Today, with numerous solutions and applications available, it is a known fact that only the best performing among them will take the lead. Businesses need high-performing apps to deliver a great customer experience (CX) which further helps them stand in tough competition. With the technology taking up new levels of innovation, there is more demand for apps delivering exorbitant features using interconnected and complex apps. Today, complex apps with multiple layers are being added across the application’s architecture to ensure seamless service delivery to customers. These multiple underlying layers necessitate leveraging effective API testing for these complex apps to deliver a great CX.

Content 1.   What is API testing? 2.   What are the different types of API testing? 3.   Why is there an increased need for API testing across industries? 4.   What benefits do businesses get with API testing? 5.   Broad steps involved in API Testing 6.   Conclusion 7.   How can TestingXperts (Tx) help? 8.   Tx Differentiators

What is API testing?

Every application has three layers: a Data layer, an Application Programming Interface (API) layer, and a User Interface (UI) layer. An API forms the crux of an application as it contains critical business logic. It allows front-end users to interact with the back-end and enables the proper functioning of the software. Typically, API testing helps check the functionality, reliability, security, and performance of service layers or the more commonly known API layers. Since this layer directly touches the data layer and presentation layer, it is essential to check the service layers by leveraging API testing.

What are the different types of API testing?

Functional testing:

This testing method includes testing the specific functions within the API codebase. These functions represent the particular scenarios to ensure that the APIs function well and as expected within the given parameters.

UI testing:

This method tests the user interface of APIs and their constituent parts. This test method focuses more on the interface of the API rather than the API itself. Though this method does not test the API directly in terms of the codebase, it can still provide a generalized view of the API’s health, usability, and efficiency of both the front end and the back end.

Load testing:

This method involves testing whether the API responds as expected under peak and varying load conditions. This test aims to determine how actively the API responds when various servers send a request to an API. This testing method ensures the APIs meet their compliances for response time and throughput.

Contract Testing:

It is a software testing methodology that ensures two services are compatible and can communicate with each other. The contract is between the consumer who wants to receive some data and a provider, i.e., an API which provides data to the client. This test captures the interactions between services, stores them in a contract, and verifies that both parties adhere to it.

Runtime/Error detection testing:

This testing method checks the actual running of the APIs and is mainly concerned with the universal results of utilizing the API codebase. It focuses more on monitoring, execution errors, resource leaks, error detections, etc.

Security testing:

This testing method ensures secure API implementation and validates encryptions. It also verifies the design of the API access control to ensure its safety from external threats and validates the user rights and authorization.

Penetration testing:

In this testing method, ethical hackers attack the API to assess possible threats or vulnerabilities from outside hackers. This testing process aims to reveal and exploit security vulnerabilities present in the APIs before actual hackers use them.

Fuzz testing:

In this black-box testing method, a massive amount of random data often referred to as fuzz, or noise is forcibly input into the system to attempt a forced crash. The main aim of this test is to test the APIs at their absolute limits. The different types of attacks detected by fuzz testing are application fuzzing, protocol fuzzing, file format fuzzing, etc.

Interoperability/WS Compliance testing:

Interoperability testing checks whether the software can appropriately interact with other software components or not. This testing method only applies to SOAP APIs and is performed to check two fields of the functions. Firstly it reviews the interoperability between SOAP APIs and ensures it conforms to Web Services Interoperability Profiles. Secondly, WS Compliance testing ensures proper implementation and utilization of standards such as WS-Addressing, WS-Discovery, WS-Federation, WS-Policy, WS-Security, and WS-Trust.

Why is there an increased need for API testing across industries?

Today’s technology is rapidly advancing, and due to this, apps continue to become more complex in their underlying architecture. Usually, complex applications have five layers of complexity: complexities of integration, information, intention, environment, and institution. As more businesses continue to adopt modern architecture, including cloud services and mobile, large composite systems exist behind these simple-looking applications.

This complex architecture follows specific protocols such as XML, SOAP, JSON, REST, etc., and hence it becomes critically important for businesses to validate their applications for the underlying layers. These multiple layers need effective API testing to ensure the proper functioning of these APIs. These complex apps continue to dominate industries, and it showcases the need to leverage API testing to get fully functional apps.

Healthcare sector:

API testing plays an essential role in the healthcare sector as it helps:

•  To ensure apps meet complex usage, security, and regulatory compliances such as HIPPA compliance.

•  To ensure apps are bug-free and adequately integrated with third-party services.

• To ensure patient’s data, health records, identities, account details, payment information, etc., are safe within these interconnected healthcare apps.

Banking sector:

API testing plays a vital role in banks due to the following reasons:

•  Most banks now offer API banking services spread across categories such as deposits, payment gateway, loans and cards, business banking, etc.

• Ensures proper functionality and security of payment-related information; API testing is essential.

•  As banks continue to integrate with third-party services such as eCommerce sites, direct peer-to-peer transfer, ticket booking, API testing is essential.

•  To meet regulatory compliances.

eCommerce sector:

API testing of eCommerce apps is essential because:

•  Firstly, eCommerce apps have a complex architecture with multiple APIs such as:

•  Product information API, Catalog API, Site search API, Login API, Cart API.

•  Payment API, Marketing Automation API, Shipping API, etc.

•  Secondly, it is essential to ensure seamless functioning and security of these APIs data.

•  Lastly, to offer a great user experience with these eCommerce apps, API testing is required.

Media and entertainment sector:

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Media and entertainment service providers require API testing of their apps due to:

•  As the consumers are shifting towards OTT platforms, there is more demand for high-quality streaming platforms and products

• Fully functional APIs help publishers to better connect with viewers and  third-party services. With the help of API, content creators and distributors combine with partner technologies and attract more customers and hence need effective API testing

•  API testing ensures seamless flow of content, good playback quality, and seamless UX for these publishing apps

Telecom sector:

Below listed are some of the reasons that depict the need for API testing of telecom apps:

•  Telecoms providers use various apps such as retailer app, mobile wallet, CRM app, vendor app, customer support app, etc., to provide services to users.

•  There are multiple types of API layers present in these telecom apps such as Voice API, SMS API, Video API, Chat API, Geolocation API, Charging or Carrier Billing API, Mobile Top Up API, IoT API, Identity API, etc., and testing of all these API layers is essential to deliver seamless UX.

•  Multiple users send multiple requests across these apps, and to ensure that their APIs function seamlessly, API testing is needed to enable seamless services to customers.

•  Since these apps store a massive load of data and are accessed by a large set of users, API testing is essential for all telecom apps.

What benefits do businesses get with API testing?

Identifies defects early:

The main advantage of API testing is that it allows testers to access the application without really interacting with the user interface. This testing helps testers to test the application faster and detect bugs early in the software development lifecycle.

Protects APIs from malicious code or breakage:

API testing helps businesses ensure that their APIs are free from all vulnerabilities and pushes applications to connective limits to ensure no code breakage occurs.

Saves time and costs:

Another benefit of this testing method is that it takes less time than GUI testing and helps businesses save time and costs in the long run.

Language independent:

API testing exchanges data using JSON or XML and comprises HTTP response and request. Both of these transfer modes are completely language-independent, allowing testers to test API using any language or automate API testing in any language.

Improves test coverage:

As compared to unit tests, API tests have a broader scope. In unit testing, the focus is limited to the functionality of the components within a single application, but the API test checks the functionality of all system components. This testing helps businesses to improve the overall software quality and to deliver seamless UX.

Boosts the security of applications:

API testing helps improve the application’s security and ensures there are no security loopholes or vulnerabilities present in the application; various security checks include security testing, penetration testing, fuzz testing, compliance testing, etc.

Enhances app performance:

API tests help remove performance-related bottlenecks present in the API of the application. This testing method helps businesses ensure their apps perform seamlessly under all conditions such as varying user load, network, bandwidth, etc.

API tests are GUI independent:

The API testing checks the business logic, and therefore this test starts even before the front-end is ready. Since this test is not related to the GUI of the app in any way, it becomes easy for testers to test the app earlier and faster.

Reuse test data for GUI testing:

The test data generated during API testing is helpful for GUI testing. Unlike the traditional software development approaches, developers now create apps by first writing the APIs. Once the APIs are tested and ready, the UI is designed around them.

Ensures API remains unaffected after code changes:

During API testing, the regression testing method ensures that recent changes do not affect or break the existing APIs or the system using them.

Broad steps involved in API Testing

API Testing involves sending the API calls and checking the responses in return. The basic steps involved in API testing are:

•  Gather information related to the kind of requests as well as the limitations involved. This information can be taken from API documentation or directly from developers.

•  Set up the test environment that allows the testers to make API calls and validate responses

•  Input the required API parameters and configure the database and server

•  Write test cases that include – Input parameters, expected responses, max response time, parsing inputs, error handling, correct formatting of the response

•  Add each test case to the test script and execute the test after every new build

•  Monitor the results to decide if the API responses are as per expectations or not

Conclusion:

Thus, businesses should leverage different types of API testing to get fully functional and seamless apps.  It is always preferred to leverage the services from next-gen testing services providers to get fully functional business apps.

How can TestingXperts (Tx) help?

TestingXperts (Tx) has an expert team of API testers and offers a wide range of API and Web services testing:

Unit testing – for checking the functionality of individual APIs

Functional testing – for testing end-to-end functionality of the API layer

Load testing – for validation of functionality and performance for the system under various levels of user/ transaction load

Runtime error detection – Execution of automated/manual tests to identify problems, such as exceptions and resource leaks

Security testing – Involves various types of security checks like penetration testing, authentication, encryption, and access control

Web UI testing – end-to-end testing of the entire system using the APIs

Contract testing – for checking interaction between client and API or server and for verification of data exchanges occurring between two parties

Tx Differentiators:

• Expert API testers with expertise in a wide range of API protocols like XML, SOAP, JSON, REST, Gdata, YAML, ATOM, RSS, and RDF, etc.

• Experience to perform end-to-end application validations at various layers of the application

•  Hands-on with the automation of API test cases

•  Experience in testing code level functionalities and ensure test accuracy

•  Certified team of testers, QAs, ethical hackers

• Dedicated teams with expertise in industry-leading open source and commercial tools

• Custom test execution report with a rich interface delivered to all stakeholders

• Partnership with industry leaders such as UiPath, Tricentis, AccelQ, EggPlant, etc.

The post Why is API Testing Indispensable For Today’s Complex Apps? first appeared on TestingXperts.

API testing challenges and how to overcome them

The post Top 5 Challenges of API testing and how to overcome them? first appeared on TestingXperts.

In today’s competitive world, businesses should understand the fact that only the best applications thrive well and continue to attract a lot of traffic. This prevalent concept has made software application development and software product development vital for all businesses across industries.

Contents 1. API Testing 2. What Does API Testing Revolve Around? 3. How is API Testing Done? 4. How does API Testing Play a Key Role? 5. Top API Testing Tools 2021 6. What are the best practices for API testing? 7. Why Robust API Testing is the Future? 8. How can Testingxperts help you with Effective API Testing?

The Application Program Interface (API) is a set of processes, protocols, routines and tools for building these critical software applications. It is rather an interface that allows software applications to communicate with one another and is mainly used while programming the graphical user interface (GUI) components. There is a lot of significance as an API specifies how its software components should interact with each other.

API Testing

APIs are essential for creating an effective and connected experience for customers and thus businesses are beginning to realize their value. Understanding the depth of its role with respect to applications, hence the importance of API testing has come into place.

This specific testing involves testing of the application interfaces directly as part of the integration testing to determine if the application perfectly meets the expectations for functionality, performance, reliability and security. API testing is one of the challenging test practices in the software and QA process as it reveals the bugs, inconsistencies, and deviations from the expected application behavior.

According to a report on API Testing market outlook from MarketsandMarkets, the global API testing market size is expected to grow from USD 384.3 Million in 2016 to USD 1,099.1 Million by 2022, at a CAGR of 19.69% from 2017 to 2022. It has also been predicted that in the API testing market, the BFSI vertical is expected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period (2017-2022).

Undoubtedly, investing more time and effort in API testing leads to better quality products that dominate the market with good reliability, security and performance.  

What Does API Testing Revolve Around?

– To ensure the APIs work as expected

– To specify and ensure the application can handle the desired load

– To establish the APIs work seamlessly through the operating systems and devices

– To ensure the data that passes through the API is in lieu of compliance & security

– To make sure all the business rules have been correctly implemented at the API level

– To enable a better user experience

– To ensure easier expansion of applications

– To make sure the API provides the required functionality

How is API Testing Done?

1. Set up the Environment:

Initially setting up of the environment should be done with the required parameters that need to be configured for the given API. This includes configuration of server and database as per the API requirement.

2. Define the Test Plan:

The test plan varies based on product type and API. But a solid test plan should cover all scenarios in depth, clearly define the priority of scenarios that need to be tested. It should also include some of the common testing types like unit, integration, security, performance and third-party API tests.

3. Make an API Call:

It is important to make an API call to ensure there are no broken links in the process of testing as it is crucial before proceeding with the actual testing.

4. Combine Data with API Tests:

This step helps to make sure the interface functions as expected with the provided parameters after being configured.

Are these API’s Really Business Critical; How does API Testing Play a Key Role?

The interface is the heart of any application and if the product interface is not good enough, then it shows an adverse effect on its viability. It is a known fact that applications are getting more complex due to the varying end-user needs and in order to meet them, the API’s have become vital tools for businesses across every industry segment. Hence, it necessitates the need for effective API testing at first hand.

Moreover, there is a significant chance that the API’s can be hacked. It is also unfortunate that whenever resources are exposed to the internet, it is likely to be attacked in some way or the other. Hence integration testing and API security testing is critical for all businesses today.

This testing not only ensures security standards but also confirms that the overall system will perform well even under varying loads or network conditions.

Joe Colantonio, an eminent testing domain blogger in his blog on “Why API Testing is Important,”  justifies the importance of API testing, saying that API test process is important with the agile practices on the go and with the internet of things (IoT) all around.

He further adds that agile has increased the frequency with which applications are released which in turn has created an increased demand for new ways to quickly test them. GUI tests are typically too slow to get the test coverage and since API tests do not rely on a User interface(UI) to be ready, thus they can be created early in the software development process.

However, to achieve the best results with API test, it is essential for organizations to follow a set of best practices.

What are the best practices for API testing?

APIs have been the core for applications and should be continuously analyzed as these replicate the complete application performance. So, businesses that underlie on API integrations should continuously follow certain testing strategies to maintain hassle-free data access for the customers and make the application responsive in every aspect.

Make sure to start with API smoke testing: While starting up the API test practice, it is essential to start with the smoke test. The smoke test practice helps to validate the code, ensures to perform several other functionalities such as – it calls the API to verify its response, test the API to check its interactions with other components, etc.

Introduce Exact conditions in the API testing phase: While processing the API testing phase, the development teams need to introduce exact conditions. This way of simulating the exact conditions will ensure that the APIs function correctly and perform the required actions when they are subjected to the work environment.

Track and Save the API responses for Future: While practicing the API testing, the development and testing teams need to track and save the responses obtained from the API test method. When an API undergoes several changes, there are many chances for the API to result in errors. In such scenarios, the already saved responses from the API will help the teams to examine and figure out the reasons which are causing the errors.

Ensure to Perform Negative Testing: In API testing, testing and monitoring the data for a positive response is a constant practice. Along with this, the development teams need to perform negative testing as this method will benefit to validate whether the API is able to respond with an error message or stop with a crash. This will improve the efficiency of the application and help the app to respond in scenarios where invalid data is provided.

Never Ignore Security Tests: The increase in cyberattacks is multiplying the need to secure the applications and the services. Therefore, to secure the applications from exploitation and security breaches, it is essential to adopt testing tools that help to perform and scan security tests along with the additional features.

Top API Testing Tools 2021

Following are the top 6 API tools:

1. Postman:

Postman was initially launched in the market as a Google Chrome plugin. The main aim of Postman is to test API services. Postman is also considered to be a great tool for performing exploratory or manual testing.

Features:

• Users can extract web API data through Postman’s interface
• It includes collections, workspaces and built-in tools.

2. SoapUI:

Web services REST and SOAP APIs use the platform of SoapUI for carrying out testing activities.

Features:

• The free package of SoapUI gives access to the full source code to the users
• Drag-and-drop functionality and point-and-click is covered in the free package
• The fixed package of SoapUI covers data-driven testing, REST, GraphQL, SOAP, JMS and JDBC testing.

3. Apigee:

Apigee is a cross-cloud tool. The features of the Apigee API testing tool can be accessed by users through an editor such as Swagger. API performance can also be measured and tested properly through this tool.

Features:

• Performance-related issues are identified by tracking error rates and response times
• APIs containing huge amounts of data are compatible with Apigee.

4. Karate DSL:

It has always been difficult to create scenarios for API-based BDD tests. But, with the Karate DSL API testing tool, users can easily undertake this without the need to write down step definitions.

Features:

• It provides a platform where a user can easily write tests
• As the Karate DSL tool is built on top of Cucumber-JVM, test cases can be easily executed for those projects that use Java language for software development.

5. Rest Assured:

This API testing tool provides a platform where REST services can be easily tested. Rest Assured API testing tool is an open-source tool.

Features:

• It has in-built functionalities through the use of which users need not build code from scratch
• Several authentication mechanisms are offered by the Rest Assured tool.

6. JMeter:

This API testing tool was developed to perform load testing. As of now, it is well-known for functional API testing. The latest version of JMeter which is “5.4” was rolled out in December 2020 and is capable of additional bug fixes and core enhancements.

Features:

• Users are allowed to include API tests within CI pipelines through the integration of JMeter and Jenkins
• JMeter tool works really well with CSV files. This tool also helps teams to build unique parameter values for tests.

Undoubtedly Robust API Testing is the Future; But WHY?

It tests the API’s for their capabilities to integrate, stand out to expected functionalities, equally weigh aptly for performance parameters and meet up the security standards

– The robust API testing practice helps to verify code, discover the defects at an early stage and evaluate any unwanted code

– This testing exposes coding issues that either manual or automated tests might miss

– Its superiority is that it is far less time consuming than functional GUI testing

– This aptly tests the core of your product’s functionality and it is the truth that functionality typically determines the end user’s expectations

– With API’s, integration of tools or programs can happen at any point of time to enhance the experience and functionalities of the software

– API test is indispensable and test automation is leveraged currently to make the testing process faster and error-free

How can Testingxperts help you with Effective API Testing?

Pure play testing services providers like TestingXperts have a good number of expert API testers and provide the perfect environment to test your application interface effectively and efficiently as they have:

– Expertise on a wide range of API protocols like XML, SOAP, JSON, REST, Gdata, YAML, ATOM, RSS, and RDF etc.

– Experience with testing for code level functionality and ensure test accuracy

– Experience to perform end-to-end application validations at various layers of the application

– Expertise on leading industry tools for API testing for functional, load, and security testing

– Ample exposure with the automation of API test cases

The post Why API testing is critical for today’s Business applications? first appeared on TestingXperts.