As with most technology projects, you can’t start API testing without a plan. A plan will help you determine your goals and how to achieve them. Here are some tips to help you get started with the API testing process:
Understand the Requirements
Document the API requirements and answer the following questions:
- What is the purpose of the API?
- Who is the target group?
- What problems are you testing for?
- What is the desired output?
- What are the features and functions of the API?
- What is the application workflow?
- Which API integrations does it support?
- What are the testing priorities?
Set Up Your Test Environment
Set up your environment based on API requirements. Configure the database and server to meet the application requirements. Then make API Tester calls to make sure everything is configured correctly and nothing breaks before you actually start testing.
Choose your API testing Tools
Unless you plan to test everything manually, you’ll need an API testing tool to help you structure and manage your test cases.
Decide What Types of API Testing You’ll Be Doing
Once you’ve set up your testing environment and made sure everything is working, you need to decide what you’re going to test your API for.
What Types of API Testing Can You Do?
What you choose to test determines the type of test you will perform. For example, if you want to test features and functions, you can perform a functional test. There are several different types of API tests to choose from:
Functional Test
Tests various functions in the code base. Tests represent specific scenarios designed to ensure that API functions work within planned and expected parameters.
Reliability test: This type of test verifies that the API can function without failures for a certain period of time in a specific environment.
Load Test
This test monitors API performance during normal and peak conditions.
Security Test
Used to ensure API security against external threats. Tests include encryption methodology, API access control, user rights management and authorization verification.
User Interface Test
Includes API user interface testing. It focuses on the interface that binds to the API rather than testing the API itself. User interface tests can give you insight into the health and usability of your application on the front and back end.
Negative Test
The purpose of negative testing is to see what happens when an application receives invalid or unintentional input. You’re trying to figure out what breaks the system so you can develop more appropriate responses. For example, typing a letter into a number field should trigger a warning message and not cause the application to crash.
Validation Test
This type of testing is used to verify that the API has been developed correctly and that everything is working. The QA team also helps in this regard.