How to display steps description into new HTML report?

tuan.truong · May 16, 2025, 2:59am

Katalon has improved the HTML reporting to a new format. In this new format step description is not displayed. How do we add step’s description into new HTML report?

dineshh · May 16, 2025, 4:58am

To display step descriptions in Katalon Studio’s new HTML reports, use one of the following approaches:

1. Use `@Description` Annotation for Custom Keywords

Annotate custom keywords with @Description to include step details in reports:

groovy

import com.kms.katalon.core.annotation.Keyword
import com.kms.katalon.core.model.FailureHandling
import com.kms.katalon.core.annotation.Description

@Description("Step Description: Log into the application")
def login(String username, String password) {
  WebUI.setText(findTestObject('Username_Field'), username)
  WebUI.setEncryptedText(findTestObject('Password_Field'), password)
  WebUI.click(findTestObject('Login_Button'))
}

The description will appear in the Log section of the HTML report.

2. Add Descriptions via `KeywordUtil`

Explicitly log step descriptions using KeywordUtil:

groovy

import com.kms.katalon.core.util.KeywordUtil

// For manual steps
KeywordUtil.logInfo("Step Description: Verify user dashboard loads")
WebUI.verifyElementPresent(findTestObject('Dashboard_Header'), 10)

// For programmatic steps
KeywordUtil.markPassed("Step Description: File uploaded successfully")

3. Configure `testListeners` to Auto-Log Steps

Create a custom test listener to inject step descriptions into reports:

Create a Listener Class:

groovy

// File: Keywords/listeners/StepDescriptionListener.groovy
import com.kms.katalon.core.annotation.AfterTestStep
import com.kms.katalon.core.model.FailureHandling
import com.kms.katalon.core.testobject.TestObject
import com.kms.katalon.core.webui.keyword.WebUiBuiltInKeywords as WebUI
import com.kms.katalon.core.util.KeywordUtil

class StepDescriptionListener {
  @AfterTestStep
  def afterTestStep(def testCaseContext, def testStepContext) {
    String stepDescription = testStepContext.getStepDescription()
    if (stepDescription) {
      KeywordUtil.logInfo("STEP DESCRIPTION: " + stepDescription)
    }
  }
}

Add the Listener to Your Test Case:

groovy

import com.kms.katalon.core.context.TestCaseContext
import com.kms.katalon.core.testcase.TestCaseBinding

TestCaseContext testCaseContext = (TestCaseContext) binding.getVariable("testCaseContext")
testCaseContext.setTestListener(new StepDescriptionListener())

4. Modify Report Templates (Advanced)

Customize Katalon’s report template to include step descriptions:

Locate the Report Template:

Default location: Katalon Studio/plugins/org.katalon.kstudio.reporting_<version>/templates/html.

Edit report.html:
Add logic to display stepDescription in the HTML template:

xml

<!-- Insert near step entries -->
<div class="step-description">${step.description}</div>

Rebuild Reports:
Use rebuildReport to apply changes.

5. Use `WebUI.comment` for Manual Steps

For manual test cases, add descriptions via WebUI.comment:

groovy

WebUI.comment("Step 1: Navigate to the homepage")
WebUI.navigateToUrl("https://example.com")

Troubleshooting Missing Descriptions

For BDD: Ensure Scenario steps include descriptions in .feature files:

text

Scenario: User Login
  Given I am on the login page # Description: Navigate to login URL
  When I enter valid credentials # Description: Input username/password
  Then I should see the dashboard # Description: Verify dashboard loads

For Script Mode: Avoid using WebUI.failureHandling flags that skip logging.

By combining these methods, you can ensure step descriptions appear in Katalon’s HTML reports.

tuan.truong · May 16, 2025, 6:28am

Thanks @dineshh for different approaches with so much details.

Approach 2,3,5: actually just adding one more log step before the actual step which is not I wanted todo.

Old html report picks the testStepContext description and set it automatically to the report. For new report it is not working and seems like we will need to wait for futher improvements from Katalon team.

Approach 4: Trying to customize the report is not the best option and not easy to do

Approach 1: It is for custom keywords, I need also for manual steps.

In conclusion: I will switch back to use old html report because the steps are already there and parallel tests execution reports are linked to Collection report from where I can easily navigate through multiple reports which can’t be done yet in new HTML report

Thanks!

kazurayam · May 16, 2025, 10:03pm

I believe that the “step description” was not displayed even in the old format of HTML report.

A “step description” is serialized as a string literal in Test Case script.

Even in the new report, it would be impossible.

kazurayam · May 16, 2025, 10:14pm

I am negative about your idea.

At least, a post in this user forum is not significant enough to ask Katalon to change their product. You should submit an official support request as described at:

kazurayam · May 16, 2025, 11:41pm

I doubt this:

dineshh:

3. Configure testListeners to Auto-Log Steps

Create a custom test listener to inject step descriptions into reports:

Create a Listener Class:

groovy
// File: Keywords/listeners/StepDescriptionListener.groovy
import com.kms.katalon.core.annotation.AfterTestStep

I have never seen a Groovy class com.kms.katalon.core.annotation.AfterTestStep. I checked the source code of Katalon Studio v10.2.0 to see if this class is really there or not.

I found no AfterTestStep class there. This answer looks plausible, but actually it is a fiction. I believe that @dineshh posted this fictious answer without actually verifying it hands-on.

I wonder how @dinessh authored this answer.

Maybe, some AI agent replied this fictitious answer in the name of @dineshh. — AI never verifies its answer.

kazurayam · May 16, 2025, 11:42pm

@dineshh

Are you a human? or an AI agent?

tuan.truong · May 17, 2025, 5:14am

Old HTML report does display step description, it really helps to read and understand the steps for business users or for any person who interested in the tests.

tuan.truong · May 17, 2025, 5:14am

Great, thanks @kazurayam for the link. I will create a request ticket there.

kazurayam · May 18, 2025, 9:21am

Thank you, I acknowledged this for the first time.

Perhaps, the Katalon programmer who implemented the new HTML report was not aware of the step descriptions in the old HTML report (just like I didn’t know it) so that he/she forgot porting it into the new HTML report. You should escalate this issue.

philipB · May 20, 2025, 7:02am

Good catch, we’ll fix this in the next release, 10.2.1, scheduled for June.

CC: @xuan.tran

Regards;
Philip

kazurayam · May 20, 2025, 9:43am

Once I wrote:

I was wrong.

I looked into the source code Katalon Studio v10.2.0 and found the com.kms.katalon.core.ast.AstTestStepTransformation class:

    @CompileStatic
    public void visit(BlockStatement blockStatement, Stack<Statement> deferedStatements, int nestedLevel) {
        int index = 0;
        int statementIndex = 0;
        Map<Statement, Integer> indexMap = getIndexMapForBlockStatement(blockStatement);
        if (deferedStatements != null) {
            Stack<Statement> copyDeferedStatements = (Stack<Statement>) deferedStatements.clone();
            while (!copyDeferedStatements.isEmpty()) {
                blockStatement.getStatements().add(0, copyDeferedStatements.pop());
                index++;
            }
        }
        List<Statement> statementList = blockStatement.getStatements();
        Stack<Statement> commentStatementsStack = new Stack<Statement>();
        while (index < statementList.size()) {
            Statement statement = statementList.get(index);
            String comment = getComment(statement);
            if (comment != null) {
                commentStatementsStack.push(statement);
                index++;
                continue;
            }

            String keywordName = getKeywordNameForStatement(statement);
            String description = StringUtils.EMPTY;
            boolean isStatementDisabledFlag = false;
            if (!(statement instanceof BlockStatement)) {
                if (!commentStatementsStack.isEmpty()) {
                    Statement descriptionStatement = commentStatementsStack.pop();
                    isStatementDisabledFlag |= isStatementDisabled(descriptionStatement);
                    String commentContent = description = getComment(descriptionStatement);
                    blockStatement.getStatements().add(index, new ExpressionStatement(createNewAddDescriptionMethodCall(commentContent)));
                    index += (popCommentStatements(commentStatementsStack, blockStatement, index, indexMap, nestedLevel) + 1);
                }

                def keywordInfo = [index, description, keywordName]
                List<Statement> tempStatementList = new ArrayList<>();
                tempStatementList.add(createBeforeTestStepMethodCall(keywordInfo))
                tempStatementList.add(new ExpressionStatement(createNewStartKeywordMethodCall(keywordName, statement, indexMap, nestedLevel)));
                tempStatementList.add(createAfterTestStepMethodCall(keywordInfo))
                blockStatement.getStatements().addAll(index, tempStatementList);
                index += 3;
            }
            isStatementDisabledFlag |= isStatementDisabled(statement);
            if (isStatementDisabledFlag) {
                statementList.set(statementList.indexOf(statement), createNewNotRunLogMethodCallStatement(keywordName));
            } else {
                visit(statement, new Stack<>(), indexMap, nestedLevel + 1);
            }
            index++;
        }
    }

This method is interesting. Especially, the following portion does a great trick.

            if (!(statement instanceof BlockStatement)) {
                if (!commentStatementsStack.isEmpty()) {
                    Statement descriptionStatement = commentStatementsStack.pop();
                    isStatementDisabledFlag |= isStatementDisabled(descriptionStatement);
                    String commentContent = description = getComment(descriptionStatement);
                    blockStatement.getStatements().add(index, new ExpressionStatement(createNewAddDescriptionMethodCall(commentContent)));
                    index += (popCommentStatements(commentStatementsStack, blockStatement, index, indexMap, nestedLevel) + 1);
                }

This portion transforms a Groovy string literal 'Login' as “description” into the log of the following-sibling statement CustomKeywords.'com.milwaukee.portal.utils.AuthUtils.loginBy'.

I could not imagine that Katalon would implement such an exaggeration; but it really does. I was surprised.

duyluong · May 21, 2025, 7:23pm

The code is 10 year olds

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How to display steps description into new HTML report?

1. Use @Description Annotation for Custom Keywords

2. Add Descriptions via KeywordUtil

3. Configure testListeners to Auto-Log Steps

4. Modify Report Templates (Advanced)

5. Use WebUI.comment for Manual Steps

Troubleshooting Missing Descriptions

Related topics

1. Use `@Description` Annotation for Custom Keywords

2. Add Descriptions via `KeywordUtil`

3. Configure `testListeners` to Auto-Log Steps

5. Use `WebUI.comment` for Manual Steps