HTTP Files Generator: API Testing with .http Files Rider Visual Stud

Supercharge Your API Testing: How .http Files in Your IDE Can Revolutionize Your Workflow using http files generator.

Unlock the full potential of .http files to streamline your REST API testing inside your IDE. Learn how this simple yet powerful approach enhances productivity, supports collaboration, and integrates seamlessly with your web api project. We’ll also introduce our http files generator that merges existing .http files, preserving your custom data, and show how it can integrate with OpenAPI (Swagger UI) or openapi specification file references. Additionally, we will discuss the integration of Swagger middleware and the configuration necessary to serve the generated JSON file containing API documentation.

Introduction to API Testing

API testing is a crucial step in ensuring the quality and reliability of web APIs. It involves verifying that the API behaves as expected, returns the correct data, and handles errors properly. API testing can be performed manually or using automated tools, and it’s essential to test APIs thoroughly to catch any bugs or issues before they reach production.

In this section, we’ll introduce the basics of API testing, including the different types of API tests, the tools and techniques used, and the benefits of API testing. We’ll also cover the importance of testing APIs in different environments and the role of API testing in the software development lifecycle.

What Are .http Files?

(on upper image http files generated from lib with running output inside visual studio 2022 IDE)

(on upper image http files generated from lib with running output inside Jetbrains Rider IDE)

A .http file is a text file containing multiple requests (like GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) that can be executed directly from your IDE. Instead of juggling external tools, you keep all your api tests right next to your code in version control. For example: http

GET https://example.com/api/products Authorization: Bearer {{token}} ### POST https://example.com/api/products Content-Type: application/json { “name”: “Widget”, “price”: 9.99 }

OpenAPI specification references and advanced tags can further guide your endpoints, but the .http file works with or without a formal openapi spec. OpenAPI elements help in organizing and adding new elements, enhancing the API testing process.

Using .http Files in Development

Key Benefits

No switching to external apps for testing: everything runs in your IDE.
Easy collaboration: check .http files into Git. Each commit shows new or changed requests.
Supports environment placeholders, an authorization header, query parameters, and request bodies for quick updates.

Version Control & Secret Handling

Commit your .http files, but exclude private environment settings:
- In Visual Studio, secrets can go into http-client.env.json.user, which you then add to .gitignore.
- In Rider, user secrets can live in http-client.private.env.json (also .gitignore).
This prevents accidental push of tokens, API keys, or other credentials.

Working with .http Files in Different IDEs

Befor use http files generator You need to have installed extension in Visudal studio code. Visual Studio 2022 and Rider has built in support.

Each ide has own requirements for replacement secret keys. Librarty will generate automatically both templates for Visual Studio and Rider.

Visual Studio Code Extension

Install the REST Client visual studio code extension from the marketplace.
Create a file named requests.http.
Type your requests and press “Send Request” in the command palette or from the inline link.
Use a preview window to display API specifications within the Visual Studio Code extension.
Add an .env or environment variables for your tokens to keep them out of your .http file.

JetBrains Rider / WebStorm

Built-in support for .http file requests.
You can store environment data in .env or separate scratch files.
Rider uses http-client.private.env.json for secret variables (like an access token).

Visual Studio

Basic .http file integration is included.
Create a new file with .http extension, type your requests, and you can run them using the built-in functionality. Additionally, integration with VS Code offers auditing capabilities and IntelliSense support, enhancing the development experience.

Generating & Updating .http Files Automatically

Installing NuGet Package

If you’d like to generate or update .http files automatically from your web api project:

Open the Package Manager Console

Install-Package ITBees.WebApiHttpFilesGenerator

Restore packages to ensure everything is installed

Key Features & Merging Behavior

Scans your controllers for [HttpGet], [HttpPost], [HttpPut], [HttpDelete] (including advanced example like [HttpDelete(“{id}”)]).
Creates or merges with existing .http file for each controller. The OpenAPI file plays a crucial role in enhancing API functionality and security, including generating scan configurations for security tests.
Preserves previously entered data, query parameters, or json request bodies.
No overwriting if fields still exist in the method signature.
Works well with an openapi specification file if you cross-check schema definitions.

An Advanced Example with Your web api project

Checkout our sample project on github

You can check HelloWorldApi project ready to test this solution on github.

Including the Generator in Your Startup Code

Inside your Program.cs or similar entry point, you can configure the generator to run automatically for certain environments (this will re-generate files on run application at development environment):

// Configure the HTTP request pipeline.
if (builder.Configuration.GetSection("Environment").Value == "dev" || builder.Configuration.GetSection("Environment").Value == "uat")
{
    app.UseSwagger();
    app.UseSwaggerUI();
    HttpFilesGenerator.RegenerateHttpFiles(typeof(MyProject.MySampleService).Assembly, "C:\\Users\\user\\source\\repos\\MyProject\\WebApiProject\\", "HttpApi");
}

Or simplified if expected deafault folder for generated files is inside running project.

This snippet ensures that if you’re in dev or uat environment, you also:

Enable Swagger (i.e., swagger ui).
Automatically generate or update .http files in HttpApi folder.

Handling OpenAPI, Swagger UI, & Path Items

If your web api project includes a swagger ui or an openapi explorer, you can easily compare the new .http files with your openapi specification output.
This helps ensure your doc matches the actual methods and requests you can see in .http.

API Security Testing

API security testing is a critical aspect of API testing that involves identifying vulnerabilities and weaknesses in the API’s security mechanisms. This type of testing helps ensure that the API is secure and protected against common web attacks, such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and cross-site request forgery (CSRF).

In this section, we’ll cover the different types of API security tests, including authentication and authorization testing, input validation testing, and error handling testing. We’ll also discuss the tools and techniques used for API security testing, such as penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, and security auditing.

Testing .http Files in Different Environments using http files generator

Testing .http files in different environments is essential to ensure that the API behaves correctly in various scenarios. This includes testing the API in different operating systems, browsers, and devices, as well as testing the API with different input data and edge cases.

In this section, we’ll cover the different environments in which .http files can be tested, including local development environments, staging environments, and production environments. We’ll also discuss the tools and techniques used for testing .http files in different environments, such as containerization, virtualization, and cloud-based testing.

Secrets & Environment Files

Visual Studio: http-client.env.json.user

Remember that all values specified in http-client.env.json.user will ovveride values in http-client.env.json.

In Visual Studio, you can place secret tokens, environment variables (like Bearer tokens), or other credentials in a file named http-client.env.json.user
Add that file to .gitignore so it never goes into source control.
At runtime, .http requests can reference these keys with {{secretValue}}.

Rider: http-client.private.env.json

Remember that all values specified in http-client.private.env.json will ovveride values in http-client.env.json.

In JetBrains Rider, environment variables or secret credentials can go into http-client.private.env.json.
Similarly, keep it out of Git for security.
The .http file references these variables, letting you test with minimal manual changes.

By doing this, you keep your .http file fully shareable and preserve your confidential data in local-only environment files.

10. Troubleshooting and Error Handling

Troubleshooting and error handling are critical aspects of API testing that involve identifying and resolving issues that arise during testing. This includes debugging errors, handling exceptions, and logging errors for further analysis.

In this section, we’ll cover the different techniques used for troubleshooting and error handling, including debugging tools. Also error logging, and exception handling. We’ll also discuss the importance of error handling in API testing and how it can help improve the overall quality and reliability of the API.

Best Practices & Final Thoughts for http files generator

Keep your .http files in version control, but exclude personal or secret environment data (.user or .private files).

Use the generator’s merging logic to ensure newly added methods appear automatically. Important is that old fields remain if they still exist in the code.
Pair your .http files with an openapi specification file for better alignment.
If changes occur in your REST API or if you add new request bodies or schemas, run the generator to keep your test requests updated.
The synergy of .http files, swagger UI, and openapi elements can drastically improve your developer experience. It is done by letting you seamlessly generate requests, test them quickly, and see exactly how everything evolves in Git.

Try it out and enjoy quicker feedback loops, simpler security handling, and a more collaborative approach to API development. With an http files generator in your pipeline, you’ll quickly see how .http files can become an invaluable extension to your everyday coding workflow.

Additional Resources

In this section, we’ll provide additional resources for API testing, including books, articles, and online courses. We’ll also cover the different tools and frameworks available for API testing, including Swagger UI, Visual Studio Code, and OpenAPI files.

Some popular tools and frameworks for API testing include:

Swagger UI: A popular tool for API documentation and testing
Visual Studio Code: A popular code editor for API development and testing
OpenAPI files: A standard format for API documentation and testing
JSON HTTP Generator: A tool for generating JSON HTTP requests
HTTP File Generator: A tool for generating .http files from OpenAPI specifications

We hope this helps! Let me know if you need any further assistance – help@itbees.pl or leave comment here.

Jakub Zohar Rutkowski

HTTP Files Generator: API Testing with .http Files