Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) are sets of functions that allow your software application to trace data and interact with external software systems or components.
Some instances of APIs include logging into an application using a social media profile, paying online via PayPal or accessing local weather snippets on search engines.
What Is API Testing?
API testing is the way to verify the health of every API within the software system. This API testing approach ensures that all APIs’ functionality, security, reliability, and performance stay intact.
Unlike UI testing, QA teams run API test cases without interacting with the software product’s user interface. Instead, QA engineers pay attention to testing the business logic layer of the API framework.
Surpassing the user’s experience in testing your application, the QA team needs to resolve many challenges in manual testing by running API tests.
There is a need to implement custom solutions. However, these are some common challenges everyone runs into.
Value of API in business
APIs enable businesses to :
· Connect with customers:
An effective API can give potential customers additional reasons to interact and connect with their business on a personal level.
· Streamline operations:
The insurance company could develop private APIs to be used by its employees — for instance, to give accurate information to the sales team that can help them calculate quotes more efficiently, even if they are on the road, through mobile apps.
How to Overcome Challenges in API Testing
Unlike the challenges in manual testing that occur in the user interface, QA teams must tackle API issues in the API framework and business logic layer.
This API testing approach often prevents IU issues before manual testing. The dashboard shows its own set of obstacles by executing API test cases before interacting with your product.
Luckily, you can reduce the challenges faced in API testing by implementing the best practices:
1. API Testing Setup
Manual testing makes sure what works and what do not. However, automated testing is also necessary with API to determine how well they can work under pressure. The most challenging part of the process is to set up the testing infrastructure and run it.
Solution:
To win over the testing challenges, you need to figure out how your APIs look in the design phase to have the APIs 100% uptime.
2. Updating API Schema
Working with an ever-changing API helps facilitate demand in today’s API economy. Although, when APIs update, the data formatting handling requests and responses must also be updated. Else, it can lead to a slowing down of the whole process.
Solution:
To avoid the downtime challenges, thoroughly test the API in alpha and beta environments. The chances of issues go down to 90 percent if you do so.
3. Sequencing API Calls
In many cases, API calls require appearing in a specific order to work accurately. This generates a sequencing challenge for the testing team. For instance, if a call to return a user’s profile information goes through before the profile is even created; the request will return an error. This becomes more complicated when more applications are involved.
Solution:
We suggest making a flowchart to visualize the API calls. This helps developers build API calls and integrate them quickly without causing issues.
4. Tracking Systems Integration
It’s essential to make sure the API testing system is functioning correctly with the data tracking system. This helps bring back correct responses on whether a call is working correctly.
Also, it’s used to monitor API performance passively. To dodge any challenges here, rethink your application in the design phase or how it will integrate.
Solution:
Ensure you aren’t causing any applications failure by testing in parallel with critical integration systems. This can be done by implementing and involving load testing in your continuous delivery.
5. Testing All Possible Parameter Request Combinations
APIs handle communication systems by forwarding data values to parameters & transiting the parameters through data needs. It is important to test all the essential parameter blending in the API to check for flaws in specific configurations.
A significant project could end up assigning two varied values to similar limits or creating instances where numerical values are at the pace of text values. The addition of an extra parameter increases the no. of likely combinations exponentially.
Solution:
Pick applications that are simple for everyday operations. This way, you can see how the API is being used, plus if any configuration modifications are required to have a GA (general availability) release.
6. Validating Parameters by Testing Team
Validating the parameters is one of the important things, but challenging sometimes. It must showcase how fast you are serving those parameters. The team must be sure that every crucial parameter data uses the appropriate string or numerical data type fits within length limitations, an assigned value range, and passes another validation criterion.
Solution:
It can be resolved by having continuous synthetic API tracking and monitoring to grab the issues early on. Furthermore, it must be combined with an APM solution to have a complete 360-degree view.
7. Allow Time for Familiarity with APIs
While most QA testers are familiar with manual testing challenges, they may not be as versed in API testing. To your knowledge, many peers on your QA team might not be familiar with an API framework or even comfortable running API test cases. A solid API testing strategy doesn’t thrive when your team doesn’t have the skillset for testing APIs.
Solution:
Give comprehensive training that explains your APIs and the business logic layer of your product. Review with your team the rules dictating the usage of your APIs, right from copyright policies, rate limits to storage policies, and display policies.
If possible, hire QA engineers for your team having extensive API testing knowledge and experience with the challenges faced in API testing.
8. Ensure the Framework Is Suitable for APIs
Any upgrade to your product or within the API can drastically alter how your framework supports APIs. Also, validating the parameters within your API framework is a daunting task, especially when your APIs need specific restrictions and validation criteria.
Solution:
Continuous APIs testing throughout the development cycle also catches defects early, letting developers resolve the issues sooner.
Regular review of the framework ensures your framework is suitable for testing APIs. And when in doubt, ask yourself these questions during inspection:
● Does your framework allow integrations with GUI tests?
● Will the framework supports GUI tests?
● Can the framework use API libraries and build management tools?
Conclusion
API testing is an important part of application development in the modern business environment. Letting it slide can be a big mistake and cost you big bucks. It’s better to be careful and alert with the system and follow a routine check-up to make sure everything is in place.
If you are looking for custom API Testing Services, we can be your partner of choice. Mindfire Solutions has a team of highly skilled 650+ certified software development and testing professionals, who have been serving global clients for over 20+ years.
Content Source: Medium
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