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Introduction

Since most microservices projects employ APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), organizations are shifting to the Microservices Architecture paradigm to thrive in their software product initiatives.

We live in an age where end-users who rely on programs for their needs expect quick outcomes or services. To deliver and receive information, many APIs use REST protocols via HTTP. Many system developers use UI-based tests and API tests to automate their testing. When comparing API testing to UI testing, API tests are significantly faster and more reliable.

An API is a set of software programs and services that can be used to connect and perform other software applications. API testing entails sending calls to the API, receiving output, and logging the sensitivity of the system using the software. API Testing becomes much more crucial in agile development as product innovations become quicker, putting more demand on test automation.

What do you mean by API Testing?

Generally speaking, it serves as a channel between programs, devices, and databases. Let’s pretend you’re looking for a plane ticket on a computerized reservation site. 

• Within your established costs, it will prompt you to provide the needed details such as origin, destination, and one-way or round-trip journey information.
• When you tap on search there, APIs come into play, it interacts with each airline’s API and returns suggestions that meet your criteria. 
• Everything happens within a fraction of time.  Isn’t there no point in using an API if it doesn’t function well in real instances?
• To avoid these scenarios, API testing is the best option. As a result, we must verify the API prior to allowing the audience to use the application. 

API analysis is a type of software testing that is performed to design APIs in order to ensure that the developed application’s performance, implementation, privacy, and reliability are all met. It primarily focuses on software architecture’s Business Logic. Testing is a critical component of a Seamless Integration & DevOps application’s success.

As of 2020, the most fascinating technology for persons who deal with application programming interfaces (APIs) around the world, a report provided by Statista.

Services to develop your API

• Amazon Web Services (AWS) Gateway

AWS Free Tier provides you with unlimited access to Amazon API Gateway as well as other integration services. The easy accessibility comes with restrictions, such as a monthly limit of 1 million API calls or 750,000 connection sessions. These figures would be sufficient for the first installation.

The AWS API Gateway’s premium edition allows you to create front-end APIs for EC2, Lambda, and other AWS services. In addition, the commercial edition includes features such as API source code, traffic control, and package tracking.

• SoapUI

SoapUI is a popular API monitoring framework for web services development.

It has the ability to verify both SOAP and RESTful Web Services. SoapUI comes in two flavors: open-source and PRO. As you may expect, the PRO version has more features. It’s based on Java, so it works on a wide range of operating systems; it’s also simple to learn and use, and it’s dependable.

You can use them for a variety of test cases because they are trusted by millions of people.

• Dynamical
• Informative
• Mocking
• Safety
• Endurance

• Katalon Studio

Katalon Studio is an online, API, and mobile automation testing platform. It was recognized as an up-and-coming testing framework as well as the finest in the automation category. Katalon Studio provides an easy-to-use API testing environment for testers with and without programming skills.

• Reviewers and developers can use this end-to-end testing solution.
• All SOAP and REST requests are supported.
• BDD Cucumber is a framework that can be used. It’s a testing method in which the test cases are prepared in natural languages to aid communication among business stakeholders and technological human resources.
• Helix, JIRA, Twitter, Docker, and qTest all have built-in integrations.
• Use Katalon’s UI/UX capabilities efficiently, such as searching, dragging and dropping, built-in phrases, and identifying test cases.

With Katalon, you can get started for free.

• IBM Cloud API

Despite the fact that IBM Cloud‘s web account only covers a fraction of the services provided, it helps you to get a sense of the product’s capabilities. As a result, you won’t be able to create a comprehensive product interface on it. IBM, on the other hand, offers API Connect, an API administration tool, which is similar to AWS’s capabilities.

Initially, IBM’s API Connect was solely a tool for developing APIs, but it has since expanded to include other tools. These technologies are essential for creating composite API designs, fostering discovery, and interfacing cloud services with enterprise systems, among other things. The free version of IBM Cloud allows for 50,000 API requests per month.

• The gateway service should be started.
• The “Managed APIs” page appears when the gateway is opened.
• Select the title of the API you need to investigate on the “Managed APIs” page.
• Hit Review and test in the navigation menu.

• TestNG

JUnit and NUnit for the Java language influenced TestNG. The major goal is to give simple functionalities and to complete all types of verification processes, such as unit, integrating, and functionality testing.

• By combining TestNG and Selenium, we can get a quick report that tells us how many test cases failed, advanced, or returned.
• Connect easily with DevOps tools like Maven, Jasper, Docker, and others.
• Indications in TestNG make the code easier to read, and exceptions are captured more efficiently than in JUnit.
• TestNG can be used to develop data-driven tests.

• Runscope

Runscope is an API tracking tool that ensures APIs are functioning properly, delivering accurate data, and are debuggable. You can integrate the Swagger 2.0 API specification standard (in JSON format) as well as other common diagnostic formats into Runscope. This also applies to Runscope’s standardized format for testing its services. Because there is no free edition of Runscope, you must opt for the 14-day free trial, which can be selected from any of their pricing options.

API Monitoring in Five Easy Steps:

• Monitor APIs on a regular basis
• Validate the responses.
• Include all functional use cases.
• Incorporate API integrations from third parties and partners.
• Get a thorough view of your performance.

• Postman

Postman is an application that may be used for both developing and testing APIs. It is accessible and simple to set up. Fresh, import, runner, my workspace, connect, collections, request tab, HTTP request, and save, among other capabilities, are available in the Postman workspace.

• You may use JavaScript to write and run tests for each request when testing API in Postman.
• You can use HTTP methods like GET, DELETE, POST, and so on.
• To give the input value from any API response, you can utilize Postman’s Manage Environments capability.
• Organize the endpoints that are connected into a collection.

• APImetrics

APImetrics is a statistical API monitoring service that keeps track of privacy, adherence, and effectiveness. You can also configure notifications for your APIs, which will notify you if something goes wrong. APImetrics is unique in that it handles both SOAP and REST APIs.

APImetrics includes an out-of-the-box interactive API designer as well as a process mechanism for triggering API requests in sequential order. If you’ve decided to use APImetrics, you’ll need to select the “Grande level.” That’s because you can only get the free trial for 14 days if you choose Grande, and it comes with 300,000 API calls per month (10,000 API calls per day).

• JsonStub

You can use JsonStub to simulate the backend while working on the front end. It is rapid and determines whether the static text could be used to verify API endpoints. By constantly testing the front-end, it also serves as a platform for accessing and presenting data. It’s a meaningful and comprehensive testing tool that can be utilized whenever necessary. Its official website will assist you with the back end while you concentrate on the front end.

• JMeter

JMeter is an automated testing tool that is both easy and effective. JMeter scripting can be used to perform a performance analysis of RESTFul services, and it can be written in a variety of languages, including Java, JavaScript, and PHP. It was originally created to evaluate web applications, but it has since been modified to include other test purposes.

• JMeter is known as a quick API testing tool since it can quickly run scope tests.
• It’s open-source and allows you to download a lot of extensions and add-ons.
• JMeter includes a unique capability in the parameter section called adding parameters that we do not even see in other programs.
• JMeter allows you to execute flawless functionality and load testing.

• Tricentis Tosca

As some of the main technologies had failed to reach DevOps contexts, Tricentis Tosca is a tailored continuous testing tool for DevOps systems. A novice may also comprehend the Tosca tool and write sophisticated API tests from a business viewpoint, which they can subsequently incorporate into all scenarios.

Tricentis Tosca is a comprehensive testing and automation tool for mobile, internet, UI, SAP, and other applications.

Conclusion

You may easily develop REST APIs and utilize them in your applications using all of the above-mentioned API creation and testing tools. When you employ every one of these technologies from the start of the development procedure, you also save a huge amount of time in terms of development and testing.

We have industry experts on hand, such as Metricoid Technology Solutions Private Limited, to help you with all stages of API integration and your digital transformation journey. Thanks to a talented team with more than 12 years of experience in the industry of digital and IT solutions for numerous companies, Metricoid is a company that can be recognized for serving effective API integration and digital solution needs for companies of any scale and age, and that too at most affordable pricing. Visit the website for more details.