Postman is one of the most successful tools used in API examination. It began in the year 2012 as a small project to analyze and interpret API workflow in trial and improvement. API means Application Programming Interface which enables software to interact with each other through API requests. Postman enables users to collaborate with their partners within Team Workspaces.
In this Postman API tutorial, you will learn how to collaborate and give their collections, settings, integrations, account, Postman commands, methods, and much more. Postman allows users to create collections for various APIs. Each collection can generate new subfolders and many requests.
This assists in building the test suites. Collections and settings can be carried or transported, making it manageable to share files. This post will take you through the tutorial for beginner and advanced developers for sending the first requests, APIs, integration, and collaboration.
- Sending the First Request
- How to Create Documentation for a New Collection?
- How to Generate and Integrate the Postman API Key?
- Use PDF.co API and Document Parser Integrated with Postman
- How to Import Postman Collection JSON on Postman?
- API Responses
- How to Authenticate and Integrate?
- How to Troubleshoot the Requests in Postman?
- Troubleshooting the Requests
- How to Use Audit Logs?
- How to Migrate to the Current Version of the Postman?
- Postman Video Guide for Beginners
Sending the First Request
In Postman, one can send requests to call and join APIs. These calls can recover, add, delete, and update information. This tool is useful for developing or analyzing or examining API, or mixing with a third-party API to send requests.
These requests can transfer parameters, support features, and any data challenge. An API call enables users to get data from a data source. It also enables data transfer. APIs operate on web servers and show endpoints to help the services client apps utilize to implement their functionality.
In the Postman Dashboard, all the requests are saved in the History section. The received replies can also be saved when users select to transfer the requests. The various requests can be explored instantly by clicking on the request name.
Each API call applies an HTTP mode. The most basic techniques are GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, and PATCH.
- GET methods to recover or get data from an API.
- POST is responsible for sending new data to an API.
- PATCH and PUT are used for updating existing data.
- DELETE is used to eliminate current data.
To send the first API call, follow the following given instructions:
- Open Postman and click the + plus icon to open a new tab.
- After that, enter postman-echo.com/get in the URL domain.
- Now, click Send. You will recognize the JSON data reply from the server in the below pane.
The following image is displaying how to send requests.
How to Create Documentation for a New Collection?
In Postman, Collections are a collection (group) of saved requests. These requests can be organized in folders. Documents can be created from the Postman launch interface or by clicking the New button and selecting the API Documentation option. For this, create a new collection option will be chosen by default. Users can add any first requests they want to document within their new collection and click Next.
In Postman, to create documents, go to the Postman launch screen and then click on the New button, and after that, select the API documentation. In this whole process, the “create a new collection” option is the default option, and it is automatically selected. After this, click next and then click Save.
How to Generate and Integrate the Postman API Key?
The Postman API endpoints allow users to combine Postman within the development environment. One can append new collections, renew current collections, update settings, and combine and run monitors immediately through the API.
This allows users to access information and data collected in the Postman account. One can begin with the API through the Run in Postman button and apply the Postman app to grant requests. Here you will require an API key to enter the Postman API. For this, you require a legitimate API Key to transfer requests to the Postman API endpoints.
Go to the web dashboard and then select a workspace and open Integrations. After this, find the Postman API and click View Details.
Now, click the Generate API key and insert a name for the key, and click. Once keys have been created then you can control them within the configured workspace. The user-generated APIs can be added to a Postman marketplace makes them more versatile.
Learn Postman with this API testing tutorial.
Use PDF.co API and Document Parser Integrated with Postman
Here, you will learn how to use Postman for API and how to run API in Postman. For example, the Document Parser (Template and Rules-Based Extraction) of PDF.co has been successfully integrated with the Postman marketplace. This API parses and extracts data from documents using an earlier processed system data extraction template. With this API method, users may obtain information or data from custom fields, by research, form fields, tables, various pages, and more! To achieve this, you have to use GET or POST requests.
This PDF.co is a complete collection of PDF tools. It includes Merge and split reports. Generate PDF from Word, Excel files, JPG and PNG images, and links. It can also convert PDF to XLS, CSV, JSON, XML, and much more.
How to Import Postman Collection JSON on Postman?
Find out how you can use PDF.co Web API and Postman integration and import the Postman Collection JSON. Later, you will learn how to set up your Postman environment using various PDF.co API endpoints in order to extract PDF from HTML and more.
Here are the first 3 steps you need to complete:
- Install Postman
- Download Postman Collection JSON
- Make sure that you have your API Key ready
To get your API Key, you will need a free account with PDF.co. Once signed in, you will see your API key in the dashboard.
After the preparations, first thing is to open Postman and click the Import button in the top-left corner.
Secondly, upload the Postman Collection JSON file you downloaded when doing the preparations.
Then import the file. Once done, you will be able to see it under the Collections Tab.
Now you are all set to set up your Postman environment and start with your first PDF conversions. To learn more about how to convert HTML to PDF with PDF.co and Postman – check out this detailed tutorial.
API Responses
Postman gives a codable method to describe the request responses visually. Visualization code attached to the Tests for a request will execute in the Visualize tab.
To visualize the response data, users have to add code to the Pre-request. To achieve this, users have to add the pm.visualizer.set() method to their visualizer code to the data and display it in the Visualize tab when the request executes. The pm.visualizer.set() method receives a template. This template is called Handlebars. The method accepts this template string as its first parameter. The second parameter should be the information users want to apply to display.
How to Authenticate and Integrate?
Authentication of API is necessary. In Postman, the API can be authenticated by sending an API key in the X-Api-Key header of every request. For example, the API key allows the Postman data to be accessible. This key can be saved in a set variable, and the Postman API group applies it automatically.
Integrations can be accessed in the workspace. For this, go to the workspace in the dashboard and select Integrations. After this, select Browse Integrations and then Click View Details. You will see an overview of the integration. This can be added to your workspace.
How to Troubleshoot the Requests in Postman?
Building requests is one of the most important topics. For example, if you want to build requests to a client application such as a web app then to execute this you can post one request to get the file of accessible products. After this, one more call to build a new order and a separate request to log a client into their account.
In Postman, developers can post requests to link to APIs. These requests can recover, join, delete, and update the data or information. The developers can build and test their API, or they can also integrate with a third-party API. These requests can transfer parameters, permission information, and any other data. When programmers post a request, Postman will present the reply derived from the API server in a process that allows developers to analyze, reflect, and if needed troubleshoot it.
Troubleshooting the Requests
Postman will show any whitespace or wrong characters in portions of the request that may not work as anticipated so that programmers can improve the entered values. In this, they will understand the characters mentioned in the request system, URL, parameters, and body. The following image is displaying that if the Postman fails to post the requestor does not get a reply then developers will notice details describing the error. To accomplish this, simply Click View in Console to view the summary of the request and know the source of the problem.
How to Use Audit Logs?
The idea of audit logs is easy. When a modification is implemented to a method, it connects with a shift in the system’s performance. That development should be recorded in an audit log. Audit logs record prominent team functions. An admin can analyze audit logs to discover various things such as when users were assigned to the team, when users accepted an offer to join a team and which user executed a particular activity. To use audit logs, in your workspace, click Settings, and select “Audit logs”. Now, the Audit Logs page will display the classified data. The following image is displaying the audit logs page.
How to Migrate to the Current Version of the Postman?
Sometimes it is necessary for team users to migrate from the older version to the next one. The team users can migrate to Postman v7 to get more robust and more role-based access to Postman’s characteristics. The migration choice is limited to the Team Leaders. The Postman team members who are not on Postman v7 can contact the Administrator to migrate to Postman v7. The following image is displaying the migration and update message.
To migrate, administrators can go to the dashboard and then migrate to Postman v7. Just Click Migrate my team to v7 and the Postman will automatically execute the next necessary steps required for the migration. To update the Postman v6 to Postman v7, simply go to Settings > Update > Check for Updates. Linux users can update the postman by executing the following commands.
sudo snap switch --channel=latest/stable postman sudo snap refresh postman
Postman Video Guide for Beginners
In our Postman API tutorial video, you will see a handy visualization of what has been learned here. Learn Postman quickly & easily!
