Reading external files in Karate

One can read file using the built-in JavaScript function called read() in karate.By default, the file is expected to be in the same folder (package) and in parallel with a *.feature file. But you can prefix the name with classpath: in this case the “root” folder will be src//test/java If a file does not end in .json, .xml, .yaml, .js, .csv or .txt, it is treated as a stream – which is typically what you would need for multipart file uploads.
You can read different types of files using the read function.

# json
* def someJson = read('some-json.json')
* def moreJson = read('classpath:more-json.json')

# Grapql file
* Given def query = read('createEmployerQuery.graphql')
* Given def variables = read('createEmployerVariable.graphql')

# javascript (will be evaluated)
* def someValue = read('some-js-code.js')

# if the js file evaluates to a function, it can be re-used later using the 'call' keyword
* def someFunction = read('classpath:some-reusable-code.js')
* def someCallResult = call someFunction

# perfect for all those common authentication or 'set up' flows
* def result = call read('classpath:some-reusable-steps.feature')

We will now see a example of how a feature will read a Graphql file within the same package.

Feature: Reading a external file in a karate feature file
Background: 
 * url AppURL
 #refer karate-config.js to see how these were initialized
 * header Authorization = 'Bearer ' + token
  
 Scenario: Create all employer details
 #We are reading two files here, one us Mutation query
 Given def query = read('createEmployerQuery.graphql')
 # Below file is the graphql variable file
 Given def variables =read('createEmployerVariable.graphql')
 #And def variables = { name: 'Charmander' }
 And request { query: '#(query)', variables: '#(variables)'    }
 #And request { query: '#(query)' } 
 When method post
 * print response
 Then status 200

If you can trying to read a file placed outside of the feature file package and can specify the path using “classpath”.

Given def variables =read('classpath:packageName/folderName/createEmployerVariable.graphql')