{"revision":"c10276e953456835cdbb1f3a60d58ae1980be353","document":{"id":1815,"path":"application-development/automated-test-framework-atf/rest-test-steps.md","title":"REST test steps","bundle":null,"doc_type":null,"release":"australia","body":"\n# REST test steps\n\nTest custom inbound web services and backwards compatibility by making REST calls.\n\nREST requests can only be sent to the current instance. You cannot send a request to another instance or third-party at a remote address.\n\nThe REST test configuration only supports the XML and JSON response formats. Binary formats are not supported.\n\nYou can create tests that include steps from each of the test step configuration categories. The REST test configuration category contains the Send REST Request - Inbound and assert test configurations. Assert steps must immediately follow a **Send REST Request - Inbound** step. You can have multiple REST assert steps following a **Send REST Request - Inbound** step, but the assert steps cannot be separated from the **Send REST Request - Inbound** step by steps from other test categories. For more information about the REST test steps, see [REST category](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/application-development/automated-test-framework-atf/test-steps-rest-category.md).\n\n## Authentication\n\nAs part of the Automated Test Framework, there are two situations when you send REST requests:\n\n-   When you use the REST API Explorer to create and test a request\n-   When you run a test that contains a **Send REST Request - Inbound** step\n\nWhen you use the REST API Explorer to create and test a request, and the request requires authentication, the REST API Explorer uses your credentials. When the ATF runs the test, the REST API Explorer uses the credentials of the user who scheduled the test. This means that a test might fail unintentionally because of the difference in privileges between the user who created the test and the user who runs the test.\n\nTo address the issue of user credentials, you can create a basic-authentication profile for a test user and then on the **Send REST Request - Inbound** form, specify that the profile be used when the test is run.\n\n**Parent Topic:**[Server test steps](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/application-development/automated-test-framework-atf/server-test-steps.md)\n\n"}}