In this article we are going to see how we test our API with the help of a package called WebApiTestClient. As you all know, if you create a sample API project you will get a folder HelpPage in Areas. This is for adding the XML description to each controller and actions we use in our API. If you document it well, any one can understand your API, so that you don’t need to explain what your API will do and what would be the output. If you are new to HelpPage implementation in API, please see here: API help page controller action description in Web API. Here we will to create a Web API with the help page descriptions in Visual Studio 2015. Once the project is ready we will install the WebApiTestClient package to the solution.

Please be noted that this package is not officially released by Microsoft. This is a prototype created by Yao – MSFT

Download the source code

You can always download the source code here: API Test Client

Background

For the past few months, I had been working with API projects. Recently I was asked to create an application to test the API I created so that the testing team can test the API easily. Yes I agree that we have tools like Fiddler and Post Man for the same. Still we thought to create our own. As I started my development, I came to know about the package WebApiTestClient which does what we wanted. Finally we decided to stop developing the application and used this wonderful package. Here I am going to show you how can we use this.

Prerequisites

  • Visual Studio With Web API Installed

    Things we are going to do

    The following are the tasks we are going to do.

  • Setting up database
  • Creating an Entity Framework
  • Creating API controller with the Model Created
  • Installing WebApiTestClient
  • Configuring WebApiTestClient
  • Testing WebApiTestClient

    Setting up database

    Here I am going to create a database which I created for my demo purposes, you can always create this database by running the queries mentioned here.

    Create database

    USE [master]
    GO
      
    /****** Object:  Database [TrialsDB]    Script Date: 5/12/2016 10:56:41 AM ******/
    CREATE DATABASE [TrialsDB]
     CONTAINMENT = NONE
     ON  PRIMARY
    ( NAME = N'TrialsDB', FILENAME = N'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\TrialsDB.mdf' , SIZE = 3072KB , MAXSIZE = UNLIMITED, FILEGROWTH = 1024KB )
     LOG ON
    ( NAME = N'TrialsDB_log', FILENAME = N'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\TrialsDB_log.ldf' , SIZE = 1024KB , MAXSIZE = 2048GB , FILEGROWTH = 10%)
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET COMPATIBILITY_LEVEL = 110
    GO
      
    IF (1 = FULLTEXTSERVICEPROPERTY('IsFullTextInstalled'))
    begin
    EXEC [TrialsDB].[dbo].[sp_fulltext_database] @action = 'enable'
    end
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET ANSI_NULL_DEFAULT OFF
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET ANSI_NULLS OFF
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET ANSI_PADDING OFF
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET ANSI_WARNINGS OFF
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET ARITHABORT OFF
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET AUTO_CLOSE OFF
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET AUTO_CREATE_STATISTICS ON
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET AUTO_SHRINK OFF
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET AUTO_UPDATE_STATISTICS ON
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET CURSOR_CLOSE_ON_COMMIT OFF
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET CURSOR_DEFAULT  GLOBAL
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET CONCAT_NULL_YIELDS_NULL OFF
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET NUMERIC_ROUNDABORT OFF
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER OFF
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET RECURSIVE_TRIGGERS OFF
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET  DISABLE_BROKER
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET AUTO_UPDATE_STATISTICS_ASYNC OFF
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET DATE_CORRELATION_OPTIMIZATION OFF
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET TRUSTWORTHY OFF
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET ALLOW_SNAPSHOT_ISOLATION OFF
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET PARAMETERIZATION SIMPLE
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET READ_COMMITTED_SNAPSHOT OFF
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET HONOR_BROKER_PRIORITY OFF
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET RECOVERY FULL
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET  MULTI_USER
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET PAGE_VERIFY CHECKSUM 
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET DB_CHAINING OFF
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET FILESTREAM( NON_TRANSACTED_ACCESS = OFF )
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET TARGET_RECOVERY_TIME = 0 SECONDS
    GO
      
    ALTER DATABASE [TrialsDB] SET  READ_WRITE
    GO

    Create table with data

    USE [TrialsDB]
    GO
    /****** Object:  Table [dbo].[Product]    Script Date: 5/12/2016 10:54:48 AM ******/
    SET ANSI_NULLS ON
    GO
    SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON
    GO
    CREATE TABLE [dbo].[Product](
        [ProductID] [int] NOT NULL,
        [Name] [nvarchar](max) NOT NULL,
        [ProductNumber] [nvarchar](25) NOT NULL,
        [MakeFlag] [bit] NOT NULL,
        [FinishedGoodsFlag] [bit] NOT NULL,
        [Color] [nvarchar](15) NULL,
        [SafetyStockLevel] [smallint] NOT NULL,
        [ReorderPoint] [smallint] NOT NULL,
        [StandardCost] [money] NOT NULL,
        [ListPrice] [money] NOT NULL,
        [Size] [nvarchar](5) NULL,
        [SizeUnitMeasureCode] [nchar](3) NULL,
        [WeightUnitMeasureCode] [nchar](3) NULL,
        [Weight] [decimal](8, 2) NULL,
        [DaysToManufacture] [int] NOT NULL,
        [ProductLine] [nchar](2) NULL,
        [Class] [nchar](2) NULL,
        [Style] [nchar](2) NULL,
        [ProductSubcategoryID] [int] NULL,
        [ProductModelID] [int] NULL,
        [SellStartDate] [datetime] NOT NULL,
        [SellEndDate] [datetime] NULL,
        [DiscontinuedDate] [datetime] NULL,
        [rowguid] [uniqueidentifier] ROWGUIDCOL  NOT NULL,
        [ModifiedDate] [datetime] NOT NULL
    ) ON [PRIMARY] TEXTIMAGE_ON [PRIMARY]
    GO
    INSERT [dbo].[Product] ([ProductID], [Name], [ProductNumber], [MakeFlag], [FinishedGoodsFlag], [Color], [SafetyStockLevel], [ReorderPoint], [StandardCost], [ListPrice], [Size], [SizeUnitMeasureCode], [WeightUnitMeasureCode], [Weight], [DaysToManufacture], [ProductLine], [Class], [Style], [ProductSubcategoryID], [ProductModelID], [SellStartDate], [SellEndDate], [DiscontinuedDate], [rowguid], [ModifiedDate]) VALUES (1, N'Adjustable Race', N'AR-5381', 0, 0, NULL, 1000, 750, 0.0000, 0.0000, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, CAST(0x0000921E00000000 AS DateTime), NULL, NULL, N'694215b7-08f7-4c0d-acb1-d734ba44c0c8', CAST(0x00009A5C00A53CF8 AS DateTime))
    INSERT [dbo].[Product] ([ProductID], [Name], [ProductNumber], [MakeFlag], [FinishedGoodsFlag], [Color], [SafetyStockLevel], [ReorderPoint], [StandardCost], [ListPrice], [Size], [SizeUnitMeasureCode], [WeightUnitMeasureCode], [Weight], [DaysToManufacture], [ProductLine], [Class], [Style], [ProductSubcategoryID], [ProductModelID], [SellStartDate], [SellEndDate], [DiscontinuedDate], [rowguid], [ModifiedDate]) VALUES (2, N'Bearing Ball', N'BA-8327', 0, 0, NULL, 1000, 750, 0.0000, 0.0000, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, CAST(0x0000921E00000000 AS DateTime), NULL, NULL, N'58ae3c20-4f3a-4749-a7d4-d568806cc537', CAST(0x00009A5C00A53CF8 AS DateTime))
    INSERT [dbo].[Product] ([ProductID], [Name], [ProductNumber], [MakeFlag], [FinishedGoodsFlag], [Color], [SafetyStockLevel], [ReorderPoint], [StandardCost], [ListPrice], [Size], [SizeUnitMeasureCode], [WeightUnitMeasureCode], [Weight], [DaysToManufacture], [ProductLine], [Class], [Style], [ProductSubcategoryID], [ProductModelID], [SellStartDate], [SellEndDate], [DiscontinuedDate], [rowguid], [ModifiedDate]) VALUES (3, N'BB Ball Bearing', N'BE-2349', 1, 0, NULL, 800, 600, 0.0000, 0.0000, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, 1, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, CAST(0x0000921E00000000 AS DateTime), NULL, NULL, N'9c21aed2-5bfa-4f18-bcb8-f11638dc2e4e', CAST(0x00009A5C00A53CF8 AS DateTime))
    INSERT [dbo].[Product] ([ProductID], [Name], [ProductNumber], [MakeFlag], [FinishedGoodsFlag], [Color], [SafetyStockLevel], [ReorderPoint], [StandardCost], [ListPrice], [Size], [SizeUnitMeasureCode], [WeightUnitMeasureCode], [Weight], [DaysToManufacture], [ProductLine], [Class], [Style], [ProductSubcategoryID], [ProductModelID], [SellStartDate], [SellEndDate], [DiscontinuedDate], [rowguid], [ModifiedDate]) VALUES (4, N'Headset Ball Bearings', N'BE-2908', 0, 0, NULL, 800, 600, 0.0000, 0.0000, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, CAST(0x0000921E00000000 AS DateTime), NULL, NULL, N'ecfed6cb-51ff-49b5-b06c-7d8ac834db8b', CAST(0x00009A5C00A53CF8 AS DateTime))
    INSERT [dbo].[Product] ([ProductID], [Name], [ProductNumber], [MakeFlag], [FinishedGoodsFlag], [Color], [SafetyStockLevel], [ReorderPoint], [StandardCost], [ListPrice], [Size], [SizeUnitMeasureCode], [WeightUnitMeasureCode], [Weight], [DaysToManufacture], [ProductLine], [Class], [Style], [ProductSubcategoryID], [ProductModelID], [SellStartDate], [SellEndDate], [DiscontinuedDate], [rowguid], [ModifiedDate]) VALUES (316, N'Blade', N'BL-2036', 1, 0, NULL, 800, 600, 0.0000, 0.0000, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, 1, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, CAST(0x0000921E00000000 AS DateTime), NULL, NULL, N'e73e9750-603b-4131-89f5-3dd15ed5ff80', CAST(0x00009A5C00A53CF8 AS DateTime))
    INSERT [dbo].[Product] ([ProductID], [Name], [ProductNumber], [MakeFlag], [FinishedGoodsFlag], [Color], [SafetyStockLevel], [ReorderPoint], [StandardCost], [ListPrice], [Size], [SizeUnitMeasureCode], [WeightUnitMeasureCode], [Weight], [DaysToManufacture], [ProductLine], [Class], [Style], [ProductSubcategoryID], [ProductModelID], [SellStartDate], [SellEndDate], [DiscontinuedDate], [rowguid], [ModifiedDate]) VALUES (317, N'LL Crankarm', N'CA-5965', 0, 0, N'Black', 500, 375, 0.0000, 0.0000, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, 0, NULL, N'L ', NULL, NULL, NULL, CAST(0x0000921E00000000 AS DateTime), NULL, NULL, N'3c9d10b7-a6b2-4774-9963-c19dcee72fea', CAST(0x00009A5C00A53CF8 AS DateTime))
    INSERT [dbo].[Product] ([ProductID], [Name], [ProductNumber], [MakeFlag], [FinishedGoodsFlag], [Color], [SafetyStockLevel], [ReorderPoint], [StandardCost], [ListPrice], [Size], [SizeUnitMeasureCode], [WeightUnitMeasureCode], [Weight], [DaysToManufacture], [ProductLine], [Class], [Style], [ProductSubcategoryID], [ProductModelID], [SellStartDate], [SellEndDate], [DiscontinuedDate], [rowguid], [ModifiedDate]) VALUES (318, N'ML Crankarm', N'CA-6738', 0, 0, N'Black', 500, 375, 0.0000, 0.0000, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, 0, NULL, N'M ', NULL, NULL, NULL, CAST(0x0000921E00000000 AS DateTime), NULL, NULL, N'eabb9a92-fa07-4eab-8955-f0517b4a4ca7', CAST(0x00009A5C00A53CF8 AS DateTime))

    Our database is ready, now create a Web API application in visual studio and then entity with the above mentioned database.

    Creating Entity

    Creating Entity

    If you don’t know how to create an entity in your solution, please read that here. I have mentioned the steps to be followed in that article. Once you have created the entity, you are good to go and create a API controller with the entity created. If you do so, The CRUD actions will be created automatically for you. You may need to edit those actions according to your needs.

    Web API 2 Controller with actions, using Entity Framework

    Web API 2 Controller with actions, using Entity Framework

    Select the Model Class, DBContext then name your controller and click OK. I hope a controller with the CRUD actions. Now we can modify that as follows.

    using System;
    using System.Collections.Generic;
    using System.Data;
    using System.Data.Entity;
    using System.Data.Entity.Infrastructure;
    using System.Linq;
    using System.Net;
    using System.Net.Http;
    using System.Web.Http;
    using System.Web.Http.Description;
    using ControllerActionDescriptions.Models;
      
    namespace ControllerActionDescriptions.Controllers
    {
        public class ProductsController : ApiController
        {
            private TrialsDBEntities db = new TrialsDBEntities();
            #region GetProducts
            /// <summary>
            /// Get all the products available
            /// GET: api/Products
            /// </summary>
            public IQueryable<Product> GetProducts()
            {
                return db.Products;
            }
            #endregion
      
            #region GetProductWithParameter
            /// <summary>
            /// Get a single product by id
            /// GET: api/Products/5
            /// <param name="id"></param>
            /// </summary>
            [ResponseType(typeof(Product))]
            public IHttpActionResult GetProduct(int id)
            {
                Product product = db.Products.Find(id);
                if (product == null)
                {
                    return NotFound();
                }
      
                return Ok(product);
            }
            #endregion
     // PUT: api/Products/5
            [ResponseType(typeof(void))]
            public IHttpActionResult PutProduct(int id, Product product)
            {
                if (!ModelState.IsValid)
                {
                    return BadRequest(ModelState);
                }
      
                if (id != product.ProductID)
                {
                    return BadRequest();
                }
      
                db.Entry(product).State = EntityState.Modified;
      
                try
                {
                    db.SaveChanges();
                }
                catch (DbUpdateConcurrencyException)
                {
                    if (!ProductExists(id))
                    {
                        return NotFound();
                    }
                    else
                    {
                        throw;
                    }
                }
      
                return StatusCode(HttpStatusCode.NoContent);
            }
      
            // POST: api/Products
            [ResponseType(typeof(Product))]
            public IHttpActionResult PostProduct(Product product)
            {
                if (!ModelState.IsValid)
                {
                    return BadRequest(ModelState);
                }
      
                db.Products.Add(product);
      
                try
                {
                    db.SaveChanges();
                }
                catch (DbUpdateException)
                {
                    if (ProductExists(product.ProductID))
                    {
                        return Conflict();
                    }
                    else
                    {
                        throw;
                    }
                }
      
                return CreatedAtRoute("DefaultApi", new { id = product.ProductID }, product);
            }
      
            // DELETE: api/Products/5
            [ResponseType(typeof(Product))]
            public IHttpActionResult DeleteProduct(int id)
            {
                Product product = db.Products.Find(id);
                if (product == null)
                {
                    return NotFound();
                }
      
                db.Products.Remove(product);
                db.SaveChanges();
      
                return Ok(product);
            }
      
            protected override void Dispose(bool disposing)
            {
                if (disposing)
                {
                    db.Dispose();
                }
                base.Dispose(disposing);
            }
      
            private bool ProductExists(int id)
            {
                return db.Products.Count(e => e.ProductID == id) > 0;
            }
        }
    }

    Installing WebApiTestClient

    To install the package, please go to your Package Manage Console from NuGet Package Manager and run the following command.

    Install-Package WebApiTestClient

    You can always get the details about the package here.

    Once you install the package, you can see some files are added to your Script and Area folder as preceding.

    Script and Area Folder

    Script and Area Folder

    Configuring WebApiTestClient

    To configure the WebApiTestClient, please go to the folder Areas->Views->Help and then click on Api.cshtml

    Api Cshtml

    Api Cshtml

    This is the view shown when you click on each API in your help page. Now add the preceding code block to that view.

    @Html.DisplayForModel("TestClientDialogs")
    @section Scripts
    {
    <link href="~/Areas/HelpPage/HelpPage.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" />
        @Html.DisplayForModel("TestClientReferences")
    }
    Code Block

    Code Block

    Testing WebApiTestClient

    Now run your API application and go to the help page for any controller action, you can see a button called Test API on the bottom. If you click on that you will get a pop where you can test your API action.

    Test API Client Output

    Test API Client Output

    Now if you send your request by clicking the send button, you will get an output as follows.

    Test API Client Output With Response

    Test API Client Output With Response

    You can always give id parameter as follows.

    Test Client With Parameters

    Test Client With Parameters

    You can also give content-length and content-type in your post request as follows.

    Test Client With Post

    Test Client With Post

    Test Client With PUT Request

    Test Client With PUT Request

    References

  • Sample Test Client
  • WebApiTestClient

    Author has already posted the source code in GitHub, please check here.

    Have a happy coding!.