rspec-request-testing

Request specs test full-stack API behavior by making HTTP requests to your endpoints and verifying responses. Create specs under `spec/requests/`, use RSpec to define GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE tests, then run `rspec` to validate status codes, JSON payloads, and authentication flows.

Yes. Request specs verify both authenticated and unauthenticated access scenarios. Test login flows, token validation, header handling, and permission checks by making requests with and without credentials, then assert the expected status codes and response behavior.

Request specs inspect the parsed JSON response to verify schema, field presence, and data types. Define expectations for payload structure, then make requests and assert the returned JSON matches your contract, catching format mismatches before production.

Request specs cover error scenarios by sending invalid parameters, missing headers, or unauthorized requests, then asserting error status codes and response messages. This catches missing validations and ensures consistent error behavior across your API.

Yes. Request specs validate parameter handling by passing limit, offset, filter, and sort parameters to endpoints, then verifying paginated responses and validation errors. This ensures your API correctly processes and returns filtered data.

Request specs test the full request/response cycle, including routing, middleware, authentication, and serialization—catching integration issues unit tests miss. They provide test-first coverage for the complete API contract, not just individual methods.