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Variables in API Testing​

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A. Variables: Implementation & Data Chaining​

Variables in Keploy act as placeholders for dynamic data that changes between test executions, primarily facilitating "Data Chaining." This allows you to create advanced workflows where the response from one API (such as an owner_id generated during a creation step) provides the necessary input for a subsequent request, such as updating or deleting that specific record.

  • Extraction: This involves identifying specific data points within an API response—such as an ID, a token, or a status string—and mapping them to a unique variable name in the Variables tab of the Edit Test Step panel.
  • Injection: Once a variable is captured, it can be dynamically inserted into subsequent URLs, Headers, or Request Bodies using the double-curly brace syntax: {{variable_name}}.
  • Global vs. Suite Scope:
    • Suite Variables: These are ephemeral and captured from previous steps within a specific test suite run to maintain state across a single workflow.
    • Global Variables: These are persistent constants, such as base URLs, environment-specific keys, or static authentication tokens, available across all suites in the workspace.

Hands-On: Implementation​

1. Extraction from Responses​

To reuse data, you define a mapping that tells Keploy exactly where to look in a previous response.

Keploy Architecture

Example Context: In the view above, we are extracting the unique ID of a record. The mapping steps["Create_Owner"].response.body.id captures the value from the Create_Owner step. Note the Unused badge; Keploy provides this visual hint when a variable has been defined but hasn't been injected into any subsequent request yet.

2. Injection into Requests​

Injection allows you to replace static values with dynamic variables, ensuring your tests remain flexible across different environments and data states.

Example Context: This view shows the Request Details for an API call to the /owners endpoint. By defining the method (e.g., POST), you can then use placeholders like {{owner_id}} in the URL path or body. Keploy will automatically swap the placeholder with the actual value captured during test execution.

3. Global Variable Management​

Global variables serve as the centralized source of truth for your testing environment.

Example Context: The Global Variables dashboard allows you to manage workspace-wide data. This includes static entries like the base URL and dynamic Global Custom Functions. For instance, generateCompanyId() is a function that returns a unique string starting with COMP_ followed by a timestamp, ensuring unique identifiers for every test run.