Jackal tools core

Jackal tools is an utility core library that manipulates Postman collections.

This library has multiple features distinguished by the command parameter (see below). It combines collection items from Postman collections located in the source folder and appends into the target collection. The application is mainly focused on collection feature aggregations, and maintenance of single collections. All merge commands are using one output collection from many source collections, and the rest of the commands are one input collection to one output collection.

How to use it

Installing npm module

npm i jackal-postman

Using it in code

const jackal = require("jackal-postman");
//As one function call with a "command" parameter
const executionMessage = await jackal.run("clr", "inputFile.json", "./sourceFolder", "outputFile.json", "./test/file1.json,./test/file2.json");

Alternatively you can use each function separately from version 1.2.0 and up

//Alternative for "ts" command
const executionMessage = jackal.testsSmart("inputFile.json", "outputFile.json");
//Alternative for "t200" command
const executionMessage = jackal.tests200("inputFile.json", "outputFile.json");
//Alternative for "clr" command
const executionMessage = jackal.cleanRequests("inputFile.json", "outputFile.json");
//Alternative for "clv" command
const executionMessage = jackal.cleanVariables("inputFile.json", "outputFile.json");
//Alternative for "mv" command
const executionMessage = await jackal.mergeVariables("inputFile.json", "./sourceFolder", "outputFile.json", "./test/file1.json,./test/file2.json");
//Alternative for "mr" command
const executionMessage = await jackal.mergeRequests("inputFile.json", "./sourceFolder", "outputFile.json", "./test/file1.json,./test/file2.json");
//Alternative for "mc" command
const executionMessage = await jackal.mergeCollections("inputFile.json", "./sourceFolder", "outputFile.json", "./test/file1.json,./test/file2.json");
//Alternative for "mev" command
const executionMessage = await jackal.mergeVarsToEnvironment("inputFile.json", "./sourceFolder", "outputFile.json", "./test/file1.json,./test/file2.json");
//Alternative for "amcv" command
const executionMessage = jackal.appendMissingVariables("inputFile.json", "outputFile.json");
//Alternative for "arph" command
const executionMessage = jackal.appendRequestHash("inputFile.json", "outputFile.json");
//Alternative for "ged" command
const executionMessage = jackal.generateDescriptions("inputFile.json", "outputFile.json");
//Alternative for "emd" command
const executionMessage = jackal.exportMDDescription("inputFile.json", "outputFile.md");

How does it work

Merging commands

Merge commands take initial file (or start with blank if not provided), take the features from the source folder collections or the set of provided collections and insert the features. The altered content is then saved in the output file.

Altering commands

Altering commands take initial file, perform the command and save the altered content in the output file.

Commands options

Command	Meaning	Behavior
mv	Merge collection variables	Merges all variables from all source folder collections in the collection variables of the output collection
mev	Merge collection variables in an environment file	Merges all collection variables from all source folder collections to an output environment file. If no source environment is specified, a blank one will be used as starting point
mr	Merge collection requests	Merges all requests from all source folder collections into the output collection, collection variables are not transfered, only requests
mc	Merge collection in folders	Merges each collection requests from all collections (from the source folder) in a separate folder in the output collection. Collection variables with this command are setup in the PreRequest script of each requests folder
ts	Append smart test assertions	Adds response validation asserts to all requests of the source collection and saves to the output collection. Smart tests are generated by using the saved responses as examples in the collection. This command analyses the saved responses and creates tests to match those values. Currently this command supports only JSON and XML response testing. With this command, the sourceFolder is not used
t200	Append HTTP 200 test assertions	Adds test asserts (to check if response HTTP code is 200) to all requests of the source collection and saves to the output collection. With this command, the sourceFolder is not used
clr	Remove duplicate requests	All repeating occurrences of absolutely the same requests (including name) will be removed, only one will remain. The remaining instance is the first occurrence that the cleanup algorithm encounters while analyzing. Scope of comparing duplicates is the whole collection with all folders and subfolders. With this command, the sourceFolder is not used
clv	Remove unused collection variables	Removes all unused collection variables from the collection. It goes through the whole collection and looks for used variables. Then removes all collection variables that are not referenced anywhere in the collection. With this command, the sourceFolder is not used
arph	Append request payload hash	Appends code in PreRequest code that hashes the request body with hashPassword variable value. This hash is then added to the request as PayloadHash header.
amcv	Append missing collection variables	Appends missing collection variables that are referenced in any request, but are not present in the collection. With this command, the sourceFolder is not used
gmd	Generate MD descriptions in collection	Generates MD descriptions on collection and requests, the description is in MD format and is saved in the output collection file. This command saves the MD descriptions in the collection file. To export these descriptions in a separate MD file use emd. With this command, the sourceFolder is not used
emd	Export MD document from collection	Creates summary Markdown document from all the collection descriptions. This feature does not automatically generate descriptions. It only collects descriptions of all elements of the collection and creates one summary Markdown file. With this command, the sourceFolder is not used

Commands can be combined by executing them one after the other and using the output collection of the first execution as a source collection of the next execution.

Parameters

Input file

inputFile is considered any existing postman collection or postman environment file. This will will be the starting point to enhance with Jackal commands

Source folder

sourceFolder is a path on a local drive that will be used as a source of collections whos features will be added to the inputFile, see the commands above for more info.

NOTE: the scanning of files in this folder is not recursive, only the *.json located directly into this folder will be considered for usage.

Source collections

sourceCollections is a substitute for sourceFolder. It is suppose to be a list of collection files separated with comma (,). If this parameter is present in the function call, the sourceFolder value is ignored.

Output file

outputFile is a path where we want the resulting collection/environment to be saved by the Jackal. This location should be accessible by the Jackal. This parameter is required in all use cases.

Commands and needed parameters

❓ = Optional ✔️ = Required ❌ = Not used

Command	inputFile	sourceFolder or sourceCollections	outputFile
mv	❓ Blank collection	✔️	✔️
mev	❓ Blank environment	✔️	✔️
mr	❓ Blank collection	✔️	✔️
mc	❓ Blank collection	✔️	✔️
clr	✔️	❌	✔️
clv	✔️	❌	✔️
t200	✔️	❌	✔️
ts	✔️	❌	✔️
arph	✔️	❌	✔️
amcv	✔️	❌	✔️
gmd	✔️	❌	✔️
emd	✔️	❌	✔️

NOTES

• The application will only append Collection Variables in the Output collection
• You can use the Output collection as a Start collection, in this case only the new variables will be added and the Start collection will be overwritten
• Source of Collection Variables/Requests are all the collections located in the Source folder
• Duplicate (name and value) variables will not be added in the collection multiple times
• If values are different in two same named variables then both will be added to the Output collection
• Empty variables are not added
• When using ts command, the source collection must have saved responses as examples, otherwise the generation does not work, there is nothing go analyze
• When using the t* commands, the source collection is not altered in any way other than appending test assertions in the Test part of requests only. The assertions are added beside existing Test code.
• This application does not alters source collections, the changes are only streamed to the output collection.
• The mev command works with environment files, both the source and the output files are not collection files, but Postman environment files
• sourceCollections is a substitute for sourceFolder. The commands that need these values at least one is mandatory (either or). It is useless to specify both, specifying sourceCollections overrides the sourceFolder value.
• clr and clv are removing features from the inputFile and saves the cleaned up file in the outputFile
• arph is self contained, it will not cause any problems if added and some values missing in the collection like thehashPassword