API TESTING 1
I. What is an API?
API stands for Application Programming Interface which is useful for communication between different software systems. It facilitates data exchange between systems located in different remote places. API is a collection of functions that are executable by other functions of the applications (Web, Desktop, iOS App, and Android Apk).
When you use a mobile application, browser, or desktop application, it connects to the Internet and sends information to a server. The data is subsequently retrieved, interpreted, and sent back to your phone by the server. The application then analyzes the data and displays the information you requested in a comprehensible manner. All of this occurs through an API.
II. What is API Testing?
API (Application Programming Interface) is a computing interface that enables communication and data exchange between two separate software systems. A software system that executes an API includes several functions/subroutines that another software system can perform. API defines requests that can be made, how to make requests, data formats that can be used, etc.
III. What are the advantages of API Testing?
In an API interview, they are likely to ask about the advantages of API testing. So be prepared with the significant ones such as
- Test for Core Functionality: API testing provides access to the application without a user interface. The core and code-level functionalities of the application will be tested and evaluated early before the GUI tests. This will help detect the minor issues which can become bigger during the GUI testing
- Time Effective: API testing usually is less time-consuming than functional GUI testing. The web elements in GUI testing must be polled, which makes the testing process slower. Particularly, API test automation requires less code so it can provide better and faster test coverage compared to GUI test automation. These will result in cost savings for the testing project.
- Language-Independent: In API testing, data is exchanged using XML or JSON. These transfer modes are completely language-independent, allowing users to select any coding language when adopting automation testing services for the project.
- Easy Integration with GUI: API tests enable highly integrable tests, which is particularly useful if you want to perform functional GUI tests after API testing. For instance, simple integration would allow new user accounts to be created within the application before a GUI test started.
