How To Use Postman To Test Api In Salesforce

Getting Started with Postman for Salesforce API Testing

Postman is a powerful tool for testing APIs, and Salesforce offers a wide range of APIs for interacting with its data and functionality. This guide will walk you through the steps of using Postman to test Salesforce APIs, providing practical examples and code snippets to get you started.

1. Setting Up Your Salesforce Environment

Before you can test Salesforce APIs, you need a Salesforce developer account and an API access token.

• Create a Salesforce Developer Account: If you don’t have one already, create a free developer account on the Salesforce website.
• Generate an API Access Token:
  • Go to your Salesforce Developer Console (usually accessible from the Setup menu within Salesforce).
  • Navigate to Settings > Security > OAuth Policies.
  • Create a new Connected App with the necessary permissions for the APIs you want to test.
  • Generate an access token and store it securely (do not share it publicly).

2. Installing and Configuring Postman

1. Download and Install: If you haven’t already, download and install Postman from the official website (https://www.postman.com/).
2. Create a New Request: Open Postman and create a new request.
3. Set the Request Method: Choose the appropriate HTTP method (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, etc.) based on the API operation you’re testing.
4. Enter the Salesforce API Endpoint: The basic Salesforce API endpoint is usually https://[instance].salesforce.com/services/data/v[version]/. Replace [instance] with your Salesforce instance name (e.g., na15) and [version] with the desired API version.
5. Add Authentication:
   • Authorization Type: Select “OAuth 2.0.”
   • Token Name: Provide a descriptive name for the token (e.g., “Salesforce Access Token”).
   • Grant Type: Select “Authorization Code.”
   • Client ID and Client Secret: Enter your Connected App’s Consumer Key (API Key) and Consumer Secret from the Salesforce Developer Console.
   • Authorization URL: Use https://login.salesforce.com/services/oauth2/authorize
   • Token URL: Use https://login.salesforce.com/services/oauth2/token
   • Scope: Enter the Salesforce API scopes you need to access (e.g., api for basic API access or specific scopes like full or web).
   • Get New Access Token: Click “Get New Access Token” in Postman to generate a new access token using the provided credentials. You should see the token in the “Token” section, which will be used for subsequent API requests.

3. Testing Salesforce API Endpoints with Postman

Example 1: Getting a List of Accounts (GET Request)

1. Endpoint: https://[instance].salesforce.com/services/data/v[version]/sobjects/Account
2. Method: GET
3. Authorization: Make sure your Salesforce access token is set up in the Authorization tab of Postman.
4. Headers: You can leave the headers as default, or optionally add the Accept header with the value application/json if you want the response in JSON format.
5. Send Request: Click “Send.” You should receive a JSON response listing all the accounts in your Salesforce organization.

Example 2: Creating a New Contact (POST Request)

1. Endpoint: https://[instance].salesforce.com/services/data/v[version]/sobjects/Contact
2. Method: POST
3. Authorization: Make sure your Salesforce access token is set up in the Postman Authorization tab.
4. Headers:
   • Content-Type: application/json
5. Body:

   {
     "FirstName": "Jane",
     "LastName": "Doe",
     "Email": "jane.doe@example.com"
   }

6. Send Request: Click “Send.” You should receive a response with details about the newly created contact, including the Id.

Example 3: Updating an Existing Contact (PATCH Request)

1. Endpoint: https://[instance].salesforce.com/services/data/v[version]/sobjects/Contact/[ContactId] (Replace [ContactId] with the ID of the contact you want to update)
2. Method: PATCH
3. Authorization: Make sure your Salesforce access token is set up in the Postman Authorization tab.
4. Headers:
   • Content-Type: application/json
5. Body:

   {
     "Email": "jane.doe.updated@example.com"
   }

6. Send Request: Click “Send.” You should get a confirmation response about the updated contact.

4. Organizing and Managing Your Tests

• Collections: Create collections in Postman to organize your API tests. This allows you to group related requests and run them together (including dependent requests).
• Environments: Define environments in Postman for variables like your Salesforce instance name, API version, and access tokens. This helps keep your tests flexible and avoids hardcoding sensitive values.
• Assertions: Use Postman’s built-in assertion tools to verify your API responses.
• Test Scripts: Add JavaScript test scripts to your requests for more complex validation logic. Postman’s ecosystem provides useful testing libraries for this.

5. Using Postman with Salesforce APIs: Key Considerations

• API Versioning: Always use a specific version of the Salesforce API in your requests. Salesforce’s API is constantly evolving, and previous versions may be deprecated.
• Error Handling: Understand how Salesforce handles errors in its APIs and include error handling in your test scripts. This might involve using response status codes, checking for specific error messages, or using Postman’s built-in error handling mechanisms.
• Data Limits: Salesforce has limits on the number of requests and data you can retrieve through APIs. Be aware of these limits and adjust your request frequencies and data retrieval strategies accordingly.
• Testing Scenarios: Develop a comprehensive test suite that includes a range of scenarios, including:
  • Positive Tests: Valid inputs and expected responses
  • Negative Tests: Invalid inputs, error conditions, and boundary cases
  • Integration Testing: Testing how the API interacts with other Salesforce components or external systems.

By following this guide, you can effectively utilize Postman for thorough testing of Salesforce APIs, ensuring your integration processes are robust and accurate.