# SYNOPSIS

Web automated testing framework.

# Description

* Swat is a powerful and yet simple and flexible tool for rapid web automated testing development.

* Swat is a web application oriented test framework, this means that it equips you with all you need for a web test development
and yet it's not burdened by many other "generic" things that you probably won't ever use.

* Swat does not carry all heavy load on it's shoulders, with the help of it's "elder brother" - curl
swat makes a http requests in a smart way. This means if you know and love curl swat might be easy way to go.
Swat just passes all curl related parameter as is to curl and let curl do it's job.

* Swat is a text oriented tool, for good or for bad it does not provide any level of http DOM or xpath hacking, it does not even try to decouple http headers from a body. Actually _it just returns you a text_ where you can find and grep in old good unix way. Does this sound suspiciously simple? I believe that most of things could be tested in a simple way.

* Swat is extendable by writing custom perl code, this is where you may add desired complexity to your test stories.

* And finally swat relies on prove as internal test runner - this has many, many good results:

    * swat transparently passes all it's arguments to prove which makes it simple to adjust swat runner behavior in a prove way
    * swat tests might be easily embedded as unit tests into a cpan distributions.
    * test reports are emitted in a TAP format which is portable and easy to read.

Ok, now I hope you are ready to dive into swat tutorial! :)

# Install

    $ sudo apt-get install curl
    $ sudo cpanm swat

Or install from source:

    # useful for contributors and developers
    perl Makefile.PL
    make
    make test
    make install

# Write your swat story

Swat test stories always answers on 2 type of questions:

* _What kind of_ http request should be send.
* _What kind of_ http response should be received.

As swat is a web test oriented tool it deals with some http related stuff as:

* http methods
* http resources
* http responses

Swat leverages unix file system to build an _analogy_ for these things:

## HTTP Resources

_HTTP resource is just a directory_. You have to create a directory to define a http resource:

    mkdir foo/
    mkdir -p bar/baz

This code defines two http resources for your application - 'foo/' and 'bar/baz'

## HTTP methods

_HTTP method is just a file_. You have to create a file to define a http method.

    touch foo/get.txt
    touch foo/put.txt
    touch bar/baz/post.txt

Obviously \`http methods' files should be located at \`http resource' directories.

The code above defines a three http methods for two http resources:

    * GET /foo
    * PUT /foo
    * POST bar/baz

Here is the list of _predefined_ file names for a http methods files:

    get.txt --> GET method
    post.txt --> POST method
    put.txt --> PUT method
    delete.txt --> DELETE method

# Hostname / IP Address

You need to define hostname or ip address to send request to. Just write it up to a special file  called \`host' and swat will use it.

    echo 'app.local' > host

As swat makes http requests with the help of curl, the host name should be complaint with curl requirements, this
for example means you may define a http schema or port here:

    echo 'https://app.local' >> host
    echo 'app.local:8080' >> host

## HTTP Response

Swat makes request to a given http resources with a given http methods and then validates a response.
Swat does this with the help so called _check lists_, Check lists are defined at \`http methods' files.


Check list is just a list of expressions a response should match. It might be a plain strings or regular expressions:

    echo 200 OK > foo/get.txt
    echo 'Hello I am foo' >> foo/get.txt

The code above defines two checks for response from \`GET /foo':

* it should contain "200 OK"
* it should contain "Hello I am foo"

You may add some regular expressions checks as well:

    # for example check if we got something like 'date':
    echo 'regexp: \d\d\d\d-\d\d-\d\d' >> foo/get.txt

# Bringing all together

All these things http method, http resource and check list comprise into essential swat entity called a _swat story_.

Swat story is a very simple test plan, which could be expressed in a cucumber language as follows:

    Given I have web application 'http://my.cool.app:80'
    And I have http method 'GET'
    And make http request 'GET /foo'
    Then I should have response matches '200 OK'
    And I should have response matches 'Hello I am foo'
    And I should have response matches '\d\d\d\d-\d\d-\d\d'

From the file system point of view swat story is a:

* http method - the \`http method' file
* http resource - the directory where \`http method file' located in
* check list - the content of a \`http method' file

## Swat Project

Swat project is a bunch of a related swat stories kept under a single directory. This directory is called _project root directory_.
The project root directory name does not that matter, swat just looks up swat story files into it and then "execute" them.
See [swat runner workflow](#swat-runner-workflow) section for full explanation of this process.

This is an example swat project layout:

    $ tree my/swat/project
      my/swat/project
      |--- host
      |----FOO
      |-----|----BAR
      |           |---- post.txt
      |--- FOO
            |--- get.txt

    3 directories, 3 files

When you ask swat to execute swat stories you have to point it a project root directory or \`cd' to it and run swat without arguments:

    swat my/swat/project

    # or

    cd my/swat/project && swat

Note, that project root directory path will be removed from http resources paths during execution:

* GET FOO
* POST FOO/BAR

Use \`test_file' variable to execute a subset of swat stories:

    # run a single story
    test_file=FOO/get swat example/my-app 127.0.0.1

    # run all `FOO/*' stories:
    test_file=FOO/ swat example/my-app 127.0.0.1

Test\_file variable should point to a resource(s) path and be relative to project root dir, also it should not contain extension part - \`.txt'


# Swat check lists

Swat check lists complies [Outthentic DSL](https://github.com/melezhik/outthentic-dsl) format.

There are lot of possibilities here!

( For full explanation of outthentic DSL please follow [documentation](https://github.com/melezhik/outthentic-dsl). )

A few examples:

* plain strings checks

Often all you need is to ensure that http response has some strings in:


    # http response
    200 OK
    HELLO
    HELLO WORLD


    # check list
    200 OK
    HELLO

    # swat output
    OK - output matches '200 OK'
    OK - output matches 'HELLO'

* regular expressions

You may use regular expressions as well:


    # http response
    My birth day is: 1977-04-16


    # check list
    regexp: \d\d\d\d-\d\d-\d\d


    # swat output
    OK - output matches /\d\d\d\d-\d\d-\d\d/

Follow [https://github.com/melezhik/outthentic-dsl#check-expressions](https://github.com/melezhik/outthentic-dsl#check-expressions) to know more.

* generators

Yes you may generate new check list on run time:

    # original check list
   
    Say
    HELLO
   
    # this generator creates 3 new check expressions:
   
    generator: [ qw{ say hello again } ]
   
    # final check list:
   
    Say
    HELLO
    say
    hello
    again

Follow [https://github.com/melezhik/outthentic-dsl#generators](https://github.com/melezhik/outthentic-dsl#generators) to know more.
   
* inline perl code

What about inline arbitrary perl code? Well, it's easy!


    # check list
    regexp: number: (\d+)
    validator: [ ( capture()->[0] '>=' 0 ), 'got none zero number') ];

Follow [https://github.com/melezhik/outthentic-dsl#validators](https://github.com/melezhik/outthentic-dsl#validators) to know more.

* text blocks

Need to valiade that some lines goes in response successively ?

        # http response

        this string followed by
        that string followed by
        another one string
        with that string
        at the very end.


        # check list
        # this text block
        # consists of 5 strings
        # goes consequentially
        # line by line:

        begin:
            # plain strings
            this string followed by
            that string followed by
            another one
            # regexps patterns:
        regexp: with (this|that)
            # and the last one in a block
            at the very end
        end:

Follow [https://github.com/melezhik/outthentic-dsl#comments-blank-lines-and-text-blocks](https://github.com/melezhik/outthentic-dsl#comments-blank-lines-and-text-blocks)
to know more.

# Swat ini files

Every swat story comes with some settings you may define to adjust swat behavior.
These type of settings could be defined at swat ini files.

Swat ini files are file called "swat.ini" and located at \`resources' directory:

     foo/bar/get.txt
     foo/bar/swat.ini

The content of swat ini file is the list of variables definitions in bash format:

    $name=value

As swat ini files is bash scripts you may use bash expressions here:

    if [ some condition ]; then
        $name=value
    fi

Following is the list of swat variables you may define at swat ini files, it could be divided on two groups:

* **swat variables**
* **curl parameters**

## swat variables

Swat variables define swat  basic configuration, like logging mode, prove runner settings, etc. Here is the list:

* `skip_story` - skip story, default value is \`0'. Set to \`1' if you want skip store for some reasons.

For example:

    # swat.ini
    # assume that we set profile variable somewhere else
    # 

    if test "${profile}" = 'production'; then
        skip_story=1 # we don't want this one for production
    fi

* `ignore_http_err` - run curl with or without \`-f' flag

    * swat runs curl command and then checks exit code returned
    * if not successful exit code returns a proper swat assert fails
    * by default ignore\_http\_err is set to 0 which make curl run with \`-f' flag, for not successful http responses ( bad http status code )
      this means error on swat side ( see previous point )
    * settings ignore\_http\_err to \`1' make curl run curl without \`-f' flag which result in even non successful http responses are not treated as errors 
    ( a proper swat assert does not fail )

* `prove_options` - prove options to be passed to prove runner,  default value is \`-v`. See [Prove settings](#prove-settings) section.

* `debug` - enable swat debugging

    * Increasing debug value results in more low level information appeared at output

    * Default value is 0, which means no debugging

    * Possible values: 0,1,2,3

* `debug_bytes` - number of bytes of http response to be dumped out when debug is on. default value is \`500'.

* `match_l` - in TAP output truncate matching strings to {match_l} bytes;  default value is \`40'.

## curl parameters

Curl parameters relates to curl client. Here is the list:

* `try_num` - a number of requests to be send in case curl get unsuccessful return,  similar to curl \`--retry' , default value is \`2'.

* `curl_params` - additional curl parameters being add to http requests, default value is `""`.

Here are some examples:

    # -d curl parameter
    curl_params='-d name=daniel -d skill=lousy' # post data sending via form submit.

    # --data-binary curl parameter
    curl_params=`echo -E "--data-binary '{\"name\":\"alex\",\"last_name\":\"melezhik\"}'"`

    # set http header
    curl_params="-H 'Content-Type: application/json'"


Follow curl documentation to get more examples.

* `curl_connect_timeout` - maximum time in seconds that you allow the connection to the server to take, follow curl documentation for full explanation.

* `curl_max_time` - maximum time in seconds that you allow the whole operation to take, follow curl documentation for full explanation.

* `port`  - http port of tested host, default value is \`80'.

## other variables

This is the list of helpful variables  you may use in swat ini files:

* $resource
* $resource_dir
* $test\_root\_dir
* $hostname
* $http_method

## Alternative swat ini files locations

Swat try to find swat ini files at these locations ( listed in order )

* **~/swat.ini** * home directory

* **$project\_root\_directory/swat.ini** -  project root directory

* **$cwd/swat.my** - custom settings, swat.my should be located at current working directory

## Settings priority table

This table describes all possible locations for swat ini files. Swat try to find swat ini files in order:

    | location                                  | order N     |
    | --------------------------------------------------------|
    | ~/swat.ini                                | 1           |
    | `project_root_directory'/swat.ini         | 2           |
    | `http resource' directory/swat.ini file   | 3           |
    | current working directory/swat.my file    | 4           |
    | environment variables                     | 5           |


In case the same variable is defined more than once at swat ini files with different locations, the file loaded last win:

    curl_params="-H 'Foo: Bar'" # in a ~/swat.ini
    curl_params="-H 'Bar: Baz'" # in a project_root_directory/swat.ini

    # actual curl_params value:
    "-H 'Bar: Baz'"

If you want concatenation mode use name="$name value" expression:

    curl_params="-H 'Foo: Bar'" # in a ~/swat.ini
    curl_params="$curl_params -H 'Bar: Baz'" # in a project_root_directory/swat.ini

    # actual curl_params value:
    "-H 'Foo: Bar' -H 'Bar: Baz'"

In case you need provide default value for some variable use name=${name default_value} expression:

    # port will be set 80 unless it's not set somewhere else
    port=${port:=80} # in a ~/swat.ini

# Hooks

Hooks are extension points to hack into swat runtime phase. It's just files with perl code gets executed in the beginning of swat story.
You should named your hook file as \`hook.pm' and place it into \`resource' directory:


    # foo/hook.pm
    diag "hello, I am swat hook";
    sub red_green_blue_generator { [ qw /red green blue/ ] }
   

    # foo/get.txt
    generator: red_green_blue_generator()
 

There are lot of reasons why you might need a hooks. To say a few:

* define swat generators
* redefine http responses
* redefine http resources
* call downstream stories
* other custom code


# Hooks API

Swat hooks API provides several functions to change swat story at runtime

## Redefine http responses

*set_response(STRING)*

Using set_response means that you never make a real request to a web application, but instead set response on your own side.

This feature is helpful when you need to mock up http responses instead of having them requested from a real web application.
For example in absence of an access to a tested application or if response is too slow or it involves too much data
which make it hard to execute a swat stories often.

This is an example of setting server response inside swat hook:

    # hook.pm
    set_response("THIS IS I FAKE RESPONSE\n HELLO WORLD");

    # get.txt
    THIS IS A FAKE RESPONSE
    HELLO WORLD


Another interesting idea about set\_response feature is a _conditional_ http requests.

Let say we have \`POST /login' request for user authentication, this is a simple swat story for it:

    # login/post.txt
    200 OK
   
Good. But what if you need to skip authentication under some conditions, like if you are already logged in before?
We could write such a code:

    # login/post.txt
    generator:
    $logged_in ? [ 'I am already logged in' : '200 OK' ]

    # login/hook.pm
    if ( ... check if user is logged in .... ){
        set_response('I am already logged in');
    }



## Redefine http resources

*modify_resource(CODEREF)*

To modify existed resource use modify_resource function:

    # foo/bar/baz/ - resource
   
    # hook.pm
    modify_resource( sub { my $resource = shift; s/bar/bbaarr/, s/baz/bbaazz/ for $resource; $resource  } );

    # modified resource
    foo/bbaarr/bbaazz


## Upstream and downstream stories

Swat allow you to call one story from another, using notion of swat modules.

Swat modules are reusable swat stories. Swat never executes swat modules directly, instead you have to call swat module from your swat story.
Story calling another story is named a _upstream story_, story is being called is named a _downstream_ story.
( This kind of analogy is taken from Jenkins CI )


Let show how this work on a previous \`login' example. We need to ensure that user is logged in before
doing some other action, like checking email list:

    # email/list/get.txt
    200 OK
    email list

    # email/list/hook.pm
    run_swat_module( POST => '/login', { user => 'alex', password => 'swat' } )  

    # and finally this is
    # login/post.txt
    200 OK

    # login/swat.ini
    swat_module=1 # this story is a swat module
    curl_params="-d 'user=%user%' -d 'password=%password%'"

Here are the brief comments to the example above:

* \`set_module=1' declare swat story as swat module; now swat will never execute this story directly, upstream story should call it.

* call \`run\_swat\_module(method,resource,variables)' function inside upstream story hook to run downstream story.

* you can call as many downstearm stories as you wish.

* you can call the same downstream story more than once.

Here is an example code snippet:

    # hook.pm
    run_swat_module( GET => '/foo/' )
    run_swat_module( POST => '/foo/bar' )
    run_swat_module( GET => '/foo/' )


* swat modules have a variables

Use hash passed as third parameter of run_swat_module function:

    run_swat_module( GET => '/foo', { var1 => 'value1', var2 => 'value2', var3=>'value3'   }  )

Swat _interpolates_ module variables into \`curl_params' variable in swat module story:


    # swat module
    # swat.ini
    swat_module=1
    # initial value of curl_params variable:
    curl_params='-d var1=%var1% -d var2=%var2% -d var3=%var3%'

    # real value of curl_params variable
    # during execution of swat module:
    curl_param='-d var1=value1 -d var2=value2 -d var3=value3'


Use `%[\w\d_]+%` placeholders in a curl_params variable to insert module variables here

Access to a module variables is provided by \`module_variable' function:

    # hook.pm
    module_variable('var1');
    module_variable('var2');

* swat modules could call other swat modules

* you can't use module variables in a story which is not a swat_module

One word about sharing state between upstream story and swat modules. As swat modules get executed in the same process
as upstream story there is no magic about sharing data between upstream and downstream stories.
The straightforward way to share state is to use global variables :

    # upstream story hook:
    our $state = [ 'this is upstream story' ]

    # downstream story hook:
    push our @$state, 'I was here'
   
Of course more proper approaches for state sharing could be used as singeltones or something else.

## Swat variables accessors

There are some accessors to a common swat variables:

    project_root_dir()
    test_root_dir()

    resource()
    resource_dir()

    http_method()
    hostname()

    ignore_http_err()

Be aware of that these are readers not setters.


## PERL5LIB

Swat adds \`project\_root\_directory/lib' path to PERL5LIB path, which make it easy to add some modules and use them:

    # my-app/lib/Foo/Bar/Baz.pm
    package Foo::Bar::Baz;
    ...
   
    # hook.pm
    use Foo::Bar::Baz;
    ...
   

# Swat runner workflow

This is detailed explanation of swat runner life cycle.

Swat runner script consequentially hits two phases:

* swat stories are converted into perl test files ( compilation phase )
* perl test files are recursively executed by prove ( execution phase )

Generating Test::More asserts sequence

* for every swat story found:

    * new instance of Outthentic::DSL object (ODO) is created 
    * check list file passed to ODO
    * http request is exected and response passed to ODO
    * ODO makes validation of given stdout against given check list
    * validation results are turned into a _sequence_ of Test::More ok() asserts

## Time diagram

This is a time diagram for swat runner life cycle:

* Hits compilation phase

* For every swat story found:

    * Creates a perl test file

* The end of compilation phase

* Hits execution phase - runs \`prove' recursively on a directory with a perl test files

* For every perl test file gets executed:

    * Test::More asserts sequence is generated

* The end of execution phase

# TAP

Swat produces output in [TAP](https://testanything.org/) format, that means you may use your favorite tap parsers to bring result to
another test / reporting systems, follow TAP documentation to get more on this.

Here is example for converting swat tests into JUNIT format:

    swat --formatter TAP::Formatter::JUnit

# Prove settings

Swat utilize [prove utility](http://search.cpan.org/perldoc?prove) to run tests, all prove related parameters are passed as is to prove.
Here are some examples:

    swat -Q # don't show anythings unless test summary
    swat -q -s # run prove tests in random and quite mode

# Misc settings

* swat\_purge\_cache

    * Set to \`1', in case you need to clear swat cache directory, useful when swat tests get run periodically and a lot of cache files are created.
    * Default value is \`0' ( do not clear cache ).

# Swat client

Once swat is installed you get swat client at the \`PATH':

    swat <project_root_dir> <host:port> <prove settings>

# Examples

There is plenty of examples at ./examples directory

# AUTHOR

[Aleksei Melezhik](mailto:melezhik@gmail.com)

# Home Page

https://github.com/melezhik/swat

# Thanks

* to God as - *For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. (Proverbs 2:6)*

All the stuff that swat relies upon, thanks to those authors:

* linux
* perl
* curl
* TAP
* Test::More
* Test::Harness

# COPYRIGHT

Copyright 2015 Alexey Melezhik.

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.
