welcome to XRM blog

Keep in touch with latest CRM/ERP articles

To remain competitive your organisation must be efficient across the business process spectrum. To do so you need to take sound decisions based on a balance between the cost and risk. To do so you will be heavily dependent on your content management in itself needs...

image
Blog

What is API testing?

By Himanshu on 2/21/2023

What is API testing?

Application Programming Interface (API) testing is a sort of software testing that examines APIs, or application programming interfaces. These testing services attest to the accuracy, functionality, security, and dependability of an application. When running test cases with the aid of API testing tools, QA teams gain from API automation. You utilise software to submit requests to the API, retrieve output, and record the system's answer rather than utilising typical user inputs (the keyboard) and outputs. API tests are considerably different from Graphical interface tests in that they don't focus on how an application appears and feels. It focuses mostly on the software's business logic layer.

What does it have to do with UI testing then? 

The advantages of API testing centre on the business logic layer of the software's design, whereas UI testing concentrates on the appearance and feel of the user interface. In other words, API testing has an advantage over UI testing in that it can verify an API's validity from all perspectives aside from how the user interacts with the software application.

Why API testing is necessary? 

APIs are responsible for interaction between applications, allowing them to access data and create gateways for interacting with external systems. This is why, if there’s a slow API, it can impact all other integrations. For example, a slow third-party payment API can slow down the transaction process. Therefore, APIs must meet the benchmark to avoid such issues.

API testing environment setup

An application that can be used with an API is necessary for testing. An API must be tested to:

•    Drive the API using the testing tool.
•    Develop your own code to evaluate the API.

Points to note:

•    In contrast to other software testing kinds, API testing requires you to build up an initial environment that     invokes API with a specific set of parameters before examining the test result.
•    As a result, creating a testing environment for API automation testing appears to be somewhat difficult.
•    The database and server should be set up in accordance with the needs of the application.
•    The API Function must be called after the installation is complete to verify that the API is operational.

Test Plans for API Evaluation:

•    Returns based on input conditions: Given that input can be described, and results can be verified, returning a     value based on an input condition is comparatively simple to verify.
•    Does not produce a return: When there is no return value, the system's API behaviour needs to be examined.
•    Trigger another API, an event, or an interruption: If an API output causes an event or an interruption, those     events and interrupt listeners should be monitored.
•    Update data structure: Any outcome or impact on the system from updating the data structure needs to be verified.
•    Modify specific resources: If an API call modifies any resources, the modification should be verified by gaining     access to the relevant resources.

API Testing Methodology

The QA team will use the API Testing Approach, a predetermined strategy or approach, to carry out API testing once the build is complete. The source code is not tested in this testing. The API testing strategy aids in a better understanding of features, testing methods, input parameters, and test case execution.

The user can perform an API Testing strategy by keeping in mind the following:

•    Understanding the API program's functionality and defining the program's scope precisely
•    Create test cases for the API using testing approaches like equivalence classes, boundary value analysis, and     error guessing.
•    The API's input parameters must be thoughtfully considered and described.
•    After the test cases have been executed, compare the projected and actual results.

Tools for API testing

Developers have two options when doing an API test: they can create their own framework or select from a variety of ready-to-use API testing solutions. Because they are not constrained by the features of a particular tool and its plugins, developers can customise the test by creating an API test framework. To their chosen coding platform, testers can add any libraries they deem acceptable, create their own, practical reporting criteria, and include intricate logic in their tests. However, if they decide to create their own framework, testers will need extensive coding abilities.
API testing tools come in a variety of forms, from free downloads to high-end subscription services. Several examples of API testing tools are as follows:

•    SoapUI
•    Apache JMeter
•    Apigee
•    REST Assured
•    Swagger UI
•    Postman
•    Katalon

In conclusion, API testing is crucial to every application. If it is not thoroughly tested, invoking the application may result in issues. It is an essential and required test in the lifetime of software.
 

API
api testing
Black Box Testing
Testing
Author
Blog Calendar
Blog Calendar List
2024 Mar  16  2
2024 Feb  18  3
2024 Jan  6  7
2023 Dec  9  6
2023 Nov  20  5
2023 Oct  65  12
2023 Sep  156  9
2023 Aug  52  7
2023 Jul  31  5
2023 Jun  20  4
2023 May  43  5
2023 Apr  26  5
2023 Mar  81  6
2023 Feb  90  5
2023 Jan  33  4
2022 Dec  94  7
2022 Nov  242  2
2022 Sep  13  1
2022 Aug  26  2
2022 Jun  7  2
2022 May  3  2
2022 Apr  6  2
2022 Mar  1  1
2022 Feb  2  1
2022 Jan  1  1
2021 Dec  3  1
2021 Nov  2  1
2021 Oct  1  1
2021 Sep  11  1
2021 Aug  37  5
2021 Jul  36  4
2021 Jun  1163  5
2021 May  31  3
2021 Apr  1957  3
2021 Mar  188  5
2021 Feb  2032  7
2021 Jan  2806  9
2020 Dec  422  7
2020 Sep  73  3
2020 Aug  663  3
2020 Jul  122  1
2020 Jun  74  3
2020 Apr  66  3
2020 Mar  12  2
2020 Feb  27  5
2020 Jan  34  7
2019 Dec  17  4
2019 Nov  27  1
2019 Jan  23  2
2018 Dec  54  4
2018 Nov  68  3
2018 Oct  18  3
2018 Sep  1121  11
2018 Aug  7  2
2018 Jun  12  1
2018 Jan  68  2
2017 Sep  585  5
2017 Aug  17  1
2017 Jul  17  2
2017 Jun  62  2
2017 May  21  1
2017 Apr  35  2
2017 Mar  134  4
2017 Feb  765  4
2016 Dec  203  3
2016 Nov  803  8
2016 Oct  304  10
2016 Sep  687  6
2016 Aug  39  1
2016 Jun  1865  6
2016 May  109  3
2016 Jan  71  2
2015 Dec  447  6
2015 Nov  4  1
2015 Oct  13  1
2015 Sep  1462  6
2015 Aug  14  1
2015 Jul  128  2
2015 Jun  10  1
2015 May  20  1
2015 Apr  30  3
2015 Mar  80  3
2015 Jan  5334  4
2014 Dec  17  1
2014 Nov  2257  4
2014 Oct  68  1
2014 Sep  107  2
2014 Aug  5267  1
2014 Jul  48  2
2014 Apr  2574  12
2014 Mar  300  17
2014 Feb  219  6
2014 Jan  1510  16
2013 Dec  21  2
2013 Nov  688  2
2013 Oct  256  3
2013 Sep  11  1
2013 Aug  40  3
2013 Jul  214  1
2013 Apr  57  6
2013 Mar  2266  10
2013 Feb  127  3
2013 Jan  334  2
2012 Nov  57  2
2012 Oct  497  10
Tag Cloud
Interested in our services? Still not sure about project details? get a quote