How to create requests params for json api resources in requests tests?

Question

I'm creating a API with Rails 6 and JSON API Resource in order to learn more. I got stuck with requests tests. What I'm doing for now is using the gem json_matchers to test the response of my endpoint, but my real problem is to build the body of requests for: post, put and patch.

Hi, thanks for you attention.

Here is the deal, I started adding to my RSpec files all the json needed for the tests, but these files ended up getting too big. So I thought, how can I makes this to stay more lean?

Then I copy all the json in my tests to json files and importing when needed, for example:

# RSpec Helper
def request_json(json_name)
  request_directory = "#{Dir.pwd}/spec/support/api/requests"
  request_path = "#{request_directory}/#{json_name}.json"
  File.read(request_path)
end

# Example of params for user request
let(:params) { request_json("user") }

I thoutgh it was a great idea, but then I ran into two problems: I need to create a file for every request test and... how I will modify same value of this json file at runtime? For example, I create a object using FactoryBot and now I need to use the ID of this object in my request for a update. How can I do that?

Using regex?

let(:params) do 
  json = request_json("user")
  json.gsub(/\"id\": \"1\"/, "\"id\": \"#{id}\"")
end

Ok... It works, but I don't like it! I think that this can turn to be a real mess. Another options was to convert this to hash and then json again... Nope, nope, nope, don't like it either.

Now I'm trying to create something more dynamic using FactoryBot and Faker. For now, with the code below, I can pass a factory name and receive a perfect json body for a post.

def serializer_for(resource)
  {
    "data": {
      "type": resource.to_s.tableize,
      "attributes": create_attributes_for(resource),
    }
  }.to_json
end

def create_attributes_for(resource)
  attributes = attributes_for(resource)
  attributes.reduce({}) do |hash, element|
    hash.update(standardize_json_key() => element.last.to_s)
  end
end

def standardize_json_key(symbol)
  symbol.to_s.gsub("_", "-")
end

But then I began to think about the challenges of this approach:

Post/Put/Patch with relationships?(has_one or has_many)
How I'll add the ID field for put/path?
Add how I'll add the upload files when needed?

So... returning to my question: How can I prepare the json body for the request using factory bot (using even traits) with all the concerns above?

If you have/know a better answer for this problem, share with, please. If not, I'll try to create a gem for this.

Appreciate your time, thanks!

How to create requests params for json api resources in requests tests?

0 Answers0