An Introduction To API Testing
Application Programming Interfaces, or APIs, give various applications a means of communicating with one another. These commands, which are also known as verbs or HTTP methods, specify the kind of action that is carried out on a particular API resource. Below is a summary of several popular API techniques:
GET: This technique gets information from a given resource. It is similar to making an information request to a web server. Consider retrieving a product list from an e-commerce API via GET.
POST: To generate new resources, use POST. Consider utilising a POST request to add a new item to your shopping basket. Usually, the request’s body contains data that is sent with it.
Also, Read An Introduction To Performance Testing
PUT: This technique substitutes brand-new data for an old resource in its entirety. For example, a PUT request might be necessary to change the quantity of an item in your shopping basket.
PATCH: In contrast to PUT, PATCH enables a resource to receive partial updates. Consider changing your order’s shipping address; a PATCH request would simply change the relevant address information.
DELETE: Removes a resource, as the name implies. This can involve removing an item from your virtual shopping cart or wiping out a user account entirely.
Comprehending HTTP Status Codes: Deciphering HTTP status codes is essential to API testing. Learn how to interpret codes such as 200 (OK), 401 (Unauthorised), and 500 (Internal Server Error) to determine whether your requests were successful or unsuccessful and to spot possible problems.
Also, Read Principles of Software Testing
Verifying the Body of the Response: Your application’s API answers are its lifeblood. Make use of Postman’s assertion features to verify the response body’s composition and organisation. Use JSON or XML assertions to make sure the returned data meets your expectations.
Testing Edge Cases: Don’t merely test pleasant paths while testing edge cases! Create test cases that investigate edge circumstances such as missing parameters, incorrect data, or authentication issues. This guarantees the robustness of your API and helps spot any potential vulnerabilities.
Advanced Techniques for Testing:
Using Test Scripts: Postman’s robust scripting language allows you to go beyond simple assertions. To create a comprehensive testing suite, write test scripts that handle conditional logic, dynamic data manipulation, and complicated validations.
Accept Data-Driven Testing: Static data testing has limitations. Data-driven testing is supported by Postman, which lets you ingest test data from external CSV or JSON files. This makes extensive testing using different data sets possible.
Virtualization and mocking: Does your API rely on outside services? You can generate simulated answers with Postman’s Mock Server capability, facilitating isolated testing and development without depending on third parties.
