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API Testing

TAFLEX JS employs a Dual API Strategy that allows you to choose the best tool for your specific testing needs.

StrategyEngineBest For...
Hybrid (E2E)PlaywrightAPI calls within UI flows (setup/teardown), shared authentication with browser context, and integrated tracing.
Specialized (Logic)Axios + VitestHigh-volume contract testing, complex business logic validation, and standalone API suites requiring maximum execution speed.

1. Hybrid API Testing (Playwright)​

This strategy uses Playwright's APIRequestContext.

Configuration​

Ensure API_BASE_URL is set in your .env file.

Writing an API Test​

Use the test fixture and set the mode to api.

import { test, expect } from '../fixtures.js';

test.describe('User API', () => {
    test.use({ mode: 'api' });

    test('get user details', async ({ driver }) => {
        const response = await driver.get('/users/1');
        expect(response.ok()).toBeTruthy();
        
        const user = await response.json();
        expect(user.username).toBe('Bret');
    });
});

Available Methods​

The API driver supports standard HTTP methods:

  • driver.get(url, options)
  • driver.post(url, options)
  • driver.put(url, options)
  • driver.delete(url, options)

2. Specialized API Testing (Axios + Vitest)​

For high-performance, pure API tests (without UI dependencies), TAFLEX JS supports a specialized strategy using Axios and Vitest. This is ideal for contract testing and logic validation due to its extreme execution speed and superior developer experience (watch mode).

Configuration​

Set the provider in your .env:

API_PROVIDER=axios

Writing a Vitest API Test​

Create a file ending in .axios.spec.js in your tests/api/ directory:

import { describe, it, expect, beforeAll } from 'vitest';
import { DriverFactory } from '../../src/core/drivers/driver.factory.js';

describe('Specialized API', () => {
    let driver;

    beforeAll(async () => {
        driver = DriverFactory.create('api'); 
        await driver.initialize({
            apiBaseUrl: 'https://api.example.com'
        });
    });

    it('should fetch data', async () => {
        const response = await driver.get('/endpoint');
        expect(response.status()).toBe(200);
        const data = await response.json();
        expect(data.id).toBeDefined();
    });
});

Running Specialized Tests​

npm run test:unit