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Reuse data in tests with variables

TL;DR​

Variables are created in the variable menu or in javascript steps, and can be called in any field using the {{var}} syntax. You can also call inline javascript using that syntax, including in variable declaration. It's frequent to use faker to generate random data.

Declare a variable​

You can declare a variable in the variable menu. A variable needs a unique name and a definition. The definition can be a value, or a javascript code snippet between {{}}.

Defining a variable from the UI

You can also declare variables from javascript steps using the Heal.variables.set("varName","value") object.

Inline javascript​

You can use inline javascript as variable definition. Inline javascript can be called by putting it inside brackets {{}}. Inline javascript is limited to a single line of code and is ran in isolation. It can access the following libraries:

  • faker, a popular library to generate random data
  • SSN to generate random social security numbers
Avoid circular dependencies!

Variables can call other variables, but make sure to avoid circular dependencies as they will result in errors.

Examples:

  • Type text {{faker.internet.email()}} on the email field
  • Type text {{faker.person.firstName()}} on the first name input
  • Click on the {{faker.helpers.arrayElement(['Pr.', 'Dr.', 'Mr.'])}} button in the title section
  • Type text a variable: {{var1}} and another variable: {{var2}} on the input field

Calling a variable from a step​

Variables can be called in any step using the {{var}} syntax. The following fields support variables:

  • The target of left click, type text, hover, select, go to URL
  • The value of type text and select
  • Assertions

System variables​

The following variables are system variables and cannot be overriden:

  • runId: the id of the current run
  • attempt: the current attempt count. Heal retries runs up to 3 attempts in case of crash
  • email: the catchall email of the current run. This email can be used for receiving emails.