# API Test Recorder (Chrome Extension)

> Learn how to install, record, export, and auto-generate Keploy tests straight from your browser.

Install the extension, hit **Record API Calls**, exercise your web app, then press **Generate Tests** to send the captured traffic to Keploy.

## What the API Test Recorder does

**Browser-side traffic capture** — Captures full-stack XHR/fetch traffic, including headers, cookies, and authentication context, ensuring the recorded flows are ready for authenticated replay.

**Instant replay formats** — Export the captured calls as cURL, JSON, or native Keploy YAML.

**URL filtering & debugging** — Limit capture to specific endpoints and auto-repair partial request/response pairs.

**One-click test generation** — Push traffic to Keploy Console and instantly get ready-to-run API tests with assertions.

## Installation

1. [Open the Chrome Web Store listing for **Keploy API Test Recorder**](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/keploy-api-test-recorder/ohcclfkaidblnjnggclkiecgkpgldihe)

2. Click **Add to Chrome → Add Extension**.  
   Chrome will download the signed build and enable it automatically.

3. Pin the **Keploy API Test Recorder** icon for quick access:  
   **Extensions** **⋮ → Pin**.

## Quick-start workflow

 

1. **Log in** with the same email you use on app.keploy.io.
2. Click **Record API Calls**.
3. In another tab, **exercise your app** as a normal user (create an account, add to cart, etc.).
4. Watch the live counters:
   - **Captured calls** – total XHR/fetch requests intercepted.
   - **Complete req/resp** – pairs where both request _and_ response were fully captured.
5. Keploy automatically synchronizes asynchronous background requests. Use the **Debug** feature to repair any pending request/response pairs before generating your suite.  
   Example :

```
DEBUG SUMMARY:

Total calls: 33
Complete (status+body): 2
Incomplete: 31
Has status but no body: 13
Has body but no status: 0
Flagged as complete: 30
Records repaired: 15
```

6. Press **Generate Tests**.
   - The extension POSTs the capture set to `https://app.keploy.io`.
   - Your browser opens a new tab showing test-case generation progress.
   - When done, you’ll see a **Test Suite** with runnable cases
7. From **Export Format**, choose:
   - **cURL Commands** – one-liner per call, shareable in Slack/Gist.
   - **Keploy YAML** – ready for `keploy run`.
   - **JSON** – raw payloads for custom tooling.
8. Click **Export Data** to download **or** **Copy** to clipboard.

## UI reference

| Button / Field        | Purpose                                           | Notes                                      |
| --------------------- | ------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ |
| **Logout**            | Clear auth token & stop background listeners.     | Re-login any time.                         |
| **Record API Calls**  | Starts/stops the capture session.                 | Active state is shown in red.              |
| **Captured calls**    | Blue counter of total requests.                   | Includes incomplete pairs.                 |
| **Complete req/resp** | Green counter of fully captured pairs.            | This is the number exported.               |
| **Check Status**      | Quick health-check of the local capture DB.       |
| **Debug**             | Attempts to stitch orphaned requests & responses. |
| **Reset DB**          | DANGER: Wipes all local capture data.             | Irreversible; handy before a new test run. |
| **URL Filter**        | Regex or plain URL substring.                     | Leave blank to capture everything.         |
| **Copy**              | Copies the export to clipboard.                   | Good for quick pastes into terminal.       |
| **Generate Tests**    | Sends data to Keploy Console & redirects.         | Requires active internet.                  |

## Best practices

- **Enter URL** – Set the URL Filter to the base domain you want Keploy to record. This keeps captures focused on the traffic that matters.
- **Keep sessions short** – Generate tests for one functional flow at a time; iterate rather than record everything in one go.

## Troubleshooting

| Symptom                                                      | Possible cause                               | Fix                                                                |
| ------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `Captured calls` increments, but `Complete req/resp` stays 0 | Responses blocked by CORS or Service Worker. | Click **Debug**, or whitelist the domain in extension permissions. |
| “Network error” when pressing **Generate Tests**             | Auth token expired.                          | Log out, log back in.                                              |