Validate, resolve, and run

The examples below validate and execute a PayloadStash configuration as an HTTP/AMQP test suite. They use an installed payloadstash command. Prefix them with uv run for a cloned UV checkout, use ./payloadstash for a bootstrap checkout, or follow the Docker command form.

Validate

Validation checks the schema and resolves dynamic and secret references without making requests:

payloadstash validate ./config/quick-start.yml

When the configuration references secrets:

payloadstash validate ./config/quick-start.yml \
  --secrets ./config/secrets.env

Success prints the stash name and sequence count. Validation errors exit nonzero and identify the failing configuration path.

Inspect the resolved configuration

There is no separate resolve command. Ask validation to write <name>-resolved.yml beside the input file:

payloadstash validate ./config/quick-start.yml --writeResolved

The resolved copy expands YAML anchors, defaults, forced values, and resolve-time operators. Secret values are replaced with ***REDACTED***.

Preview a run

--dry-run creates the run directory and resolved artifacts but does not send HTTP requests. run always requires --out.

payloadstash run ./config/quick-start.yml \
  --out ./output \
  --dry-run \
  --yes

Execute

Remove --dry-run to make the requests:

payloadstash run ./config/quick-start.yml \
  --out ./output \
  --yes

Without --yes, PayloadStash displays a summary and asks for confirmation. A run continues after an individual test-case error so that later cases can execute; failed expectations make the completed suite exit nonzero.

Now inspect the generated results.