Karate: JSON is converted to string ([object Object]) when matching - karate

Question

I'm trying to match the response of an API with a schema. I have the following setup.
Here is the feature file:
Feature: As a user, I would like to test APIs of member modules.
Background:
* def DIR_PATH = 'data/users/'
* def signup_request_helpers = read(<path_to_js_file>)
* def signup_response_helpers = read(<path_to_js_file>)
* def request_data = signup_request_data()
Scenario: Test signup of user
Given url my_url
And request request_data
When method POST
Then status 200
Then match response == signup_response_schema
Here is the JS file that holds the response schema
var signup_response_schema = {
"success": true,
"message": "Successfully signed up.",
"data": {
"user": user_schema,
"confirmation_url": "#string",
"token": "#string",
"role": "#array"
}
};
The problem is that karate seems to be converting the response schema into a string. This is the error message that I get:
actual: {<response>}, expected: [object Object]
Please note that I can match individual string fields fine. The problem only occurs when I try to match objects. Also, I have tried printing the schema and the variable seems to be holding the correct value which is the schema object.
I've tried the following:
Convert the schema into a string and then a JSON using the library's directives. This doesn't verify the schema
Convert directly to json which still renders the schema as [object Object]
NOTE: I'm running Karate on docker if that makes any difference. Following is the command that I use in my docker-compose file:
java -jar -Dkarate.config.dir=/app /app/karate-0.9.1.jar -T 5 path_to_file

Answer 1

JS in Karate is not that seamless. This will work:
var temp = {
"success": true,
"message": "Successfully signed up.",
"data": {
"user": user_schema,
"confirmation_url": "#string",
"token": "#string",
"role": "#array"
}
};
karate.set('signup_response_schema', temp);
Normally in Karate *.js files start with function and contain a single function block. And the result of reading (evaluating) that block is assigned to a Karate variable using def. But the recommended option for you is this, where you just have a JSON in the file, and the extension matters:
Then match response == read('signup_response_schema.json')
Note that read() will also evaluate embedded expressions, which can be useful. Although the JSON is not expected to be strictly well-formed, it is recommended.

Answer 2

The issue here wasn't of JS evaluation. The variable signup_response_schema holds the value that I assigned to it in the JS file.
The problem was with the actual matching of the schema because one of the keys was missing in the actual response. Karate usually throws specific error messages indicating which keys were missing but for some reason, this isn't the case here.