Spring MockMvc: Assert Json field is either an empty array or not existed

Question

I'm using MockMvc to test an API which returns JSON content, and that JSON may contain a field called shares as an empty array, or may not be existed at all (I mean shares field).

JSON sample:

{
    "id":1234,
     .....
    "shares":[]
}

//or

{
    "id":1234,
    ....
}

How can I assert that this field is either empty or not existed

like:

mvc.perform(
    post("....url.......")
        .andExpect(status().is(200))
        // I need one of the following to be true, but this code will assert both of them, so it will fail
        .andExpect(jsonPath("$.shares").isEmpty())
        .andExpect(jsonPath("$.shares").doesNotExist())

Kevin M · Accepted Answer · 2021-04-27 15:27:22Z

5

This is how you can check that the field does NOT exist in the json payload.

.andExpect(jsonPath("$.fieldThatShouldNotExist").doesNotExist())

If you wanted to be able to test for if it exists and is empty OR it doesn't exist, you'd have to write your own custom Matcher to create an XOR like behavior. See this answer as a guide. Testing in Hamcrest that exists only one item in a list with a specific property

answered Apr 27, 2021 at 15:27

Kevin M

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Comments

marcello · Accepted Answer · 2020-06-09 02:07:15Z

2

If you have something like this:

{ "arrayFieldName": [] }

You can use:

.andExpect( jsonPath( "$.arrayFieldName", Matchers.empty() );

that is cleaner.

answered Jun 9, 2020 at 2:07

marcello

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2 Comments

Kevin M Over a year ago

This doesn't catch the case where the field is not in the json body.

Gerardo Cauich Over a year ago

Even though this doesn't answer the original question, I found this useful.

i.bondarenko · Accepted Answer · 2019-08-28 15:37:33Z

1

Have a look at JsonPath OR condition using MockMVC

.andExpect(jsonPath("$.isPass", anyOf(is(false),is(true))));

answered Aug 28, 2019 at 15:37

i.bondarenko

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Comments

John-OOO · Accepted Answer · 2023-07-12 18:49:05Z

0

In order to catch the case where the field isn't in the json body at all, you can use doesNotHaveJsonPath():

.andExpect(jsonPath("$.fieldThatShouldNotExistOrEvenBeNull").doesNotHaveJsonPath())

So if your shares field isn't present in the body, this matcher will pass. If it is present, this matcher will fail.

answered Jul 12, 2023 at 18:49

John-OOO

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Comments

Dharman · Accepted Answer · 2020-03-17 15:21:15Z

-1

import static org.hamcrest.collection.IsEmptyCollection.empty;

.andExpect(jsonPath("$.isPass",empty() ));

edited Mar 17, 2020 at 15:21

Dharman♦

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answered Mar 17, 2020 at 14:35

Yang Yongjie

11

1 Comment

Kevin M Over a year ago

This doesn't catch the case where the field is not in the json body.

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