Test Flows

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Overview of Test Flows

The “Test Flow” feature in Sparrow is designed to enable users to build and manage comprehensive test sequences for API behavior validation within their projects. This functionality is crucial for verifying API performance under various conditions and scenarios.

Different Ways to Add Test Flows

There are several methods to add a Test Flow connection in your application. Below are the primary approaches:

1. From Main Screen

Users can easily add a Test Flow connection directly from the main screen of the application. This method provides a straightforward interface, allowing for quick setup without navigating through multiple menus.

2. From the Left-Panel Section

Users can also add a Test Flow from the left panel for quick access.

Steps:

• Open the application.
• Click the "+" button present on the left side of the panel.
• Select the "Add Test Flow" option from the dropdown.

3. From the Test Flows Section

Users can also add a Test Flow from the Test Flows section.

Steps:

• Open the application.
• Click the "Test Flow" option present on the left side of the panel.
• Click on the "+ Add New Flow" option.

Default Test Flow Interface

When the user clicks on "Add Flow," they will be directed to the Test Flow home page. This page includes several key elements:

• Flow Name: A field to enter the name of the test flow.
• Save and History Buttons: Options to save the current flow and view the history of previously created flows.
• Start Button: This button initiates the test flow execution.
• Add Block Button: Users can click this to add new blocks, allowing for the inclusion of multiple steps or scenarios within the test flow.

How to Create a Test Flow

1. Open the Sparrow Application: Launch the Sparrow application on your device.
2. Click on "+ Test Flow": On the main menu, select the "+ Add Test Flow" option.

3. Add a Block: Click on the Add Block button to open a new block for adding APIs.

4. Select REST API: You can either drag and drop the REST API from the left panel or choose the required REST API from the dropdown menu in the block (Collection-Folder-REST API).

5. Proceed to the Next Step: Click the Next button to continue adding the selected REST API to the flow.

6. Add API to the Flow: Complete the process by adding the selected REST API into the test flow.

How to Edit or Delete API Blocks

Users have the capability to edit or delete API blocks within the test flow. Editing allows users to modify existing APIs to better fit their testing needs. If a block is no longer required or relevant, users can easily delete it, ensuring that the test flow remains organized and focused. This functionality enhances the flexibility and efficiency of managing test flows.

Edit/Change the API Present in the Block

To edit or change the API present in a block, follow these steps:

1. Click on the API: Select the API present in the block that you wish to change.

2. Select New API Location: Choose the location of the new API by selecting the appropriate collection and folder.
3. View Updated API: The newly updated API will appear in that block, reflecting your changes.

Delete the Block

To delete a block, follow these steps:

1. Click on the Three Horizontal Dots: Select the three horizontal dots present on the block that you want to delete.
2. Choose the Delete Option: Click on the Delete option from the menu.

3. Confirm Deletion: A delete pop-up will appear. Click on Delete to confirm your action.

4. Impact on Subsequent Blocks: If there are blocks following the deleted block, then those blocks will be connected to previous available block automatically.

How to Execute Created Test Flows

To execute the created test flow, you can use one of the following options:

1. Use the Run Button: After adding blocks to the flow, a Run button will appear in the user interface. Click on this Run button to execute the specific block within the flow.

When you run the test flow, each block will execute sequentially. If the API call in a block is successful, that block will be highlighted in green, indicating a successful execution. Conversely, if the API call fails, the block will turn red, signaling an error in the execution. This color-coding helps users quickly identify the status of each step in the test flow.

Upon completion of the Test Flow execution, a toast message will be displayed, indicating the number of tests that passed and the number that failed.

How to Analyze Test Flows Results

Execution Time and Status Code

After the execution of each block, users will receive detailed information about the status code of the API call and the execution time measured in milliseconds. This data helps users assess the performance and reliability of each API request within the test flow.

Detailed Execution History

After execution, if you want to see the detailed response of a specific block, simply click on that block. This action will display the request and response details, allowing you to review the results. You will also be able to perform various operations similar to those available in a REST API tool, enhancing your ability to analyze and troubleshoot the API interactions.

How to View the Test Flows History

To view the previous execution history, simply click on the See History button located in the top right corner. The history will then open below, displaying all previous execution details.

How to Save the Test Flows

To save the test flow, click on the Save button located in the top right corner. A success toast message will appear once the test flow is saved, confirming the action. You will then be able to see the saved flow in the left-hand side panel under Test Flows.

Dynamic Expressions in Sparrow

Dynamic expressions in Sparrow allow you to seamlessly chain multiple API requests by referencing and extracting data from previous API responses. This is especially useful when working with multi-step workflows where one request’s output becomes another request’s input.

Where You Can Use Dynamic Expressions

Dynamic expressions can be inserted into nearly any part of your API request:

URL, Query Parameters, Headers, Body, and Auth.

These expressions dynamically pull values from previously executed API blocks, making your requests context-aware and reducing manual effort.

Getting Started with Dynamic Expressions

Step 1: Locate and Click the fx Button

• In any editable field (URL, headers, body, etc.), click on the fx icon.
• This opens the Insert Dynamic Content Modal, where you can craft expressions or insert dynamic values from previous responses.

Step 2: Expression Editor

The Expression Editor allows you to use JavaScript-like syntax to build complex dynamic values.

Example:

$$ Block_1.response.body.data.accessToken.token + " - Updated"

This example extracts the accessToken field from the response of Block 1, then appends " - Updated" to it.

You can use string manipulation, math operations, conditionals, and more in this editor.

Step 3: Insert Dynamic Content

Within the Dynamic Content tab of the modal:

• Navigate through your previous API blocks.
• Select a specific field to inject into the current request.

This inserts placeholders like: $$Block_1.response.body.data.accessToken.token

You can also use:

• Environment Variables for dynamic configurations.
• Global Variables shared across all flows.

Step 4: Use Built-in Functions

The Functions tab includes useful helpers to manipulate strings, numbers, and other types of data.

| Function | Description Example | toUpperCase() | Converts string to uppercase | toUpperCase("hello") → "HELLO" | | trim() | Removes leading/trailing whitespace | trim(" test ") → "test" | | parseInt() | Converts a string to integer | parseInt("42") → 42 | | Math.random() | Returns a float between 0 and 1 | Math.floor(Math.random() * 10)

Combined Example:

$$Block_1.response.body.data.accessToken.token.toUpperCase()

This convert the Block 1 access token to uppercase.

Step 5: Run Preview

Before inserting the expression:

• Click the Run Preview button.
• This lets you evaluate the result of your expression in real-time.
• Confirm correctness and ensure no runtime errors or undefined values.

Step 6: Insert into Request

Once you're satisfied with the preview output:

• Click Insert Dynamic Content
• The resolved or placeholder expression will be inserted into the appropriate field (body, URL, header, etc.)

Running the Complete Flow

Once all blocks are set up and connected:

Click the “Run” Button

• Executes each block sequentially.
• Resolves all dynamic content and expressions on the fly.
• Passes relevant output data between the blocks.

This is especially helpful for:

• Authentication + usage (login → token → use token)
• Create + update + fetch workflows
• Pagination and search flows

Best Practices & Tips

• Use clear block names for readability in expressions.
• Test each block independently before chaining.
• Use Run Preview to catch logic issues early.
• Validate all referenced fields actually exist in the response.
• Use || fallback operators in case values are undefined.

Example with fallback:

$$Block_3.response.body.email || "default@example.com"

Conclusion

Dynamic expressions in Sparrow empower you to build flexible, maintainable, and data-driven workflows across your API test collections.

By combining previous responses, helper functions, and expression evaluation, you can eliminate hardcoding and automate your entire flow.

Schedule Run Management

Schedule Run Management enables you to automate test execution at predefined times or intervals, eliminating the need for manual intervention.
By configuring when and how frequently your tests run, selecting execution environments, and setting up notifications, you can maintain consistent test coverage and quickly identify issues through automated monitoring.

Key Features

• Time-based scheduling
• Environment configuration
• Notification alerts
• Multi-recipient email notifications
• Parallel execution support

Benefits

• Consistent Testing
• Early Issue Detection
• Shared Awareness
• Better Resource Utilization
• Enhanced Collaboration
• Improved Efficiency

How Sparrow Implements It

1. Access Schedule Run – Open it from inside the test flow or from the options menu of your created test flow.
2. Name and Environment – Enter a descriptive schedule name and select your target environment from the dropdown.
3. Run Configuration – Choose your execution frequency: Once, Daily, Hourly, or Weekly.
4. Set Timing – Configure the start date, execution time, and frequency based on your selected run type.
5. Configure Notifications – Add recipient email addresses and select your preferred notification options (success, failure, or both).

Ideal Use Cases

• Execute comprehensive test flows every night to identify breaking changes early.
• Run scheduled tests before releases to verify build quality and stability.
• Automate health checks for live endpoints to catch downtime or performance degradation.

How to Add a Scheduled Run

Follow these steps to create and configure a scheduled test execution:

Step 1: Access Schedule Run

Open the Schedule Run feature using one of these methods:

• Navigate to your test flow and click the Schedule Run option from within the test flow window.
• Locate your test flow in the list and select Schedule Run from the options menu.

Step 2: Name Your Schedule

A pop-up menu appears. Enter a descriptive name for your schedule that clearly identifies its purpose.

Example:

• "Daily Regression Tests"
• "Hourly API Health Check"

Step 3: Select Environment

Choose the target environment where the test should execute from the dropdown menu.

Available options:

• Development
• Staging
• Production
  (or as configured in your workspace)

Step 4: Choose Run Configuration

Select the frequency at which your test should run:

• Once – Execute at a single specified date and time
• Daily – Run every day at a set time
• Hourly – Execute at regular intervals throughout the day
• Weekly – Run on specific days of the week at a specified time

Step 5: Configure Timing

Set the scheduling details based on your selected run configuration:

For Once:

• Select the date when the test should run
• Set the time for execution
  

For Daily:

• Set the time when the test should run each day
  

For Hourly:

• Define the interval (e.g., every 1 hour, every 2 hours)
• Set the start time for the schedule
  

For Weekly:

• Select the days of the week (e.g., Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
• Set the time for execution on selected days
  

Step 6: Add Email Recipients

Enter the email addresses of team members who should receive notifications about test results.

To add multiple recipients:

• Type the first email address and press Enter or add a comma
• Continue adding additional email addresses as needed

When clicking the email field:

• A dropdown appears showing existing workspace members.
• If no members are added to the workspace, a message “No members available” is displayed.

• If an invalid email address is entered, an error appears saying “Please enter a valid email address” upon clicking the Schedule Run button.

Step 7: Configure Notification Preferences

Select which notifications you want to receive:

• On Failure Only – Receive notifications only when tests fail
• On Every Run (Success/Failure) – Receive notifications for all test outcomes

Step 8: Schedule Run

Click the Schedule Run button to activate your scheduled test execution.

Successful Schedule Creation

Your test flow will now execute automatically according to the configured schedule.
Notifications will be sent to all specified recipients.
A message saying “New Schedule Created Successfully” appears in green at the bottom-right corner of the screen.

Failed Schedule Creation If a schedule fails to be created due to missing required fields or validation errors:

• A red error notification appears at the bottom-right corner.
• Verify all fields are filled correctly and resubmit to ensure successful execution.

Schedule Run Management

Schedule Run

Schedule Run for Test Flows = Automated execution of test cases at scheduled times.

Simple definition: Running your test flows automatically at preset intervals instead of manually triggering them each time.

Purpose:

• Run tests regularly (nightly, weekly) to catch issues early
• Automate regression testing
• Continuous testing without manual effort

Examples:

• Run all API tests every night at 12 AM
• Execute smoke tests after every deployment
• Run full test suite every Sunday at 2 AM

Benefits:

• Saves time - no manual test execution
• Consistent testing - never forget to run tests
• Early bug detection - catch issues before production

Auto-Update: Test Flow Changes Apply to Scheduled Runs

Click on the Test Flow you wanted to change. If a test flow has an active schedule, A banner appears when a schedule is set to inform the user that updating the test flow will impact the scheduled runs.

View Scheduled runs

Click on the Scheduled run to see the list of all the runs scheduled by the user.

Details Regarding the List

Schedule Name

Displays the schedule name along with its run frequency details.
Example: “Daily Regression Tests – Runs every 2 hours”

Status

An Active/Inactive toggle that enables or disables the schedule without permanently deleting it.

Active

• Toggle: Switch is ON (enabled)
• Indicator: Shows the schedule is currently running and will execute at scheduled times
• Tooltip (on hover): “Turn off to pause future runs”

Inactive (Paused)

• Toggle: Switch is OFF (enabled but turned off)
• Indicator: Row remains visible with “Paused” status displayed in subtle grey tone
• Tooltip (on hover): “Turn on to resume future runs”
• Behavior: Schedule is temporarily disabled but can be reactivated at any time

Expired (Completed)

• Toggle: Switch is disabled and greyed out (non-interactive)
• Indicator: Displays “Completed” status in muted color
• Tooltip (on hover): “This schedule has completed all its runs and cannot be reactivated”
• Behavior: One-time schedules that have already executed cannot be resumed or modified

Environment

An environment is a configuration set that defines variables, base URLs, and settings for executing API requests in different contexts such as development, staging, or production.

Normal State

• Displays the selected environment name

No Environment

• Displays “None” in muted text
• Indicates no environment has been configured for this schedule

Next Run

Displays the scheduled time for the upcoming test execution.

Active Schedule

• Shows the upcoming run time with date and time details
  Example: “Today, 3:30 PM” or “Oct 2, 2025, 10:00 AM”

Inactive Schedule

• Displays “Paused” status
• Tooltip (on hover): “This schedule is currently paused. Resume to enable future runs.”

Expired Schedule

• Displays “Completed” status
• Tooltip (on hover): “No more runs. Scheduled runs are completed after last run on Sep 8, 2025, 4:00 PM.”

Last Run Result

Displays a quick summary of the most recent test execution with color-coded status indicators.

Status Indicators

Passed

• Indicates all tests passed in the last run
• Display: Green tag with “Passed” label

Failed

• Indicates all tests failed in the last run
• Display: Orange tag with “Failed” label

Partially Failed

• Indicates some tests passed while others failed
• Display: Yellow tag with “Partially Failed” label

Error

• Run failed due to execution error, not test failure
• Display: Red/error tag with “Error” label
• Tooltip: “Run did not complete due to an execution error”

Additional Information

Hover Behavior

Hovering over any last run result displays a tooltip with deeper insights including:

• Success/failure count breakdown
• Average response time

Shows a quick summary of the most recent test execution with success or failure indicators.
Hover for detailed insights:

• Success/failure counts
• Average response time

Actions

Scheduled Run Actions allow users to manage their scheduled runs through the Actions button (Run Now, Edit, or Delete).

• Run Now: Executes the schedule immediately, bypassing the configured timing.
• Edit: Opens the schedule configuration to modify settings such as timing, environment, or notifications.
• Delete: Permanently removes the schedule from the system.

Schedule Run

Real-Time Filtering: Search works in real-time as users type, matching schedules are instantly displayed. No Results State: If no match is found, showing a simple message "No results found".

Activate/Deactivate the Scheduled Runs

The toggle switch allows you to temporarily pause scheduled test executions without losing your configuration.

Steps to Activate/Deactivate

Step 1: Click on the Scheduled run of the Test flow you want to Activate/Deactivate.

Step 2: To Activate the Scheduled run:

1. Turn on the toggle switch to activate the Scheduled run. Now the Schedule run is Active.

Active Schedule Toggle switch is ON.
Tooltip (on hover): "Turn off to pause future runs"

To Deactivate the Schedule run

1. You can turn off the toggle switch to Deactivate the Scheduled run.

Inactive (Paused) Schedule

• Toggle switch: OFF
• Indicator: Row remains visible with "Paused" status displayed in subtle grey tone
• Tooltip (on hover): "Turn on to resume future runs"

Expired Schedule

• Toggle switch is disabled and greyed out (non-interactive).
• Status displays as "Completed".
• Tooltip (on hover): "This schedule has completed all its runs and cannot be reactivated"

Actions on the Scheduled runs

Run Now

Clicking Run Now triggers an immediate execution of the schedule. This action does not affect future scheduled runs.

Steps to Run now (For Active/Inactive/Expired Schedules):

1. Hover over and click the Action option on the desired Schedule.

2. Click on Run now option to run the Schedule of the desired test flow. When Run Now is triggered, the Last Run Result field is replaced with a loading spinner to indicate the test execution is currently in progress. “Run started successfully” notification appears at bottom of the tab.

   

After execution completes, the Last Run Result field updates automatically to display the outcome with the appropriate status tag (Passed, Failed, Partially Failed, or Error).

3. Clicking Run Now redirects users to the Test Flow tab and immediately executes the selected flow with standard execution behavior.

For Inactive Schedules

Step 1:

Hover over and click the Action option on the desired Schedule of the Test flow you wanted to run.

Step 2:

Click on Run Now option to run the Schedule of the desired test flow.
When Run Now is triggered, the Last Run Result field is replaced with a loading spinner to indicate the test execution is currently in progress.
A “Run started successfully” notification appears at the bottom of the tab.

Step 3:

The Run has now started successfully.

Running an Expired Schedule

1. Hover over and click the Action option on the desired Schedule of the Test flow you wanted to run.
2. You can click on Run Now option from the menu to run the Schedule.

Edit Schedule

Clicking Edit on a schedule redirects users to the Edit Schedule page, with all existing configuration settings pre-filled.

Steps to Edit a Schedule:

1. Hover over to the Actions menu in the desired Scheduled run and click on it. An Action menu appears with Run Now, Edit, and Delete options.

2. Click on the Edit option in the menu. When the user clicks Edit on a schedule, they are navigated to the Edit Schedule page with all existing configuration details pre-filled.

3. You can edit the details of the Configuration of the selected schedule like Name, Environment, Run Configuration, Email recipients etc.

4. You can click on Save Changes button present at the bottom of the tab to save all the made changes to the configuration.

5. A notification appears confirming the schedule got saved successfully.

• Failure: “Failed to save schedule. Please try again” notification appears.If you encounter an error when saving your schedule, carefully review all configuration steps to ensure complete and accurate information, then resubmit to successfully save the schedule.

Delete Schedule

The Delete action permanently removes a schedule and all its associated configuration settings from the system. A confirmation dialog appears before deletion.

Steps to Delete a Schedule:

1. Hover over to the Actions menu in the desired Scheduled run and click on it. An Action menu appears with Run Now, Edit, and Delete options.

2. Click on the Delete option. A pop up appears with the message: "Are you sure you want to delete '[Schedule Name]' scheduled run? This will remove all future runs and delete all associated results permanently. This action cannot be undone."

3. Click on Delete option to delete the Schedule or Cancel to close the pop up. Upon clicking Delete in the confirmation dialog, the schedule is immediately and permanently removed from the system. The user is redirected back to the schedules list, where the deleted schedule no longer appears. A success notification may briefly display confirming the deletion was completed.

In case of Failure to delete the schedule. Try again the process for successful deletion.

Single Schedule page

The Single Schedule Page displays comprehensive details and management options for an individual scheduled test flow. This dedicated page provides complete visibility into the schedule's configuration, execution history, and performance metrics.

• Clicking on the test flow name (e.g., "User management flow") opens the test flow in a new tab.
• After selecting a particular schedule from the Scheduled run list, you can view the Test results and Configuration of that specific Schedule.

Components

Test result - Empty

The empty state appears when a schedule has been created but hasn't executed any test runs yet.

• It displays a clock icon with a message informing users that results will automatically populate after the first scheduled execution.
• Users can optionally click Run Now to trigger an immediate execution.

Test Results - Filled

The Test Results tab displays a chronological history of all executed test runs for the schedule, providing quick visibility into execution outcomes and performance metrics.

Components

Run Time

• Displays the execution date and time.
• Shows run type: "Schedule Run" for automated executions or "Manual Run" for Run Now triggers.
• Sortable by clicking the column header.

Status

• Completed (green badge) – Run finished successfully.
• Error (orange badge) – Run failed due to execution error (not a test failure).

Total Request

• Shows the number of API requests executed in the run.
• Example: "3 Requests"

Result

• Passed Count (green badge) – Number of successful tests.
• Failed Count (orange badge) – Number of failed tests.
• Execution Time – Total duration in milliseconds (ms).
• Example: "1 Passed | 2 Failed | 100 ms"

Actions

• Three-dot menu for additional options (view details, re-run, etc.).

Additional Features

• Pagination – Shows page status (e.g., "1-8 of 8") with an items-per-page selector (10 per page).
• Navigation – Previous/next page controls are available at the bottom-right.
• Click to View – Click any row to see detailed test results and logs.
• Manual vs Scheduled – Clear distinction between automated and manually triggered runs is maintained.

Configuration

• On clicking on the Configuration tab, you can observe the configuration settings of the schedule. You can edit it and save the changes.

• Active Scheduled Runs: The run frequency details appear directly below the test flow name (e.g., "Run every 2 hours").

• Inactive Scheduled Runs: It is shown as Paused in the Tab. A message is visible: “This schedule is currently paused. Resume to enable future runs.”

Run Now

Run Now is a quick action button that allows users to manually trigger an immediate execution of the scheduled test flow. It is also called as Manual Run.

Click on Run Now to initiate the Manual run of the Test flow.

• Executes the test flow instantly using all current schedule settings.
• Does not affect the next scheduled run time.
• Uses the latest version of the test flow.
• Upon completion, results are automatically added to the Test Results history.

Testflow Schedule Run history.

Any completed test result can be accessed through the Test Results section of a Test Flow.

Step 1: Click on the Test Flow, Select the Scheduled Test flow you want to see the Results for and Click on the Test Results to see its history of Test Results.

Step 2: When a user clicks on a specific run result, they are redirected to the Run Result tab.

Run Result Tab Overview

The Run Result tab provides a visual representation of the entire test flow using a canvas layout.

• Flow Visualization: The canvas displays the sequence of executed blocks.
• Block Interaction: Clicking on an individual block opens its detailed view (request and response data).
• Readable Format: All data is presented in a structured and readable format.

Refresh Schedule

When a user clicks the Refresh button (Top right side), the system re-fetches the latest available data.

Step 1: Click on the Test Flow, Select the Scheduled Test flow you want to see the Results for and Click on the Test Results to see its history of Test Results.

Step 2: When a user clicks the Refresh button, the system initiates a data reload process.

• A loader animation is displayed.

Step 3: Once the loader completes, the Test Results are displayed in the same tab.

• Case 1 (No results): If no run results are available, the results view will remain empty.

• Case 2 (Updated list): By clicking the Refresh button, the list is updated to display the most recent results.