Skip to content
Postman API Testing Tips

How To Use Api Key And Secret In Postman

API Testing Blog

How to Use API Keys and Secrets in Postman for API Testing

API keys and secrets are essential for securing APIs and controlling access to sensitive data. Postman, a popular API testing platform, provides several methods for managing and utilizing these security elements during testing. This guide will walk you through different techniques for integrating API keys and secrets into your Postman requests.

1. Adding API Keys as Headers

One common method to authenticate API requests is by including an API key as a header parameter. Here’s how to do this in Postman:

  1. Open a new Postman request.
  2. Navigate to the “Headers” tab.
  3. Click the “Add” button.
  4. Enter the key name and value:
    • Key: Authorization
    • Value: Bearer <your_api_key> (replace <your_api_key> with your actual API key)

Example:

{
  "method": "GET",
  "url": "https://api.example.com/users",
  "header": [
    {
      "key": "Authorization",
      "value": "Bearer 1234567890abcdef"
    }
  ]
}

2. Using Environment Variables for API Keys

To streamline your testing with multiple API keys or to keep sensitive information secure, environment variables are a powerful tool.

  1. Create a new environment in Postman.
  2. Add a new variable with the name of your API key.
  3. Set the value of the variable to your actual API key.
  4. In your request, replace the hardcoded API key with the variable name using double curly braces (e.g., {{api_key}}).

Example:

{
  "method": "GET",
  "url": "https://api.example.com/users",
  "header": [
    {
      "key": "Authorization",
      "value": "Bearer {{api_key}}"
    }
  ]
}

Environment Variables:

{
  "id": "api_testing",
  "name": "API Testing Environment",
  "values": [
    {
      "key": "api_key",
      "value": "1234567890abcdef"
    }
  ]
}

3. Employing API Keys in URL Parameters

Some APIs accept API keys as query parameters in the URL.

  1. In your request URL, add a query parameter with the API key:
    • https://api.example.com/users?api_key=<your_api_key>

Example:

{
  "method": "GET",
  "url": "https://api.example.com/users?api_key={{api_key}}"
}

4. Utilizing Postman Collections

Postman Collections allow you to group and organize your API requests.

  1. Create a new Postman collection.
  2. Add your API requests to the collection.
  3. Set the environment for the collection.
  4. Run the collection using the environment variables for API keys.

Example:

  • Within your collection’s requests, use environment variables for API keys like {{api_key}}.
  • When running the collection, choose the appropriate environment with the correct API key values.

5. Implementing Basic Authentication

Basic authentication is another common authentication mechanism for API testing.

  1. Go to the “Authorization” tab in your request.
  2. Select “Basic Auth”.
  3. Enter your API key as the username and secret key as the password.

Example:

  • Username: your_api_key
  • Password: your_api_secret

6. Handling API Secrets Securely

Storing API secrets directly within Postman requests is generally discouraged. Instead, consider these best practices:

  • Use environment variables: Store secrets in dedicated environments for appropriate access control.
  • Leverage secret management tools: Use tools like HashiCorp Vault or AWS Secrets Manager to securely manage and access secrets.
  • Utilize Postman’s built-in secret storage: Postman offers a secure storage option for sensitive credentials.

Example:

  • Store secret values using environment variables: {{api_secret}}.
  • Access these values during testing or within a Postman collection.

Conclusion

Mastering the use of API keys and secrets within Postman is vital for effective and secure API testing. Postman provides a comprehensive set of tools and features for managing authentication mechanisms, environment variables, and secret storage. By implementing these techniques, you can streamline your testing workflows, protect sensitive information, and ensure the reliability of your API integrations.

API Testing Blog