Variables Overview & Resolution Order

RouteCase features a multi-tiered variable system supporting environment variables, chained response values, and dynamic test data generators.

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Variable Syntax

RouteCase uses curly brace syntax:

• Double Curly Braces {{VARIABLE}}: Replaced by RouteCase’s variable expansion engine (environment variables, captured values, or dynamic generators).
• Single Curly Braces {id}: Used exclusively in endpoint path templates to define path parameter placeholders (substituted from params: { "id": "val" }).

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Resolution Order & Precedence

When evaluating a {{...}} variable expression, RouteCase resolves values in strict order:

Priority 1 Captured Runtime Variables (capture)

Highest Precedence

Priority 2 Workspace Environment Files (.rcase.env, .rcase.env.json)

Precedence 2

Priority 3 VS Code Workspace Settings (routecase.env)

Precedence 3

Priority 4 Dynamic Built-in Generators ({{$uuid}}, {{$isoDate}}, {{$randomEmail}})

Fallback Precedence

1. Captured Variables (capture): If an earlier test case extracted a token named authToken, {{authToken}} will take top priority.
2. Environment Files (.rcase.env / .rcase.env.json): Workspace environment files are evaluated next.
3. VS Code Settings (routecase.env): Configuration defined in workspace settings.
4. Dynamic Generators ({{$...}}): Variables beginning with a dollar sign $ are evaluated by the built-in generator engine.

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Where Variables Can Be Used

Variables can be placed in any of the following fields:

• Root baseUrl
• Root, endpoint, and case headers
• Path template params
• URL query parameters
• Request body (inside string values, object keys, or nested arrays)