API testing is a crucial part of software development and deployment. It allows developers to integrate different parts of applications together. It also ensures that they work as expected.
However, employing API testing can be tricky, especially if you are unfamiliar with the process. That is why many developers use automated tools, making the process much simpler. Let’s explore more about this kind of test and if API testing using Selenium is possible.
Table of Contents
What is API Testing?
API testing verifies if an application programming interface (API) meets its expectations regarding accuracy, reliability, performance, and security. Its main objective is to identify bugs early in the development cycle. That way, fixes can be implemented quickly and cost-effectively. It also helps developers understand how their code interacts with other parts of an application or system.
APIs are performed at the message layer without GUI tests. It is a crucial part of integration testing that determines if the APIs meet the expectation of the testers.
Generally, API tests ensure that an application works as expected from start to finish.
What is Automated Testing?
Before diving into the specifics of Selenium, let us first look at what automated testing entails.
Automated testing is a process in which software programs are used to run tests against application code to identify any bugs or errors that may exist. Selenium automation testing ensures all user requirements are met. And that the resulting product meets the expected quality standards.
API automation testing provides developers access points. It allows them to interact with various components within a system. API test automation will make it much easier to ensure everything works properly before release.
What is Selenium?
Selenium is a browser automation tool for automating web applications and browser-based interactions. It allows testers to simulate user interactions on a website or web application.
Moreover, Selenium has support for various programming languages, including:
- Java
- Python
- Ruby
- PHP
Selenium tests written in these languages can be executed across different browsers without rewriting code from scratch. The frequently used version of Selenium is called “Selenium WebDriver,” specifically designed to test web applications using APIs.
How does it work?
When using Selenium for API testing, you must define a set of commands that will run against a URL or endpoint. These commands can be things like submitting forms or clicking links on the page to test the application or website’s functionality.
As the test runs, Selenium will report any errors that occur during the execution of each command. That way, you can troubleshoot any issues quickly and easily.
How to test using restful APIs
RESTful (Representational State Transfer) APIs are among today’s most popular ways to create application layer protocols online. REST supports simple HTTP requests. It allows developers to interact with existing services quickly and efficiently. Thus, it makes it easier for them to check functionality without additional programming knowledge or skillset.
To test a RESTful API using Selenium, you must write scripts sending HTTP requests based on specifications set out by your API documentation. Then, you can validate response codes from the server side before attempting further verifications or assertions against your results.
How to test using GraphQl requests
GraphQL or Graph Query Language provides a more efficient way for developers to retrieve data from servers than traditional REST architectures. Instead of having multiple endpoints queried separately, queries could be sent over to a single endpoint in bulk batches. Then, it would respond accordingly with information related only to that specific query request(s).
GraphQL saves developers time while working with large datasets through fewer requests per transaction. This feature is valuable when they don’t know precisely what data they may need until runtime (when sending requests).
When writing test scripts using Selenium for GraphQL requests, you must use the appropriate query language syntax to start each script correctly. These queries should then be sent through your chosen browser, such as Chrome or Firefox, before validating responses from the server-side response codes via assertions/verifications against your queries’ outputted results.
But is Selenium Enough for API Testing?
Selenium is great for testing web applications. However, it may not be enough for more complex APIs.
In these cases, you may need additional tools like Postman or SoapUI. These tools provide more features specifically designed for testing APIs. These include data validation and response time tracking.
Using Selenium with these additional tools will result in a more comprehensive coverage of your API’s functionality. A combination of testing techniques will ensure that everything works properly before releasing it into production.
Final Thoughts
Selenium is an incredibly powerful tool for testing websites and web applications. By combining its user interaction capabilities with API testing tools like Postman or SoapUI, you can ensure comprehensive coverage of your API functions before releasing it into production. And this will save you time and money in the long run by ensuring that any bugs are caught early on instead of after deployment. So if you are looking for a way to efficiently test your APIs, consider exploring Selenium.