API Testing & Enhanced Test Configuration

We've added a powerful new perform_request action to our test agent, enabling comprehensive API testing within your E2E testing AI workflows. This bridges the gap between UI-based end-to-end tests and pure API integration tests, letting you verify backend behavior during user workflow testing.

The perform_request action supports all HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE) with full control over headers, request body, and expected status codes. You can extract response data using JSONPath expressions and store results in variables for use in subsequent test steps. This enables sophisticated test scenarios like "create a user via API, then verify they appear in the UI."

For teams practicing shift-left testing, this feature is invaluable for catching third-party failures before they impact users. You can now test payment gateway integrations, authentication flows, and webhook handlers as part of your comprehensive testing pyramid strategy. API tests execute faster than browser-based tests, improving developer velocity when validating backend logic.

The new ActionSelector component provides an intuitive UI for configuring perform_request actions with Monaco code editors for JSON headers and request bodies. This makes it easy to construct complex API test scenarios without writing code, democratizing API testing across your QA team. The component supports over 50 different action types, from basic clicks and fills to advanced scenarios like file extraction and variable validation.

We've officially deprecated the legacy x_act and x_assert functions in favor of the new business-use SDK. This migration provides a cleaner, more intuitive API for instrumenting business-critical workflows with test assertions and observability hooks.

The new SDK uses a simple ensure() function that replaces both act and assert operations with a unified interface. Instead of complex parameter objects, you now pass straightforward arguments like id, flow, run_id, and optional filter/validator lambdas. This makes test instrumentation code more readable and maintainable.

The migration includes comprehensive deprecation warnings that guide developers through the transition. For teams building self-healing tests that adapt to application changes, this cleaner API makes it easier to maintain test intent even as implementation details evolve. The business-use SDK is a key part of our vision for AI in testing—tests that understand business workflows, not just UI mechanics.

The new ActionSelector component is a comprehensive UI system for configuring test actions across 50+ different action types. From basic interactions (click, fill, type) to advanced capabilities (file extraction, API requests, variable manipulation), every action now has a tailored configuration interface.

The component intelligently adapts its UI based on action type. Simple actions like blur show a friendly "no configuration needed" message, while complex actions like perform_request provide rich editors for JSON headers and request bodies. This progressive complexity ensures beginners aren't overwhelmed while power users have full control.

For teams managing complex user workflows across multiple environments, the ActionSelector's support for variables and JSONPath expressions enables sophisticated test scenarios. Extract data from API responses, validate it against criteria, and use it in subsequent steps—all through an intuitive visual interface. This reduces test maintenance burden by making test logic explicit and easy to modify.

This week's testing updates deliver measurable improvements for comprehensive QA operations:

• Full HTTP method support for API testing (GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE)
• JSONPath expressions for extracting and validating response data
• 50+ action types in ActionSelector component enable comprehensive test coverage
• Monaco code editors for JSON headers and request bodies in test configuration
• Variable support enables sophisticated test scenarios with data flow
• Cleaner SDK with unified ensure() function for test instrumentation

These improvements enable powerful hybrid test scenarios that validate both UI interactions and backend behavior. Whether you're testing payment flows, authentication, or webhook integrations, the enhanced testing capabilities give you confidence in your production deployments.

With powerful API testing and enhanced configuration in place, we're now focused on intelligent test optimization. Imagine tests that automatically detect flaky tests and suggest improvements, or AI that generates test cases from user behavior patterns.

The API testing capabilities unlock exciting possibilities for production testing scenarios. We're exploring ways to combine UI-based synthetic monitoring with backend health checks for comprehensive production coverage. This catches production bugs before customers notice, protecting critical revenue-generating workflows.

We'd love to hear how API testing and enhanced test configuration impact your team's testing velocity. Reach out at contact@desplega.ai or schedule a demo to see how desplega.ai helps you build better tests!