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API Testing: The Basics

API testing is a broad topic and can include a variety of stages when you would test, functionality and components and metrics to track and a lot of different options on how that can impact your overall API Governance strategy.

Some of the testing areas include:

  • The core functionality of the API
  • Seeing how the API functions in a broader sense in the real world – i.e. outside in
  • How big a load the API can handle – stress testing and load testing
  • Runtime error tests – functional validation of the API
  • Performance tests – how well does it function speed wise
  • Security testing – are you likely to hit any BOLA or OWASP top 10 issues
  • Ongoing operational monitoring
This article dives into some more detail and serves as a guide to API testing, monitoring and how it can intersect with API security, compliance and governance.
api testing - critical guide to api testing and monitoring

API Testing: The Basics

API testing is a broad topic and can include a variety of stages when you would test, functionality and components and metrics to track and a lot of different options on how that can impact your overall API Governance strategy.

Some of the testing areas include:

  • The core functionality of the API
  • Seeing how the API functions in a broader sense in the real world – i.e. outside in
  • How big a load the API can handle – stress testing and load testing
  • Runtime error tests – functional validation of the API
  • Performance tests – how well does it function speed wise
  • Security testing – are you likely to hit any BOLA or OWASP top 10 issues
  • Ongoing operational monitoring
This article dives into some more detail and serves as a guide to API testing, monitoring and how it can intersect with API security, compliance and governance.

What Is An API And How Is It Used?

An API is a program or product that allows a website or app to communicate with the end user. It does so in the background. It takes a data request from the user, sends it to the site or app, grabs the data that it needs and returns it to the user.

It does all of this in the background and does not leave either the user or the website data exposed. An API is like a waiter or waitress at a restaurant taking an order from a customer to the kitchen and coming back with food.

 

Types of Testing?

That will depend on your needs, whether you are using a RESTful or SOAP API and your budget. You should research the various API tools listed above and figure out which one will work best for you. 

That said, why don’t you try us out and go straight from testing your APIs to monitoring them too?

What to Test?

For the most part, you test the same things for SOAP APIs as you do for RESTful ones. The exceptions are SOAP APIs must test for WS compliance and interoperability.

What Tools Are Used For API Testing?

API Testing can be done using various free and premium tools. Here are some of the most popular:

How is testing different to monitoring?

We’re glad you asked. A test tells you everything was working on the day you took it. It doesn’t tell you that all the bits stayed working, or work for your customers or a million other things. That’s why monitoring after you’ve deployed is essential.

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