Add expectations and extract values

Decide when a step passes and carry a value from one step into the next.

In short

Each step of a suite is judged by its request's checks until you give it expectations of its own. An extract rule reads a value from one step's answer into a variable that later steps use.

Before you start

Who: Edit on the project. Run reads and runs only.
Plan: every plan.
First: open the suite and run it once so there are answers to read from.

Steps

Open the suite and the step.
Choose an expectation (see the table). Choose "Same as the request's checks" to follow the request again.
Add any further checks; they are listed under "Also checks".

Press "Extract a value" and set the rule: a JSON path such as $.data.id against the body, or a header name.
Use it in later steps as {{variable}} in the URL, headers, parameters or body.

Result: the step passes or fails by its own expectation, and later steps get the value.

Good to know

A step's own checks replace the request's; they are not added to them.
Checks the simple choice cannot show, such as a JSON field, a header or a response time, are listed under "Also checks".
Beside a response, "Save to a suite" adds the checks it suggests to a step, without duplicating one that is there.
Step variables are values you set before a step runs. Mark one secret and it is hidden in results and exports.

If something goes wrong

A later step sends {{variable}} as text: the extract rule found nothing. Check its path against the earlier step's answer.
A step passes although the body is wrong: its expectation only looks at the status. Add a check under "Also checks".