Advanced request matching

You can match resources to requests using attributes such as the HTTP method, path, query string, headers or body (both JSON and XML supported).

Matching on HTTP method, path, query string or headers

See Configuration for details of matching on HTTP method, path, query string or headers.

Matching on JSON body

You can match a resource based on a JsonPath query of a JSON request body.

Only JSON request bodies are supported for the feature.

Specify the match configuration using the requestBody.jsonPath property of a resource.

Here you specify a JsonPath expression, and the value it must match.

For example:

resources:
- method: GET
  path: /example1
  requestBody:
    jsonPath: $.foo
    value: bar
  response:
    statusCode: 204

This example will match a request body like this:

{ "foo": "bar" }

Unmatched or null JsonPath expressions

If the result of evaluating the JsonPath expression is null or if the path evaluates to non-existent property in the body, then it is considered null.

You can explicitly match a null value, as follows:

resources:
- method: GET
  path: /example2
  requestBody:
    jsonPath: $.not-matching-example
    value: null
  response:
    statusCode: 409

Note: the YAML keyword null indicates a null value, not the string literal "null"

Matching on XML body

You can match a resource based on a XPath query of a XML request body.

Only XML request bodies are supported for the feature.

Specify the match configuration using the requestBody.xPath property of a resource.

Here you specify a XPath expression, relevant namespaces, and the value it must match.

For example:

resources:
- method: GET
  path: /example1
  requestBody:
    xPath: "/env:Envelope/env:Body/pets:animal/pets:name"
    value: "Fluffy"
    xmlNamespaces:
      env: "http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/"
      pets: "urn:com:example:petstore"
  response:
    statusCode: 204

This example will match a request body like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<env:Envelope xmlns:env="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/">
  <env:Header/>
  <env:Body>
    <pets:animal xmlns:pets="urn:com:example:petstore">
      <pets:name>Fluffy</pets:name>
    </pets:animal>
  </env:Body>
</env:Envelope>

Note: although this example uses a SOAP envelope, any valid XML body can be matched.

Reusing XML namespace definitions

Instead of specifying the namespace definitions for each XPath expression, you can define them once at the top level of the configuration:

plugin: rest

resources:
- method: GET
  path: /example1
  requestBody:
    xPath: "/env:Envelope/env:Body/pets:animal/pets:name"
    value: "Fluffy"
  response:
    statusCode: 204

- method: GET
  path: /example2
  requestBody:
    xPath: "/env:Envelope/env:Body/pets:animal/pets:name"
    value: "Paws"
  response:
    statusCode: 400

# XML namespaces shared by all XPath expressions
system:
  xmlNamespaces:
    env: "http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/"
    pets: "urn:com:example:petstore"

Unmatched or null XPath expressions

If the result of evaluating the XPath expression is null or if the path evaluates to non-existent property in the body, then it is considered null.

You can explicitly match a null value, as follows:

resources:
- method: GET
  path: /example-nonmatch
  requestBody:
    xPath: "/env:Envelope/env:Body/pets:animal/pets:nothing"
    # tilde is YAML for null
    value: ~
    xmlNamespaces:
      env: "http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/"
      pets: "urn:com:example:petstore"
  response:
    statusCode: 409

Note: the YAML keyword null indicates a null value, not the string literal "null"

Using multiple request body matchers

You can use multiple request body matchers for a resource. Using the allOf or anyOf conditions controls how the matchers are combined.

All matchers must match

resources:
- method: GET
  path: /example1
  requestBody:
    allOf:
    - jsonPath: $.foo
      value: bar
    - jsonPath: $.baz
      value: qux
  response:
    statusCode: 204

At least one matcher must match

resources:
- method: GET
  path: /example1
  requestBody:
    anyOf:
    - jsonPath: $.foo
      value: bar
    - jsonPath: $.baz
      value: qux
  response:
    statusCode: 204

Body match operators

Body matchers support a number of operators to control how the match is performed.

For example:

resources:
- method: GET
  path: /example1
  requestBody:
    jsonPath: $.foo
    value: bar
    operator: NotEqualTo
  response:
    statusCode: 400

Note If no operator is specified, then EqualTo is used.

The following operators are supported:

Operator	Description
EqualTo	Checks if the expression result equals the value.
NotEqualTo	Checks if the expression result does not equal the value.
Exists	Checks if the expression result is not null or empty.
NotExists	Checks if the expression result is null or empty.
Contains	Checks if the expression result contains the value.
NotContains	Checks if the expression result does not contain the value.
Matches	Checks if the expression result matches the regular expression specified in the value field.
NotMatches	Checks if the expression result does not match the regular expression specified in the value field.

Resource matching performance

Resource matching is typically the fastest method of providing conditional responses. This is the case for request properties such as headers, query parameters, path parameters, path and HTTP method. In the case of using JsonPath or XPath to query the request body to conditionally match resources, however, the body must be parsed, which is computationally expensive and will result in lower performance.