API Testing Using MCP Server (End User Guide)

A ready-to-use Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for HTTP API testing, powered by Playwright. This guide helps you install, configure, and run the MCP server locally as an npm package.

📋 Table of Contents

Overview
Prerequisites
Setup
Configurations
Usage
Example scenarios and prompts for MCP server usage
Upcoming enhancements
Troubleshooting
Support

🌟 Overview

The Playwright API MCP Server enables API testing via the Model Context Protocol. It supports GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE requests.

📋 Prerequisites

Node.js: v18.0.0 or higher.
npm: Comes with Node.js.
VS Code: MCP-compatible client.
Github Copilot: Make sure the GitHub Copilot extension is installed and enabled in VS Code.
Watch the video to understand how to enable Github Copilot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etP5wq4Zl20
How to use Github Copilot for free Watch the Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_Aet9ndh_Y

🚀 Setup

Create a Node.js Project in VS Code:
- Create a new folder with a meaningful name (e.g. my-project).
- Open the folder in Visual Studio Code.
- Launch the integrated terminal (via View > Terminal).
- Choose your preferred shell (e.g. Git Bash, Command Prompt, or PowerShell).
- Run the following command to initialise the project:
```
npm init -y
```
- This will generate a package.json file with default settings
Install the MCP Server Package
- Now, run the below command to install the mcp server package.
```
npm i @automate-io/api-testing-mcp@latest
```

⚙️ Configurations

Open your project folder in VS Code
If the mcp.json file does not already exist, create it inside the root/.vscode/ directory. If the file is already present, you can skip this step

Add the api-testing-mcp configuration under the servers key in the mcp.json file, as shown below

{
  "servers": {
    "api-testing-mcp": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["node_modules/@automate-io/api-testing-mcp/dist/server.js"],
      "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}"
    }
  },
  "inputs": []
}

❗Important Note:If you are working in a monorepo, ensure the args field in your mcp.json file is correctly configured. Refer to the Monorepo MCP Configuration guide for detailed instructions.
If your test code resides in a standalone repository, no changes are needed, you are good to go.

📖 Getting started with MCP testing

Start the MCP Server

Click the highlighted start button in the mcp.json file as shown below to start the MCP server.

Input the prompt

Open GitHub Copilot chat window in VS Code with Agent mode selected.
Enter a prompt that outlines the API you wish to test.

✅ Example scenarios and prompts for MCP server usage

Scenario 1 : To test all endpoints in one go.
Scenario 2 : To test a single endpoint.

⏭️ Upcoming enhancements

Implement schema validations for response payloads
Add reusable resources to support API testing workflows
Introduce predefined prompts to streamline common scenarios
Provide a sample HTML test report template to guide LLm about the layout and formatting
Refactor existing logic and implement robust error handling to improve reliability and maintainability

🔧 Troubleshooting

Server not running?
Double-check your MCP client configuration.

Module not found?
Reinstall the package:

npm i @automate-io/api-testing-mcp@latest

🆘 Support

Review this guide and your MCP client documentation.
For issues, open GitHub Issues here.
Consult Model Context Protocol Documentation.

@automate-io/api-testing-mcp

Quick Install