Ultimate Guide to API Testing: From Novice to Expert
Understanding API testing
API is the acronym for Application Programming Interface. The software allows two applications to speak to one another. You would be surprised by the number of APIs that we use every day. Anytime you use Google maps or PayPal, you’re using API. When you use one of these apps, they connect to the internet and they direct data to a server. The server translates the data and performs the needed actions and sends it back to your phone. When APIs are used in the software testing process, they help to identify and reveal bugs in the coding. The chance of faulty software reaching the market would be detrimental for a piece of software. APIs are what makes our phones “smart”. If an API is to break, not only could it harm a single application, but it could also damage an entire chain of applications that are connected to it.
What types of API testing are there?
Reliability Testing – Is the application consistently connect to and provide consistent results? With any piece of software, ensuring that the software operates as intended without failures.
Security Testing – This type of testing focuses on identifying vulnerabilities within the API that could potentially lead to security breaches. It involves testing for potential threats such as unauthorized access, data leaks, and authentication issues to ensure that the API is secure and protected from malicious attacks.
Negative Testing – Negative testing involves intentionally inputting incorrect data or invalid requests to see how the API handles unexpected scenarios. This helps to uncover any weaknesses or bugs in the API that may not have been identified during positive testing. By intentionally trying to break the application, testers can ensure that it is robust and can gracefully handle errors without crashing or compromising data integrity.
API Testing Best Practices
Test for the typical results initially
Add stress to the system through a series of API load tests
Test for failure (this is done to help the tester understand what failure looks like)
Test the API’s ability to handle unexpected challenges and increased loads by pushing its limits to see how it responds.
For complete test coverage, create test cases for all possible API input combinations. Automate wherever you can
Conclusion
API testing plays a pivotal role in ensuring the reliability, security and performance of software applications. It helps testers and developers identify and resolve any weaknesses in the coding before it hits the market. To receive the top results, the best practices that we have identified should be followed. By automating test cases and striving for complete test coverage, developers can create robust and secure APIs that enhance the overall user experience. Understanding API testing is essential in today’s technology-driven world, and by engaging further in this topic, developers can continue to improve and innovate in their software development processes. If you would like to read into any of our other blogs, please visit: https://www.etestware.com/blog/