What it does
REST Assured is a Java library for testing REST services from a JVM test suite. Its fluent request-and-response syntax lets a test define an HTTP call and assert the returned status or values in JSON and XML bodies. The Getting Started guide covers adding the library through Maven or Gradle and using JsonPath or XmlPath, making it a fit for code-level API checks rather than a standalone API exploration application.
Add REST Assured as a test dependency to the Maven or Gradle project that owns the API checks. A test can build a request, make a call to the service under test, and chain assertions against the status code and selected response fields. For JSON responses, the documentation's JsonPath support lets a test target a value in the returned structure instead of comparing an entire response string; XmlPath serves the corresponding XML use case.
This approach keeps API expectations beside the application's Java tests and lets the existing test runner report failures with the rest of the suite. The project still needs a reachable test endpoint, a Java test framework, and fixtures or credentials appropriate for that environment. REST Assured sends requests to the target service; it is not a mock server and does not provide the service being tested.
The upstream project uses Apache License 2.0. The official pages reviewed explain the library setup but do not establish a separate paid service or commercial tier.
Strengths
- The fluent Java DSL supports assertions about HTTP status and selected values in JSON or XML responses.
- Official setup guidance describes Maven and Gradle dependencies, plus JsonPath and XmlPath modules.
- API checks can run as part of the same Java test suite as the code that consumes the service.
Watch out for
- REST Assured is a Java test library, so the test project needs a JVM build and runner as well as an endpoint to exercise.
Best for
- Java teams that want API contract and response assertions in their existing automated test suite
- Checking status codes and selected JSON or XML values from a REST endpoint
Sources
- REST Assured (Oct 25, 2026)
- GettingStarted (Oct 25, 2026)
- LICENSE (Oct 25, 2026)