API Automation Testing Frameworks

Developing an application includes several aspects that ensure its utmost functionality and safety and how well it satisfies the user's needs. Regarding client satisfaction, software development teams should focus especially on API testing. This article will elaborate on API testing and popular API automation testing frameworks.

What is API Testing?

Application Programming Interface (API) is a software interface connecting different software through coding. In other words, it is the bridge between products and services. API is used to transfer data between various systems. For instance, whenever someone uses an application, it sends data to the server after connecting to the internet. Afterwards, the server collects and interprets the data, performs the required tasks, and sends it to the application. The application interprets the same data again and provides the desired results. All these actions are possible through API integration with the application. 

API testing determines the software's capability to meet the reliability, performance, security, and functionality requirements. Furthermore, API testing allows the QA team to find any security issues and underlying bugs in the software. The Presentation, Application User Interface, and Database layers are the three layers that make an application.

API testing is performed on the Application User Interface layer, focusing on the business logic. Moreover, the API testing approach varies with the API type, including OS APIs, DBMS APIs, and web APIs.

What is an API Testing Framework?

An API testing framework is a collection that contains procedures, functions, code, and software structure. An API built using a framework should function within the boundaries of the framework. The testing framework includes all the tools and practices that will aid API testing. In simpler terms, the API testing framework will allow the team to test API rigorously to identify and eradicate bugs and security vulnerabilities. 

API Test automation frameworks are built as per the project requirements, which can reduce the team's overall testing efforts. 

Benefits of an API Automation Testing Framework

API automation testing framework provides tons of benefits that ensure the robust functionality of APIs. However, this is not the only perk associated with such a framework. Below are the significant advantages that you can get from a custom API automation testing framework. 

1. Scalable

API test automation frameworks allow you to cover most test cases and situations without additional development. The created framework will help you test new APIs quickly and with minimal code writing.

2. Usability

Sometimes, the QA team may have to learn specific tools before executing API testing, making the process tedious. However, that is not the case with a custom API automation testing framework. As it will be built as per the project requirements and the testing team, they are most necessarily familiar with how it should be used. Furthermore, these frameworks can use English-like syntax, eliminating the need for coding. 

3. Maintainability

One of the key perks of having an API automation testing framework is its maintainability. Any change made in the API can be applied to the API file, and there is no need to rewrite test cases for retesting. All you have to do is use a single command to rerun the desired tests. Also, the test data can be changed easily with an API-automated testing framework. 

4. Reporting

Testing is worthless if any test reports are not created and shared with the desired team. With an automation framework, the QA team can easily create and share in-depth details on the test cases. The transparent reporting mechanism can be used to share details like the executed tests, passed tests, failed tests, and many other metrics.

5. Compatible with Apps

When you use a custom API automation testing framework, you are sure that it will be compatible with the application you will test. In most cases, the testing framework will be compatible with all the significant OS and platforms, allowing you to have a broader range while testing.  

6. Reuse Frameworks

Reusability is one core element in automation testing frameworks. Reusing the framework enables you to perform testing quickly while diminishing the overall maintenance cost. Setting up test cases or configuring different aspects, such frameworks make all these tasks easier and quicker. 

Recommended Technology Stack for API Automation Testing Framework

Picking the right technology while building a program is one of the most crucial decisions, and the same goes for API automation testing frameworks. Here are the most popular and suitable technologies that you can use for this process. 

1. TypeScript: Built on JavaScript, TypeScript is a strongly typed programming language that adds static typing. Using this language, developers can add types to the program. Writing the code for the API automation testing framework in TypeScript will give you more structure while minimizing the risk of core code-breaking. Being a superset of JavaScript, you can run this framework on Node.js, making it a cross-platform framework.
2. Node.js: Node.js is built on JavaScript Engine and uses an event-driven model. Being efficient and lightweight, this platform is ideal for applications that require herculean data. Using Node.js for your API testing framework will ensure that it functions in any environment and comes with cross-platform capabilities. 
3. InversifyJS: InversifyJS is an inversion of control (IoC) container for applications based on JavaScript and TypeScript. Using this IoC, you can identify the dependencies and inject them accordingly. Moreover, it can be used to automatically create class dependencies in TypeScript, which directly enhances accuracy. 
4. Mocha: Mocha is a JavaScript test framework that is highly useful in automation testing frameworks. This feature-packed framework is compatible with Node.js programs, which can help with testing and accurate reporting. Other features that you can get from Mocha are asynchronous testing, usage of any assertion library, and browser support, among others. 

Features of API Automation Testing Frameworks

A custom API automation testing framework will provide you with features you like for your program. Here are certain API automation testing framework features that will help you make the process uncomplicated.

1. Data-Driven Testing:

Having data-driven testing as a feature in your framework will allow you to add many variables and run the framework according to the variables listed. Furthermore, you can use the test scenario for multiple test data. All you have to do is configure the data sets. 

2. YAML File

One key feature of such a testing framework is the ability to write YAML test scenarios. With this feature, you can write test scenarios in a human-readable YAML file, making analyzing test scenarios easier. Rather than putting additional effort into writing code for testing, you can write the same in a text format, and the framework with this feature can perform the API testing. 

3. Method Call

Engineers can save a lot of time and effort when the before-each and after-each features are used to run a method after or before every test case, as they do not have to write API every time.  

4. Extensive Reporting

Reporting is essential for growth and improvement. After running the test scenarios, the framework will create two different files. The first is an HTML report which showcases metrics like passed tests, failed test cases, and the number of tests executed. The other file is a comparison of the achieved results versus the results anticipated.    

Top API Automation Testing Tools

Integrating the most suitable tools is essential to make an API automation testing framework effective. These tools can enhance the functionalities of the framework while being efficient. With that being said, here are the top API automation testing tools that you can use.

1. Katalon Studio

Katalon Studio is an easy-to-use API test automation tool. In addition, this tool can also be used to test Windows, mobile, and web applications. You can set up API test data using UI testing through this tool.

• Integrated support for SOAP requests, REST, and SSL client certificates.
• Native CI/CD integration for Azure, Docker, Jenkins, and many others.
• Enhanced test coverage through data-driven testing.
• Dedicated reporting system

2. Apigee

Developed by Sonoa Systems in 2004, Apigee is a cross-cloud API testing tool currently owned and managed by Google Cloud. Using this tool, you can test and measure API performance quickly and accurately. 

• Offers HIPAA, PII, PCI, and SOC2 for applications
• Identify performance issues through response time, error rate, and API traffic
• Open API 3.0 support and Virtual host management for enhanced flexibility

3. Soap UI

Soap UI is a dedicated open-source API testing tool that supports GraphQL, Rest, and SOAP APIs. The drag-and-drop feature combined with point-and-click ensures you can build tests without hassle.  

• Data-driven testing for better API testing
• The Reusability of scripts allows you to reuse security scans and load tests
• Support for asynchronous testing and CI/CD integration

4.  JMeter

Though JMeter is a popular tool for performance testing, it is also highly proficient in functional API testing. You can cache and offline replay test results as you prefer.

• Include API tests in the CI pipeline.
• Build unique values for API tests quickly through its capability of working with CSV files automatically.
• Frequent updates that introduce new features, bug fixes, and themes.

5. Karate DSL

Karate DSL is a new name for an API test automation tool, but it comes with a various features. This tool blends API test automation, performance testing, and mocks in a single framework. 

• Integration with Eclipse, JUnit, Java, Cucumber, and many others. 
• Support for multithreaded parallel execution.
• Data-driven testing combined with CSV and JSON sources.

How ThinkSys Can Help in API Testing?

As a significant software development task, API testing is best performed by professionals. With API testing service, ThinkSys can help you get accurate results from API testing. With over a decade of experience in software development, our team is capable of API testing and creating software from scratch. Our team can also help create a custom API automation testing framework. 

• From functional testing to integration testing, ThinkSys can help in different types of API testing.
• Create test scripts for reliable API automation testing.
• Usage of industry-leading API test automation tools.
• Creating of custom API automation testing framework.
• Evaluation of requirements to integrate custom features in the framework.

Frequently Asked Questions