To start, APIs are application programming interfaces and “API testing” refers to the process of testing the performance, functionality, reliability, and security of an API.
What are the benefits of API testing?
Testing your APIs is critical to ensuring that your API is working properly.
Additionally, research shows that teams that conduct API tests can save up to eight hours of work post-development, enabling teams to release products and services much faster.
Other benefits of API testing include the speed and coverage of testing, faster time to resolution for finding bugs when testing APIs, and easier maintenance for API tests.
What are the types of API tests?
As we discussed in a previous article, there are a variety of API testing frameworks — from functionality and reliability to usability and documentation. Here are the four main ways you can test APIs.
- Unit testing: Involves testing a single endpoint with one request.
- Performance testing: Involves testing how the API is loading.
- Security testing: Involves attempting to penetrate the API’s security layer.
- Integration testing: Involves testing that the connection between the API and other integration or third-party services works.
The above list is not comprehensive, there are many other ways to test APIs, including UI testing, fuzz testing, end-to-end testing, and more. The key is determining what types of the API you want to test, then choosing the API test that best fits your needs.
How can I conduct API tests?
There are many tools in the market that enable you to run API tests, one of which is the #1 solution for APIs and integrations — MuleSoft’s Anypoint Platform.
Anypoint Platform has a built-in unit and integration testing tool — MUnit — that allows teams to run detailed, automated tests on APIs and integrations. These tests can be run in the testing environment or part of the team’s continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) processes.
Start testing your APIs
There is nothing more important than testing your APIs after you have developed them. Are you ready to get started? Learn more about best practices for testing applications and learn how to use MUnit through this tutorial.
