0
# Steps and Attachments
1

2
Enhance test reporting with step-by-step execution tracking and rich attachments. Steps break down test execution into logical phases while attachments provide supporting evidence like screenshots, logs, and data files.
3

4
## Capabilities
5

6
### Test Steps
7

8
Create hierarchical test steps to document test execution flow and make debugging easier by identifying exactly where failures occur.
9

10
```python { .api }
11
@allure.step(title: str)
12
    """
13
    Decorator to mark a function as a test step.
14
    
15
    Parameters:
16
    - title: Step title (supports parameter formatting with {})
17
    
18
    Usage:
19
    @allure.step("Login with username {username}")
20
    def login(username, password):
21
        pass
22
    """
23

24
allure.step(title: str)
25
    """
26
    Context manager for creating test steps.
27
    
28
    Parameters:
29
    - title: Step title for the step block
30
    
31
    Usage:
32
    with allure.step("Navigate to login page"):
33
        driver.get("/login")
34
    """
35
```
36

37
### File Attachments
38

39
Attach external files like screenshots, logs, configuration files, and test data to test results.
40

41
```python { .api }
42
allure.attach.file(source: str, name: str = None, attachment_type: str = None, extension: str = None)
43
    """
44
    Attach an external file to the test result.
45
    
46
    Parameters:
47
    - source: Path to the file to attach
48
    - name: Display name for the attachment (optional)
49
    - attachment_type: MIME type of the file (optional, auto-detected if not provided)
50
    - extension: File extension (optional, auto-detected if not provided)
51
    
52
    Usage:
53
    allure.attach.file("./logs/test.log", name="Test Log", attachment_type="text/plain")
54
    allure.attach.file("./screenshots/error.png", name="Error Screenshot")
55
    """
56
```
57

58
### Data Attachments
59

60
Attach in-memory data like API responses, database queries, or generated content directly to test results.
61

62
```python { .api }
63
allure.attach(body: Any, name: str = None, attachment_type: str = None, extension: str = None)
64
    """
65
    Attach data directly to the test result.
66
    
67
    Parameters:
68
    - body: Data to attach (string, bytes, or other serializable data)
69
    - name: Display name for the attachment (optional)
70
    - attachment_type: MIME type of the data (optional)
71
    - extension: File extension for the attachment (optional)
72
    
73
    Usage:
74
    allure.attach(json.dumps(response), name="API Response", attachment_type="application/json")
75
    allure.attach(screenshot_bytes, name="Screenshot", attachment_type="image/png")
76
    """
77
```
78

79
## Usage Examples
80

81
### Basic Step Tracking
82

83
```python
84
import allure
85

86
def test_user_registration():
87
    with allure.step("Navigate to registration page"):
88
        driver.get("/register")
89
    
90
    with allure.step("Fill registration form"):
91
        driver.find_element("name", "username").send_keys("testuser")
92
        driver.find_element("name", "email").send_keys("test@example.com")
93
        driver.find_element("name", "password").send_keys("password123")
94
    
95
    with allure.step("Submit registration"):
96
        driver.find_element("type", "submit").click()
97
    
98
    with allure.step("Verify successful registration"):
99
        success_message = driver.find_element("class", "success").text
100
        assert "Registration successful" in success_message
101
```
102

103
### Step Decorator with Parameters
104

105
```python
106
import allure
107

108
@allure.step("Login with username '{username}'")
109
def login_user(username, password):
110
    driver.find_element("name", "username").send_keys(username)
111
    driver.find_element("name", "password").send_keys(password)
112
    driver.find_element("type", "submit").click()
113

114
@allure.step("Navigate to page '{page_name}'")  
115
def navigate_to_page(page_name, url):
116
    driver.get(url)
117
    
118
def test_user_workflow():
119
    login_user("testuser", "password123")
120
    navigate_to_page("Dashboard", "/dashboard")
121
```
122

123
### Comprehensive Attachments
124

125
```python
126
import allure
127
import json
128
import requests
129

130
def test_api_integration():
131
    with allure.step("Send API request"):
132
        response = requests.get("https://api.example.com/users")
133
        
134
        # Attach request details
135
        allure.attach(
136
            f"GET {response.url}\nStatus: {response.status_code}",
137
            name="Request Details",
138
            attachment_type="text/plain"
139
        )
140
        
141
        # Attach response data
142
        allure.attach(
143
            json.dumps(response.json(), indent=2),
144
            name="API Response",
145
            attachment_type="application/json"
146
        )
147
    
148
    with allure.step("Take screenshot of results"):
149
        screenshot = driver.get_screenshot_as_png()
150
        allure.attach(
151
            screenshot,
152
            name="API Results Screenshot",
153
            attachment_type="image/png"
154
        )
155
    
156
    with allure.step("Save test log"):
157
        allure.attach.file(
158
            "./logs/api_test.log",
159
            name="Test Execution Log",
160
            attachment_type="text/plain"
161
        )
162
```
163

164
### Nested Steps
165

166
```python
167
import allure
168

169
@allure.step("Setup test environment")
170
def setup_environment():
171
    with allure.step("Start application server"):
172
        # Start server logic
173
        pass
174
    
175
    with allure.step("Initialize database"):
176
        # Database setup logic
177
        pass
178
    
179
    with allure.step("Configure test data"):
180
        # Test data setup logic
181
        pass
182

183
def test_complex_workflow():
184
    setup_environment()
185
    
186
    with allure.step("Execute main test logic"):
187
        with allure.step("Perform user actions"):
188
            # Test actions
189
            pass
190
        
191
        with allure.step("Validate results"):
192
            # Assertions
193
            pass
194
```
195

196
## Attachment Best Practices
197

198
- **Screenshots**: Always attach screenshots on test failures for UI tests
199
- **Logs**: Include relevant log files for debugging failed tests  
200
- **API Data**: Attach request/response data for API tests
201
- **Configuration**: Include configuration files when environment issues occur
202
- **Test Data**: Attach input data files when data-driven tests fail
203
- **Network Traces**: Include network captures for integration test failures
204

205
The attachments appear in the Allure report and provide essential context for understanding test execution and debugging failures.