat thread", () => {
  I.see(textMessage, "#chat");
});

Custom hook file:

const event = require('codeceptjs').event;

module.exports = function () {
  event.dispatcher.on(event.test.failed, function (test, err) {
    if (err.message.includes('Skip Test')) {
      try {
        test.skip();
        return {};
      } catch {
        return {};
      }
    }
  });
};

How it works

The test step validates the element (or anything you want) inside a tryTo;
If the element is not available then we throw an error with a custom message containing 'Skip Test';
On custom hook level, for failed event, we catch the message and use the test.skip() function;

*Note the test.skip() function is inside a try/catch because it throws an error:nding { message: 'async skip; aborting execution' }.

The final result on Allure looks like this: