Problem

Cannot navigate to code behind feature file steps.

Tried

delete the .vs file
delete %temp% files
delete autogenerated .cs files for .feature files.
close VS
re-open and rebuild

Info: OnSettingsInitialized: Project settings initialized: .NETCoreApp,Version=v8.0,SpecFlow:3.9.74
Warning: AndDiscoveryProviderSucceed: Error during binding discovery. 
Command executed:
  C:\git\engine-features-automation\BDTFeaturesAutomation\bin\Debug\net8.0> C:\Program Files\dotnet\dotnet.exe exec c:\users\guyl\appdata\local\microsoft\visualstudio\17.0_7ad9ef81\extensions\ypciabcb.3gp\Connectors\Generic-net7.0\specflow-vs.dll discovery C:\git\engine-features-automation\BDTFeaturesAutomation\bin\Debug\net8.0\BDTFeaturesAutomation.dll C:\git\engine-features-automation\BDTFeaturesAutomation\specflow.json
Exit code: 4
Message: 
System.IO.FileNotFoundException: Could not load file or assembly 'System.Runtime, Version=8.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a'. The system cannot find the file specified.
File name: 'System.Runtime, Version=8.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a'
   at System.ModuleHandle.ResolveMethod(QCallModule module, Int32 methodToken, IntPtr* typeInstArgs, Int32 typeInstCount, IntPtr* methodInstArgs, Int32 methodInstCount)
   at System.ModuleHandle.ResolveMethodHandleInternal(RuntimeModule module, Int32 methodToken, ReadOnlySpan`1 typeInstantiationContext, ReadOnlySpan`1 methodInstantiationContext)
   at System.ModuleHandle.ResolveMethodHandle(Int32 methodToken, RuntimeTypeHandle[] typeInstantiationContext, RuntimeTypeHandle[] methodInstantiationContext)
   at System.RuntimeType.GetMethodBase(RuntimeModule scope, Int32 typeMetadataToken)
   at System.Reflection.RuntimeCustomAttributeData..ctor(RuntimeModule scope, MetadataToken caCtorToken, ConstArray& blob)
   at System.Reflection.RuntimeCustomAttributeData.GetCustomAttributes(RuntimeModule module, Int32 tkTarget)
   at SpecFlowConnector.ReflectionExecutor.Execute(DiscoveryOptions options, Func`3 testAssemblyFactory, ILogger _log, IAnalyticsContainer analytics) in D:\a\1\s\Connectors\SpecFlow.VisualStudio.SpecFlowConnector.Generic\ReflectionExecutor.cs:line 15
   at SpecFlowConnector.Runner.ExecuteDiscovery(DiscoveryOptions options, Func`3 testAssemblyFactory) in D:\a\1\s\Connectors\SpecFlow.VisualStudio.SpecFlowConnector.Generic\Runner.cs:line 50
   at SpecFlowConnector.Runner.<>c__DisplayClass4_0.<Run>b__0(ConnectorOptions options) in D:\a\1\s\Connectors\SpecFlow.VisualStudio.SpecFlowConnector.Generic\Runner.cs:line 30
   at FunctionalExtensions.Map[TSource,TResult](TSource this, Func`2 fn) in D:\a\1\s\Connectors\SpecFlow.VisualStudio.SpecFlowConnector.Generic\NetExtensions\FunctionalExtensions.cs:line 5
   at SpecFlowConnector.Runner.Run(String[] args, Func`3 testAssemblyFactory) in D:\a\1\s\Connectors\SpecFlow.VisualStudio.SpecFlowConnector.Generic\Runner.cs:line 26
Newtonsoft.Json.JsonReaderException: Unexpected character encountered while parsing value: D. Path '', line 0, position 0.
   at Newtonsoft.Json.JsonTextReader.ParseValue()
   at Newtonsoft.Json.JsonReader.ReadForType(JsonContract contract, Boolean hasConverter)
   at Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization.JsonSerializerInternalReader.Deserialize(JsonReader reader, Type objectType, Boolean checkAdditionalContent)
   at Newtonsoft.Json.JsonSerializer.DeserializeInternal(JsonReader reader, Type objectType)
   at Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert.DeserializeObject(String value, Type type, JsonSerializerSettings settings)
   at Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert.DeserializeObject[T](String value, JsonSerializerSettings settings)
   at SpecFlow.VisualStudio.Connectors.OutProcSpecFlowConnector.Deserialize(RunProcessResult result, Func`2 formatErrorMessage)
Warning: AndDiscoveryProviderSucceed: The project bindings (e.g. step definitions) could not be discovered. Navigation, step completion and other features are disabled. 
  Please check the error message above and report to https://github.com/SpecFlowOSS/SpecFlow.VS/issues if you cannot fix.

Solution

I ran into this recently at work and (short version), the answer was to download & use Reqnroll instead: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=Reqnroll.ReqnrollForVisualStudio2022

According to their website (https://specflow.org/) SpecFlow won't be available after today, which I suspect was known well before this week, as for instance their GitHub issues got nuked some time ago, ex: https://github.com/SpecFlowOSS/SpecFlow/issues/2719#issuecomment-1934292742