Request Dimensions and Variants

A request dimension (or just a dimension) is a variable aspect of a request. A variant is an option inside a dimension. What is a variable aspect of a request is decided by you as the tester of an API. The following are examples of common request dimensions:

Dimensions	Variants	Variables	Explanation
Stage	Testing, Production	The API URL for the stage	APIs have different URL per stage.
Caller identity	Bob, Alice	The user id of the test user	The tester wants to test an API with different caller identities and credentials.
Owner identity	Bob, Alice	The user id of the resource owner	The API resources are owned by users, and the tester wants to test getting the resources of different owners.

This document describes how to create and use request dimensions and variants.

Creating a dimension

To create a new request dimension in Inflight

1. Click on "Dimensions" on the main navigation (under "Requests").
2. Click on ... next to the project name and select "New Dimension".
3. Enter the dimension name (for example, IP Version) in the dialog box and click on "Create" (or press Enter key).

The new dimension shows up in the list of dimensions.

Creating variants

After creating a new dimension, we need to create variants inside that dimension. The following is an example of creating 2 variants for the "IP Version" dimension we just created.

1. Click on ... next to the IP Version dimension and select "New Variant".
2. In the dialog box enter IPv4 and press the Enter key. Inflight opens the new variant in a new tab.
3. In the variant UI, click on "Add variable":
   • For name, enter subdomain
   • For value, enter ipv4

We repeat the same steps for the second variant:

1. Click on ... next to the IP Version dimensions and select "New Variant".
2. In the dialog box enter IPv6 and press the Enter key. Inflight opens the new variant in a new tab.
3. In the variant UI, click on "Add variable":
   • For name, enter subdomain
   • For value, enter ipv6

Using dimensions

This section describes how to use the dimension we just created:

1. Start a new request by clicking on + (or "New request")
2. For the request URL, enter https://{{subdomain}}.google.com.
   • The {{subdomain}} is called a request variable.
   • You can add multiple variables to a variant; however, all variants within a dimensions usually have the same variables.
   • The request variables are replaced by the value of selected variant when the request is sent.
3. At the bottom of Inflight UI, click on IP Version dimension. This opens a list of available variants.
4. Select a variant and click Send to send the request.

Request variables

We've seen request variables in the previous section. This section provides a few more details about request variables.

• Request variables have the format {{name}}, where name is the name of the variable.
• When a variant is selected, Inflight automatically combines the variables in all the selected variants and resolve request variables.
• If a variable is not defined in any of the selected variants, then the variable is unresolved and Inflight shows that variable in red; otherwise, the variable is resolved and is displayed in blue.
• All request variable need to be resolved before a request can be sent; otherwise Inflight shows an error that a value is not resolved.

Update operations

In addition to adding variables to variants, dimensions and variants also supports the following update operations that can be accessed using the object menu (...):

• Rename
• Delete
• Duplicate

When a dimension is deleted, all the variants inside that dimensions are deleted.

When dimensions or variants is updated, Inflight automatically recalculate the variables from all the selected variants.

Inflight uses internal ids to track dimension and variants; therefore, the rename operation does not affect selected variants. The UI will be updated accordingly.