Testing a REST API with Postman involves several steps. Below is a guide on how to test a REST API with Postman:
1. Download and Install Postman: To start with, download the Postman application from the Postman website and install it on your machine. It’s available for both Windows and Mac.
1. Create a Request: Postman provides a UI for designing requests. Open your Postman application, click on the ‘New’ button, and select ‘Request’. Provide a name and description (optional) for your request. Create a new collection for your request or save it in an existing one.
1. Select HTTP Method: After creating a request, select the HTTP method from the drop-down. The method represents the type of request you want to send to the REST API (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, etc.).
1. Enter URL: In the input box next to the HTTP methods drop-down, enter the URL of the REST API you want to test.
1. Key-Value Input: If your API request needs headers or parameters, Postman provides Key-Value input fields for those.
– Headers: Click Headers and then enter any key value pairs required by your API. This might include content type and authentication tokens. – Params: Click Params and then enter any key value pairs required by your API.1. Set Request Body: When making a POST or PUT request, a body data is sent with the request. In Postman, you can select the type of data you want to send from the “Body” tab. You can choose from none, form-data, raw, binary, or GraphQL. The data you enter here will depend on the API documentation.
1. Send Request: Once all fields are filled as per requirements, click on the Send button to send the request to the API.
1. Check API Response: After sending the request, below the request section, the API response will appear. Here, you can analyze the status code, body, headers and cookies.
1. Writing Tests: Postman allows you to write tests for each request. These tests check the response data, status codes, or metadata to ensure the API is responding as expected.
– To do so, click on the Tests tab for your request. Here, you can write the JavaScript code to test your APIs. – When you send your request, these tests will be run against the returned response.1. Save Your Request: You can save your request for future use by clicking the “Save” button near the top of the Postman dashboard.
These are the basic steps you follow to test a REST API using Postman. Additional features and tools are available to aid your testing process, including managing environments, automation scripts, collections, monitors, and more.
Remember, always refer to your API’s documentation to understand correctly how to structure your requests.
