Pattern for reusing cookie-based authentication tokens in BeHat

behat-auth.php

// in FeatureContext.php

// Store session tokens for reauthentication
private static $credentialStore = array();

// ... other code ...

/**
* Authenticates a user with password from configuration.
*
* @Given /^I am logged in as "([^"]*)"$/
*/
public function iAmLoggedInAs($username) {
  if ($authCookie = $this->getCredentials($username)) {
	echo "Reusing authentication tokens for $username";
	$this->setAuthCookie($authCookie);
  }
  else {
	$password = $this->fetchPassword($username);
	$this->doLogin($username, $password);
  }
}

public function doLogin ($username, $password) {

	// Visit login page, enter credentials, submit login form...

	// ... after successful login:

	$this->storeCredentials($username);
}

public function storeCredentials ($username) {
	if ($credential = $this->getAuthCookie()) {
		self::$credentialStore[$username] = $credential;
	}
}

public function getCredentials ($username) {
	return array_key_exists($username, self::$credentialStore) ? self::$credentialStore[$username] : null;
}

public function getAuthCookie () {
	// Return key=>value pair for session authentication token
}

public function setAuthCookie ($authCookie) {
	$this->getSession()->setCookie($authCookie['name'], $authCookie['value']);
}

public function fetchPassword ($username) {
	// Return user's password, looked up from configuration
}