Run API tests in your CI/CD pipeline using Postman

The goal of continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) is to deliver frequent software updates that provide value for users. At the same time, it’s important to maintain software quality. Running API tests automatically during the build process helps to ensure that every code change is ready for production.

The Postman CLI enables you to run your test collections and monitors as part of your CI/CD pipeline. Using the Postman CLI, you can run your tests and monitor their results every time there’s a push to your code repository. After the pipeline runs, you can view a detailed test report in Postman.

Configure Postman CLI test runs

To run tests as part of the CI/CD pipeline, first create a Postman Collection with the tests you want to run. Then use Postman to generate a code snippet you can include in your CI/CD pipeline configuration. The Postman CLI runs your test collection and monitor each time your pipeline runs.

Run collections

To configure your CI/CD pipeline to run a test collection, do the following:

1. Select Collections in the sidebar, then select the collection or folder you want to run in your CI/CD pipeline.
2. Click Run.
3. On the Functional tab, select Automate runs via CLI.
4. Under Run on CI/CD, select Configure command.
5. Select the collections you want to run and an optional environment. Also select your CI/CD provider and operating system.
6. Click Copy Postman CLI Command to copy a code snippet you can add to your CI/CD pipeline configuration.

Learn more at Run a collection in CI/CD.

Run monitors

To configure your CI/CD pipeline to run a monitor, do the following:

1. Click Monitors in the sidebar, then create or edit a monitor.
2. Under Run, select Postman CLI to only run the monitor when triggered by the Postman CLI.
3. With paid plans, you can monitor internal APIs using runners. Under Runners, select Manually Select, then select one of your team’s runners from the list. If there are no runners in the list, contact your Admin to create and set up a runner in your team.
4. Continue configuring your monitor, and click Create Monitor.
5. Select the monitor you created earlier.
6. Select View more actions > Run using Postman CLI in the upper right of the workbench.
7. Click Copy to clipboard to copy the commands you can add to your CI/CD script.

Learn more at Run a monitor using the Postman CLI.

View Postman CLI test results

After configuration, Postman runs your tests as part of your CI/CD pipeline. Results display on the command line and show the number of tests that passed and failed. You can also view the results of CLI runs in Postman.

Collection runs results

To view the results of a Postman CLI test run, do the following:

1. Select Collections in the sidebar, then select the collection or folder you want to view results for.
2. Select the Runs tab, then select the Functional tab. CLI runs are labeled Postman CLI in the Source column.
3. Hover over a CLI run and click View Report to view the complete test results.

Learn more at View past runs.

Monitor results

To view the results of a Postman CLI monitor run, click Monitors in the sidebar, then select the monitor you want to view results for.

Learn more at View monitor results.