aid: schemathesis
name: Schemathesis
description: >-
  Vocabulary and taxonomy for Schemathesis property-based API testing concepts,
  configuration options, test checks, and integration patterns.
version: '1.0'
created: '2026-05-02'
modified: '2026-05-02'
tags:
  - API Testing
  - Property-Based Testing
  - Schemathesis

terms:
  - term: Schemathesis
    definition: >-
      An open-source property-based API testing tool that automatically
      generates test cases from OpenAPI and GraphQL schemas using the Hypothesis
      framework to find bugs and specification violations.
    category: Tool
    url: https://schemathesis.io

  - term: Property-Based Testing
    definition: >-
      A testing methodology where test inputs are automatically generated from
      property specifications (schemas, type constraints, value ranges) rather
      than manually authored. Tools like Hypothesis generate hundreds or
      thousands of inputs to find edge cases.
    category: Testing Methodology
    aliases:
      - Generative Testing
      - Fuzzing (schema-driven)

  - term: Schema-Driven Fuzzing
    definition: >-
      A form of API fuzzing where test inputs are constrained by schema
      definitions (type, format, enum, pattern) rather than fully random
      mutation. Schemathesis uses schema-driven fuzzing for targeted, meaningful
      test case generation.
    category: Testing Methodology

  - term: Hypothesis
    definition: >-
      A Python property-based testing library that Schemathesis uses as its
      test generation engine. Hypothesis shrinks failing test cases to minimal
      reproduction examples.
    category: Dependency
    url: https://hypothesis.readthedocs.io/

  - term: Test Check
    definition: >-
      A validation assertion Schemathesis applies to each API response.
      Built-in checks include not_a_server_error, status_code_conformance,
      response_schema_conformance, content_type_conformance, and
      response_headers_conformance.
    category: Configuration

  - term: not_a_server_error
    definition: >-
      A Schemathesis check that fails if the API returns a 5xx HTTP status
      code in response to any generated test input.
    category: Test Check

  - term: response_schema_conformance
    definition: >-
      A Schemathesis check that validates the response body against the JSON
      Schema declared for that operation and status code in the OpenAPI spec.
    category: Test Check

  - term: status_code_conformance
    definition: >-
      A Schemathesis check that fails if the response status code is not
      declared in the OpenAPI spec for that operation.
    category: Test Check

  - term: Stateful Testing
    definition: >-
      A Schemathesis testing mode that follows OpenAPI Links between operations
      to generate multi-step test scenarios, using values from earlier responses
      as inputs for subsequent requests.
    category: Feature

  - term: OpenAPI Links
    definition: >-
      An OpenAPI 3.x feature that describes relationships between responses
      and subsequent operations. Schemathesis uses these for stateful test
      chaining in stateful=links mode.
    category: OpenAPI Concept

  - term: Worker
    definition: >-
      A concurrent test execution unit in Schemathesis. Multiple workers
      run in parallel to speed up large test suites. Configured via --workers flag.
    category: Configuration

  - term: Max Examples
    definition: >-
      The maximum number of test cases Hypothesis generates per OpenAPI
      operation. Default is 100. Higher values find more edge cases but
      take longer. Configured via --hypothesis-max-examples.
    category: Configuration

  - term: Shrinking
    definition: >-
      The Hypothesis process of automatically minimizing a failing test case
      to the smallest input that still triggers the failure, making bugs
      easier to debug. Schemathesis includes curl command reproduction steps.
    category: Feature

  - term: Contract Testing
    definition: >-
      Testing that verifies an API implementation matches its OpenAPI or
      GraphQL contract. Schemathesis automates contract testing by deriving
      test assertions directly from schema declarations.
    category: Use Case

  - term: JUnit XML
    definition: >-
      A standard test result format compatible with CI/CD systems like Jenkins,
      GitHub Actions, and GitLab CI. Schemathesis can export results in JUnit
      XML format via --junit-xml flag.
    category: Output Format

categories:
  - Tool
  - Testing Methodology
  - Test Check
  - Feature
  - Configuration
  - Output Format
  - Use Case
  - OpenAPI Concept
  - Dependency