API testing myths debunked

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"5 Myths about API testing There's more than
meets the UI"
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APIs Everywhere and Here to Stay
A few years ago, we entered the era of mobile
computing
But that came with some challenges
API failure means your apps fail, and your
quality and reputation take a direct hit that
flows to your bottom line
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Every App Has its APIto Test
Enterprise apps rely on a myriad of internal,
external and public APIs
Testing APIs must include different networks,
end-points and interfaces
The fact that an API is published does not
decrease the test scenarios required it
increases test scenarios in all dimensions
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Myth 1 about Testing APIs
If its a published API, its been tested and
guaranteed. No further testing required.
Just because an API is published does not mean
that the API has been tested with anything,
particularly your custom applications
Public APIs, even the few with SLAs, are the
responsibility of third parties you may trust
them, but you must verify them, with API Testing
You cannot afford to overlook the gaps in testing
APIs with your applications
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Myth 2 about Testing APIs
Weve tested the API through our applications
graphical user interface testing.
Tested through the GUI of your applications does
not mean you have fully tested the API and its
other interactions
Assuming that youve tested the API from the GUI
means on average 10 test coverage
GUI tests are extremely fragile and are not
designed to exercise the integration layer
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Myth 3 about Testing APIs
While direct testing may provide validation of
connectivity, it will not exercise the end-to-end
logic of the API and its interactions with
dependent systems
You thought you could manage simple transactions
Composite applications are dependent upon
multiple transactions
End-user experience is dependent upon everything
working together flawlessly, not a single message
transaction
until you realized the API was more complicated
(with multiple operations and elements)
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Myth 4 about Testing APIs
Testing modern composite applications requires
access to an average of 30 dependent applications
(APIs, mainframes, web services and other systems
dependencies), yet only 20 can be accessed
easily for testing
This complexity does not mean end-to-end testing
cannot be performed
Technologies like service virtualization (test
environment simulation), when coupled with API
Testing, provide for comprehensive testing across
all application dependencies
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Myth 5 about Testing APIs
Methodologies like Agile Development require that
application logic changes, improves and evolves
In order to ensure the integrity of the API, any
material change to the API requires a
re-validation of the API and its system
dependencies
Creating a regression test suite that exercises
dependent APIs consistently is required for API
integrity
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The Costs of not Testing APIs
If software is the interface to your business,
then the customers experience is only as good as
the weakest link in your software
Switching costs for software are at an all-time
low subscription models and common interfaces
mean that loyalty has to be earned with quality
and innovation
If youre leveraging APIs to enhance your
customers experience, you must ensure that the
APIs can meet or exceed your business expectations
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Parasoft API Testing Real Results
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Parasoft Leadership
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