Getting Started with httprunner 4.x for API Automation Testing in Python

httprunner 4.x is a powerful Python framework for API automation testing, offering improved asynchronous support, concise YAML/JSON test case formats, and robust parameterization features.

Step 1: Install httprunner

Ensure Python 3.7+ is installed, then run:

pip install httprunner

Step 2: Create a test case

Define a test case in YAML (or JSON). Example:

# testcases/simple_get.yml
config:
  name: Simple GET request
  base_url: https://httpbin.org
  verify: False
teststeps:
  - name: GET request
    request:
      url: /get
      method: GET
      params:
        hello: world
    validate:
      - eq: [status_code, 200]
      - eq: [headers.Content-Type, "application/json"]

This test sends a GET request to https://httpbin.org/get and validates the status code and Content‑Type header.

Step 3: Run the test case

httprunner run testcases/simple_get.yml

Typical output:

TestRunner: testcases/simple_get.yml
Total tests: 1
Ran 1 test in 0.123s, 8.120 tests/s
Summary:
- success: 1
- failure: 0
- error: 0
- skipped: 0
- total: 1

Step 4: Parameterized testing

Use lists or files as parameter sources. Example:

# testcases/param_test.yml
config:
  name: Parameterized test
  parameters:
    - user:
        username: ["user1", "user2"]
        password: "secret"
  base_url: https://httpbin.org
  verify: False
teststeps:
  - name: Login with different users
    variables:
      username: $user.username
      password: $user.password
    request:
      url: /post
      method: POST
      json:
        username: $username
        password: $password
    validate:
      - eq: [status_code, 200]

Run it with:

httprunner run testcases/param_test.yml

Step 5: Use environment variables

Define variables in a .env file, e.g.:

BASE_URL=https://api.example.com

Reference them in a test case:

# testcases/env_test.yml
config:
  name: Environment test
  base_url: $BASE_URL
  verify: False
teststeps:
  - name: GET request using env var
    request:
      url: /get
      method: GET
    validate:
      - eq: [status_code, 200]

Execute with:

httprunner run testcases/env_test.yml

Step 6: Generate an HTML test report

Run the test with the --html option to produce a report:

httprunner run testcases/simple_get.yml --html reports/report.html

Conclusion

httprunner 4.x provides a flexible framework for Python API testing; by following these steps you can quickly create, run, and report on test cases, and later extend them with advanced assertions, hooks, and logging as needed.