Effective practices for API Test Automation

Application development is getting complicated, as applications tend to get complex with changing customer preferences and challenges posed by digital technologies. Testing for Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) happens at the message level, which is highly critical, as it helps to gauge its accessibility, performance, functionality, and security. API tests are the fastest tests to get incorporated within online Product Development processes. At the same time, API Testing can be tricky, emphasizing that the testing activity needs to be scrupulously planned with some best practices.

Test Automation has been considered for various types and categories of testing. It not only brings speed, but also ensures accuracy and maximum test coverage. Test Automation for APIs is needed to eliminate any possible errors, detect defects early, and ensure quality through the application development cycle. However, Automated Testing is a strategic decision, which needs a scope of work and plan for execution. If done without a plan, Automation can be chaotic.

API Testing enables the developers to perform self-tests at lower costs, which is generally considered for start-ups with lesser funds and resources. It further helps to detect breaches that could be missed while other application tests are being conducted. One of the most critical tests are security tests during API testing, which can impact a secure interface for your application. With a secure API your users can enjoy a secure UI and keep the application safe from online breaches. Hence, in order to make API testing flawless and more efficient it is recommended to consider Test Automation frameworks and tools.

Test Automation for API Testing

Broadly, Test Automation is needed to make the testing process quicker, smoother, and much more cohesive. In this post, we shall look at some interesting best practices that can further boost the API Test Automation process.

• Create common library for repeating tests

In order to validate and confirm a behaviour tests need to be repeated, especially, to confirm similar actions. In that case, it is recommended to create a common library to bring together all the test requests and make the testing cycles shorter, but simpler.

• Ensure clarity for your tests

While writing tests for automation or using frameworks, it is important to write clear tests that would enable debugging. In this way, you need not pay attention when the tests are running, and when they begin to fail, as the glitches can be easily found out. This not only saves time, but make the automation successful and result-oriented.

At the same time, you can list down the reasons for failure, namely, flawed frameworks, issues with the test environment, flaws with the functionality, or unstable product or application conditions. While this is being checked, it is important to look at other aspects with the application as well. For instance, the failure clause with the application should be clearly reported. Any additional information should be included within the report. Alongside, all the failure tests and data from these tests should be saved to keep it as a reference.

• Keep a blueprint of your tests

As mentioned earlier, it is absolutely critical to plan and structure your tests in a way that they guide you throughout the testing cycle. The tests should be configurable across various systems and can run on various test environments under different configurations. This blueprint must be tracked and referred to throughout the development cycle. It will enable teams to even add tests and track their performance with much less effort. Ultimately, the behaviour of the application can be effectively monitored and recorded during the process, under varying conditions.

• Split the tests for ease of execution

Understand that these are the prerequisites for a successful test automation strategy. It is recommended to split the tests in order to ensure easy implementation and tracking. The initial tests would be to set up the conditions and resources for testing. These tests may fail, but it will help you identify the glitches in the initial round. When the execution starts, a separate set of tests help you to verify the results or behaviour that is expected from the application or API.

Post-test stage is a phase where the tests are deleted or reset by the system resources. There could be modifications for specific results or to test particular behaviour with the API. In this phase only a particular kind of data can be used to trigger a particular behaviour.

Cigniti’s test automation strategy enables organizations to increase release velocity, reduce time to market and reduce overall testing effort resulting in a significant return on investment (ROI). Cigniti has developed a tool and technology agnostic, plug-and-play test automation framework with pre-built interfaces to CI servers, application lifecycle management tools and defect management tools that fully support the majority of test automation tools adopted by organizations.

Check out this case study on Test Automation for more details: https://www.cigniti.com/resource/automation-testing-helps-leading-consumer-robot-company-reduce-test-execution-efforts/