Playwright Alternative for API Testing

as a database for this guide.

Step 1: Assess Your Current API Test Setup

Before diving into the migration, I first evaluated the existing API tests I had written in Playwright. This included:

• Reviewing all the API requests and responses I was testing.




• Documenting the setup required for each test (like database state and mock data).




• Running a full test suite to check for any existing issues and gather test coverage data.

The playwright test for my application is present in app.spec.ts under test folder.

import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';



const apiUrl = 'http://localhost:3000/api/users';  // Application is running on port 3000



test.describe('User API Tests', () => {



    // Test GET request (Fetch all users)

    test('GET /api/users should return a list of all users', async ({ request }) => {

        const response = await request.get(apiUrl);

        expect(response.status()).toBe(200);  // Ensure status code is 200

        const body = await response.json();

        expect(body.users).toBeInstanceOf(Array);

    });    

});

Once I had a clear understanding of my current testing situation, it was time to make the move.

Step 2: Install Keploy and Set Up the Environment

The next step was to install Keploy in my testing environment. Keploy’s installation process is simple and straightforward, with detailed instructions available in the

This confirmed that Keploy was correctly installed and ready to go.

Step 3: Record API Interactions with Keploy

Keploy works by recording actual API interactions that occur during test execution. To capture these interactions, we need to run my Playwright tests as usual, but this time with Keploy in recording mode. Here’s how I set it up:

1. Start your application and database using Docker Compose or another setup.




2. Run Keploy in record mode to capture real API interactions:
   
   

keploy record -c "npm run dev"

This command instructed Keploy to capture all the HTTP requests and responses generated by the Playwright tests.

We can notice keploy recording each of test cases which were part of existing testsuite written in playwright.

These tests could be run independently without needing any external dependencies like a live database. All I had to do was run Keploy’s test suite:

docker-compose down && keploy test -c "npm run dev"

This command triggered the playback of the recorded interactions, testing the API without the need for a real database.

Conclusion

Migrating from Playwright to Keploy was a game-changer for my API testing process. Here’s a quick recap of why Keploy is a much better fit for modern API testing:

• No More Database Hassles: Keploy eliminates the need for a live database, making your tests faster and easier to manage.




• Zero-Code Testing: No more repetitive test code—Keploy automates everything from data mocking to test generation.




• Seamless CI/CD Integration: Keploy fits perfectly into existing CI/CD pipelines, speeding up your feedback cycle and increasing productivity.




• Realistic Test Coverage: Keploy captures real API interactions, ensuring comprehensive test coverage and reliable results.

If you’re struggling with Playwright’s complexity for API testing, I highly recommend giving Keploy a try. It’s an easy, powerful, and efficient way to automate your API tests, allowing you to focus on building high-quality software instead of wrestling with infrastructure setup and data management.