Documentation - REST API GET & POST commands

[thim81]

After having a lot of struggle to hook in API REST calls in a test scenario, I wanted to share my code.

Based on several discussions on StackOverflow and GitHub (#444), I landed on this result:

1) Install a HTTP client

npm install request --save

PS: I know that there are better HTTP clients but this one works for now

2) Add custom commands

in the commands folder, add the following files:

• ./commands/apiGet.js
• ./commands/apiPost.js

PS: I know that there are better manners to implement the Request methods using Promises, but for now it works.

The apiGet.js content:

var util = require('util');
var events = require('events');

function apiGet () {}
util.inherits(apiGet, events.EventEmitter);

apiGet.prototype.command = function(apiUrl, success) {
  var request = require("request");

  request.get(apiUrl, function (error, response) {
    if (error) {
      console.log(error);
      return;
    }

    success(response);
    this.emit('complete');
  }.bind(this));
};

module.exports = apiGet;

The apiPost.js content:

var util = require('util');
var events = require('events');

function apiPost () {}
util.inherits(apiPost, events.EventEmitter);

apiPost.prototype.command = function (apiUrl, postBody, postHeaders, postAuth, success) {
    var request = require("request");

    var options = {
        uri: apiUrl,
        method: "POST",
        json: postBody
    };

    if (postHeaders !== undefined) {
        options.headers = postHeaders;
    }
    if (postAuth !== undefined) {
        options.auth = postAuth;
    }

    request(options, function (error, response) {
        if (error) {
            console.log(error);
            return;
        }

        success(response);
        this.emit('complete');
    }.bind(this));
};

module.exports = apiPost;

3) Update nightwatch.json

add the following to your nightwatch config

` "custom_commands_path": "./commands",

Test GET sample

module.exports = {
  "Retrieve API (GET)": function (client) {
        var apiUrl = 'https://dog.ceo/api/breeds/list/all';
    client.apiGet(apiUrl, function (response) {
      console.log(response.body);
      var data = JSON.parse(response.body);
      console.log(data.status);

      client.assert.equal(response.statusCode, 200, "200 OK");

      client.end();
    });

  }

};

Test POST sample

module.exports = {
  "Retrieve API (POST)": function (client) {
        var apiUrl = 'https://your-api-endpoint/;
 var postData = {'lorem':'ipsum'};
    client.apiPost(apiUrl, postData, function (response) {
      console.log(response.body);
      var data = JSON.parse(response.body);
      console.log(data.status);

      client.assert.equal(response.statusCode, 200, "200 OK");

      client.end();
    });

  }

};

[m1r342b2r]

Thanks a lot for your post! I appreciate this collaboration.
Only must be correct two things on the code of Post Example: the close quote to the end in the variable apiUrl and client.apiPost(... on cclient.apiPost(...
Thanks for all again!

[enuggetry]

I can't seem to get this working at all.
I don't get any errors running the test.
It just never seems to reach the callback.
What am i doing wrong??

This is my test:

var nightwatch = require('nightwatch');

var nightwatchTest = 'default';
var nightwatchConf = require('../../nightwatch.conf.js');
var nw_conf = Object.assign(nightwatchConf.test_settings[nightwatchTest]);
var client = nightwatch.initClient(nw_conf);
var browser = client.api();

describe('ServiceController', function() {
    it('it should get login state', function (done) {
        browser.apiGet('http://localhost/loginstate', function (response) {

            console.log('*** we never get here ***);

            var data = JSON.parse(response.body);
            console.log('>>>>>>>>>>>> status',data.status);
            client.assert.equal(response.statusCode, 200, "200 OK");
        });
        done();
    });
});

[saileshbotcha]

Hi, I have a Query : I want to get the href value of a link and get HttpResponse status code for that, how can it be done ?? Instead of clicking on each link and asserting the page i want to get the http response code of each link href value..suggest me if any other solution for this

[jesse-custer]

Hello !
it works and that's great !

In my use I would like to know how to add a header with an Authorization and a Content-Type on your "Test POST sample" ? would it be possible to help me on that ?

thank you very much for your help :)

[thim81]

@enuggetry

Have you put the commands in the right folder?

./commands/apiGet.js
./commands/apiPost.js

And make sure that in nightwatch.json the following path is added

` "custom_commands_path": "./commands",

In case you have a different custom_commands_path, you should put the files in there.

[thim81]

@saileshbotcha

I have not tested this, but it could point you in the right direction:

• Use http://nightwatchjs.org/api/#getAttribute to get the URL of a link
• Use apiGet command to get the response code

Rough idea:

"Retrieve Link status (GET)": function (client) {
    var apiUrl = '';
    client.getAttribute('.blabla-link', 'href', function (link) {
        apiUrl = link.value;
    });
    
    client.apiGet(apiUrl, function (response) {
        console.log(response.body);
        var data = JSON.parse(response.body);
        console.log(data.status);

        client.assert.equal(response.statusCode, 200, "200 OK");

        client.end();
    });

}

[thim81]

@jesse-custer

Then you could something like this.

REMARK: not fully tested

module.exports = {
"Retrieve API (POST)": function (client) {
var apiUrl = 'https://your-api-endpoint/';
var postData = {'lorem': 'ipsum'};
var postHeaders = {'Content-Type': 'application/json'};
var postAuth = {'user': 'loginname', 'password': 'loginpassword'};

    client.apiPost(apiUrl, postData,postHeaders,postAuth, function (response) {
        console.log(response.body);
        var data = JSON.parse(response.body);
        console.log(data.status);

        client.assert.equal(response.statusCode, 200, "200 OK");

        client.end();
    });

}

};

[jesse-custer]

indeed ! it works thank you very much !

[thim81]

@jesse-custer

I have updated the POST command code above to support this case.

I know it's not perfect but feel free to improve it.

[hayds]

Thanks this helped me heaps!

I chose to refactor my apiGet function to be more in line with the current format of the examples provided for custom commands.

I am not sure how accurate/safe it is but it's working fine for me, but any feedback is welcomed.

var util = require('util');
var events = require('events');
var request = require('request');
function apiGet () {
  events.EventEmitter.call(this);
}
util.inherits(apiGet, events.EventEmitter);

apiGet.prototype.command = function(options, callback) {
  var self = this;
  this.api.perform(function() {
    setTimeout(function() {
      defaultOptions = {
        method: 'GET',
        json : true,
      };
      options = Object.assign(defaultOptions, options);

      request(options, function(error, response){
        if (error) {
          console.error(error);
          return;
        }
        if (callback) {
          callback(response);
        }
      });
      self.emit('complete');
    }, 10);
  });
  return this;
};

module.exports = apiGet;

The call in a test

var url = 'http://yourapi.com/api/lookup?query=whatever'
var data;
browser.apiGet({
  uri: url,
  auth: {
    'user': 'username',
    'password': 'password123',
  },
}, function(response) {
  data = response.body;
});

[saileshbotcha]

@thim81

Thanks for your response , I have tried like this but I get below error when i run my Code
Error: options.uri is a required argument

My Requirement is to check Http Response status for all the links present on a web Page instead of clicking and checking each link separately.
Below is my apiGet.js under Commands:

 var util = require('util');
 var events = require('events');

 function apiGet () {}
 util.inherits(apiGet, events.EventEmitter);

 apiGet.prototype.command = function(apiUrl, success) {
       var request = require("request");

       request.get(apiUrl, function (error, response) {
    if (error) {
        console.log(error);
        return;
    }

       success(response);
       this.emit('complete');
    }.bind(this));
};

 module.exports = apiGet;

Below is Test code , I took an example of facebook url here

   "HrefStatus": function (client) {
        var apiUrl = '';
       client.maximizeWindow()
           .url('https://www.facebook.com/');
        client.elements('css selector', ' a', function (result) {
             for (var a = 0; a < result.value.length; a++) {
                 client.elementIdAttribute(result.value[a].ELEMENT, 'href', function (link) {
                    console.log('tags :' + link.value);
                    apiUrl = link.value;
              });

               client.apiGet(apiUrl, function (response) {
                   console.log(response.body);
                   var data = JSON.parse(response.body);
                   console.log(data.status);

                  client.assert.equal(response.statusCode, 200, "200 OK");

               });
           }
       });
   }

[stale]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had any recent activity.
If possible, please retry using the latest Nightwatch version and update the issue with any relevant details. If no further activity occurs, it will be closed. Thank you for your contribution.

[sumanthhegde04]

Hi All,

When I am using Success function in apipost.js in commands file, Why I am getting Success is not valid function. Please need the help how to overcome this issue.

Thanks,

[Adrian-Tamas]

Hi All,

When I am using Success function in apipost.js in commands file, Why I am getting Success is not valid function. Please need the help how to overcome this issue.

Thanks,

when doing the request you need to specify all the params not just the ones in the example:
If your command is defined as:
command(apiUrl, postBody, postHeaders=null, postAuth=null, success)

then the call is like this if you don't have headers or oath:
client.apiPost(url, payload, null, null, function (response) { ... })

[prajwalhp7]

I can't seem to get this working at all. I don't get any errors running the test. It just never seems to reach the callback. What am i doing wrong??

This is my test:

var nightwatch = require('nightwatch');

var nightwatchTest = 'default';
var nightwatchConf = require('../../nightwatch.conf.js');
var nw_conf = Object.assign(nightwatchConf.test_settings[nightwatchTest]);
var client = nightwatch.initClient(nw_conf);
var browser = client.api();

describe('ServiceController', function() {
    it('it should get login state', function (done) {
        browser.apiGet('http://localhost/loginstate', function (response) {

            console.log('*** we never get here ***);

            var data = JSON.parse(response.body);
            console.log('>>>>>>>>>>>> status',data.status);
            client.assert.equal(response.statusCode, 200, "200 OK");
        });
        done();
    });
});

Hey, Did you get it worked?