API Tester

A powerful C# CLI application for comprehensive API testing, enabling developers to streamline API validation workflows with rich configuration and execution capabilities.

Features

• Multiple Request Methods: Support for GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, and more
• Rich Payload Types: JSON, Text, Form Data
• File Upload Support: Test multipart/form-data requests with file uploads
• Environment Variables: Use different configurations for development, staging, production
• Test Assertions: Validate response status, headers, body content
• Detailed Reports: Comprehensive output with request and response details
• Single File Deployment: Simplified deployment as a single executable file
• .NET 9 Ready: Automatic multi-targeting with .NET 9.0 when available

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• .NET 8.0 SDK (required)
• .NET 9.0 SDK (optional, for building with .NET 9.0 when available)

Installation

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/api-tester.git
cd api-tester

# Build the project
dotnet build

# Run the application
dotnet run

Single File Build

For simplified deployment, you can build a single executable file:

# Build a single file executable
dotnet publish -c Release -r linux-x64 --self-contained true
# Windows:
# dotnet publish -c Release -r win-x64 --self-contained true
# macOS:
# dotnet publish -c Release -r osx-x64 --self-contained true
# macOS ARM64:
# dotnet publish -c Release -r osx-arm64 --self-contained true

Usage

Integration into Existing API Projects

You can use API Tester within your existing API projects:

1. Build and Install API Tester

   # Build as a single file executable
   dotnet publish -c Release -r <your-platform> --self-contained true
   
   # Copy the executable to a location in your PATH, or use it directly
   cp bin/Release/net8.0/<your-platform>/publish/apitester /usr/local/bin/
   # or for Windows
   # copy bin\Release\net8.0\win-x64\publish\apitester.exe C:\path\to\your\bin\

2. Initialize API Testing in Your Project Directory

   # Navigate to your API project
   cd /path/to/your/weatherapi
   
   # Initialize API testing (creates apify-config.json and apis/ directory)
   apitester init --name "Weather API Tests" --base-url "https://api.weather.com"
   # If you didn't install globally, use the full path to the executable
   # /path/to/apitester init --name "Weather API Tests" --base-url "https://api.weather.com"

3. Create API Test Definitions

   • Add test files to the apis/ directory in your project
   • Each JSON file represents an API endpoint test

4. Run Tests

   # From your project directory where apify-config.json is located
   apitester run apis/get-weather.json
   
   # Run with verbose output
   apitester run apis/get-weather.json --verbose
   
   # Run with a specific environment
   apitester run apis/get-weather.json --env Production

5. View Environment Configuration

   # From your project directory
   apitester list-env

Direct Usage (without installation)

Initialize a Project

dotnet run init --name "My API Project" --base-url "https://api.example.com"

Run API Tests

# Run a specific test
dotnet run run apis/sample-api.json

# Run with verbose output
dotnet run run apis/sample-api.json --verbose

# Run with a specific environment
dotnet run run apis/sample-api.json --env Production

List Environments

dotnet run list-env

CI/CD with GitHub Actions

This project includes GitHub Actions workflows for continuous integration and releases.

Continuous Integration

The CI workflow runs on every push to the main branch and pull requests. It:

1. Builds the project on Windows, Linux, and macOS
2. Runs API tests to verify functionality
3. Ensures compatibility across all supported platforms

Release Process

To create a release:

1. Tag-based release:

   • Create and push a new tag: git tag -a v1.0.0 -m "Version 1.0.0" && git push origin v1.0.0

2. Manual release:

   • Go to the Actions tab in your GitHub repository
   • Select the "Release" workflow
   • Click "Run workflow"
   • Enter the version number (e.g., "1.0.0")

This will:

• Build single file executables for Windows, Linux, macOS (x64), and macOS (ARM64)
• Create a GitHub release with the executables attached
• Tag the release with the specified version

API Test Definition

API tests are defined in JSON files with this structure:

{
  "Name": "Sample API Test",
  "Description": "Tests the sample endpoint",
  "Uri": "https://api.example.com/endpoint",
  "Method": "GET",
  "Headers": {
    "Accept": "application/json",
    "Authorization": "Bearer {{token}}"
  },
  "Payload": {
    "name": "John Doe",
    "email": "john@example.com"
  },
  "PayloadType": "json",
  "Tests": [
    {
      "Name": "Status code is successful",
      "AssertType": "StatusCode",
      "ExpectedValue": "200"
    }
  ]
}

Example: Testing a Weather API

Here's a practical example of how to use API Tester with a Weather API project:

Step 1: Setup

# Navigate to your Weather API project
cd ~/projects/weatherapi

# Initialize API testing (creates apify-config.json and apis/ directory)
apitester init --name "Weather API Tests" --base-url "https://api.weather.com"

Step 2: Create API Test Definitions

Create a file apis/get-current-weather.json:

{
  "Name": "Get Current Weather",
  "Description": "Tests the current weather endpoint",
  "Uri": "{{baseUrl}}/current?location={{location}}",
  "Method": "GET",
  "Headers": {
    "Accept": "application/json",
    "X-API-Key": "{{apiKey}}"
  },
  "Tests": [
    {
      "Name": "Status code is 200",
      "AssertType": "StatusCode",
      "ExpectedValue": "200"
    },
    {
      "Name": "Response contains temperature",
      "Assertion": "response.body.$.current.temperature exists"
    },
    {
      "Name": "Response contains location details",
      "Assertion": "response.body.$.location.name == {{location}}"
    }
  ]
}

Step 3: Configure Environment Variables

Edit apify-config.json to add your environment variables:

{
  "Name": "Default",
  "Description": "Weather API Configuration",
  "DefaultEnvironment": "Development",
  "Environments": [
    {
      "Name": "Development",
      "Description": "Development environment",
      "Variables": {
        "baseUrl": "https://api.weather.com/v1",
        "location": "New York",
        "apiKey": "your-dev-api-key"
      }
    },
    {
      "Name": "Production",
      "Description": "Production environment",
      "Variables": {
        "baseUrl": "https://api.weather.com/v1",
        "location": "New York",
        "apiKey": "your-prod-api-key"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Step 4: Run the Tests

# From your Weather API project directory
apitester run apis/get-current-weather.json --verbose

License

MIT License