Raw body (text, XML) in Postman - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is a raw body in API testing?

A raw body is the exact text or data sent in the request payload without any formatting or encoding. It can be plain text, XML, JSON, or other formats.

beginner

How do you send XML data in Postman using the raw body?

In Postman, select the 'Body' tab, choose 'raw', then select 'XML' from the dropdown. Paste your XML content directly into the editor to send it as the request body.

intermediate

Why is it important to set the correct Content-Type header when sending raw XML data?

Setting the Content-Type header to 'application/xml' tells the server to interpret the request body as XML. Without it, the server might misinterpret the data, causing errors.

beginner

What is a common mistake when sending raw text or XML in API requests?

A common mistake is forgetting to set the Content-Type header or using the wrong format, which can cause the server to reject or misinterpret the request.

intermediate

How can you validate that your raw XML body is correctly formatted before sending it in Postman?

You can use online XML validators or Postman's built-in syntax highlighting to check for well-formed XML. Proper indentation and closing tags help avoid errors.

In Postman, which option do you select to send raw XML data in the request body?

A Body > form-data > XML

B Body > raw > XML

C Headers > raw > XML

D Params > raw > XML

To send raw XML, you choose the Body tab, then raw, and select XML from the dropdown.

What Content-Type header should you set when sending XML data?

A application/json

B text/plain

C application/xml

D multipart/form-data

The correct Content-Type for XML data is application/xml.

What happens if you send raw XML without setting the Content-Type header?

A The server may misinterpret or reject the data.

B The request automatically converts to JSON.

C The server always accepts it without issues.

D The request body is ignored.

Without the correct Content-Type, the server might not understand the data format.

Which of the following is NOT a valid raw body format in Postman?

A Text

B XML

C JSON

D SQL

SQL is not a raw body format option in Postman; raw supports Text, XML, JSON, and others.

Why should you validate your XML before sending it in Postman?

A To ensure the XML is well-formed and avoid server errors.

B To convert XML to JSON automatically.

C To compress the XML data.

D To encrypt the XML content.

Validating XML ensures it is correctly structured, preventing errors during processing.

Explain how to send a raw XML body in Postman and why setting the Content-Type header is important.

Think about the steps in Postman and the role of headers.

Describe common mistakes when sending raw text or XML in API requests and how to avoid them.

Focus on what can go wrong and how to fix it.