Get Familiar With 5 Major Challenges In API Testing
Technology as we know it is changing the world for the better. It has enabled businesses belonging to the software industry to grow at an impressively faster pace – all by bringing them the gift of automation. Each tool introduced in the industry brings a treasure trove of benefits. However, mastering these tools and techniques is not always an easy task as they come with a certain set of complexities as well.
Developers can only leverage a tool in its entirety once they are familiar with the challenges associated with it. Studying the intricacies of any tool is one of the best ways to master it. The same is the case for API testing. Even the best of testers come across tricky challenges when they are testing Application Programming Interfaces. This blog focuses on the major challenges in API Testing. Before we explore these challenges, let’s take a quick look at the role of API.
APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) are essentially the middle layers between the presentation (UI) and the database layer. They are tagged as the backbone of a programming language that promotes seamless communication and data exchange between two software. They are also known to validate the logic of the build architecture at the quickest. API testing (a part of integration testing) involves the process of testing the APIs directly – right from their functionality, reliability, performance, to security.
It also helps determine whether the interface is meeting the expectations because if one interface fails then the entire service goes for a toss. It is a process that best reveals bugs or inconsistencies within a program or an application. When done consistently, it can help produce a product that is unlikely to fail when made accessible to the public, thereby saving costs on last-minute or post-production modifications. Now that we have enough clarity on what APIs entails, let’s study the primary challenges, along with their solutions.
Top 5 Challenges Faced In API Testing
1. Initial Setup of API Testing:
In matters of APIs, both manual and automated testing play a key role. Manual testing is carried out to verify whether the APIs are functioning at their most basic level. On the other hand, automated testing helps determine how well these APIs can function in complex environments. Setting up an API testing infrastructure in itself is not a tough task. However, it does require a certain level of expertise and dedication among the team members. Once they sail through the setup process, it is a cakewalk from there.
What You Can Do:
Make sure to start your API testing in the design phase itself. In addition, you can conduct consistent checking of your APIs for 100 percent uptime. The next important thing to do is collaborate the application data with your API testing to ensure that the APIs are functioning as expected.
2. Updating the Schema of API Testing:
One of the biggest challenges of API testing is associated with the consistency in updating the schema throughout the entire testing process. What is the schema? It is the data formatting that processes requests and responses for the API. It has to be consistently monitored. This way the necessary modifications made in the middle of API testing to enhance its functionality are updated in the schema configuration as well.
What You Can Do:
Today’s demanding market calls for dynamic solutions. Building an API that can easily accommodate the ever-changing demands has become a must. The best way to build this kind of API without causing any project delays is by testing it with precision in both beta and alpha environments.
3. Testing Parameter Combinations:
The beauty of an API lies in the way it enables effective communication between systems. It assigns data values to parameters. The parameters are then passed through data requests. To keep the issues related to particular configurations at bay, it is important to test all possible parameter request combinations in the API. Every additional parameter increases the number of possible combinations. As such, when working on extensive projects, there could be instances where two different values are assigned to the same parameter or a text value is replaced by a numerical value.
What You Can Do:
The most effective way to test parameter combinations is to pick one or two applications to utilize the API on and release it to just those applications. Selecting applications that are not important for daily operations helps you monitor how the API is being used. This makes it easier to determine if any configurational changes are required for GA releases.
4. Validating Parameters:
As mentioned before, API shelters several different parameters, as well as use cases. Validating these parameters sent through API requests can be a taxing task for testing teams. They have to dig deep into their expertise to ensure that all parameter data uses the correct string or numerical data type, respects a designated value range, or fits well within the length restrictions, and the list goes on.
What You Can Do:
One of the best ways to identify and avoid issues related to parameter validation is by conducting continuous synthetic API monitoring. To keep a better track of the API, you can also combine continuous monitoring with an APM solution. Blending these two practices can help you notice the problems early in the process, leaving you with more time to accurately validate parameters.
5. Sequencing API Calls:
More often than not, APIs are expected to appear in a structured order for them to function as expected. Here is where testing teams come across the challenge of sequencing API calls. Here is an example of the same – testing teams have to create a map that runs, before placing location pins on it; only then can it work properly. In the case of multiple-threaded applications, the sequencing process can be more complex.
What You Can Do:
Here is where having a release candidate can come in handy. It can help with monitoring and streamlining the sequencing of the API calls with much ease. One of the most effective practices is to make an organized, easy-to-read flowchart of all the API calls. This will help developers build API calls and integrate them faster without causing issues.
Enroll With Cyber Success – Best API Testing Classes In Pune
With their proven efficacy, APIs are now transforming businesses. As such, the demand for talented individuals equipped with all the right skill-sets is on the rise. With a blend of theory and practical knowledge, our trainers introduce students to the industry challenges and the scope of API Testing.
We train students to grab the right opportunities and make a name for themselves in the industry, Cyber Success has designed an industry-oriented API Testing course. Students get hands-on experience with SOAP web services, POSTMAN tools, types of tests, and more. Learn how to tackle the challenges of API testing from experts at Cyber Success. Feel free to contact us today on (+91) 9168665643, (+91) 9168665644, or drop an email at hello@cybersuccess.biz
