REST API testing requires simulating realistic user interactions through connected API calls. A typical workflow involves multiple endpoints working together, with each request building on data from previous responses. Success depends on properly managing authentication tokens, request headers, and response validation across the entire sequence.
E-Commerce Testing Example
Consider an online shopping flow where a user logs in, checks their cart, and completes a purchase. This process requires three distinct API calls working in harmony:
Authentication Request
The initial POST request to /api/login accepts user credentials and returns an authentication token. Tests must verify the token's format, validity, and expiration. This token becomes crucial for subsequent requests in the workflow.
Cart Validation
Using the authentication token, a GET request to /api/cart retrieves the user's shopping cart. Tests should confirm the response contains the correct product IDs, quantities, and user-specific data. This step validates both data accuracy and proper authentication token usage.
Order Completion
The final POST request to /api/checkout processes the order. Tests must verify successful order creation, proper status codes, and accurate order details. This step should include validation of payment processing, inventory updates, and order confirmation.
Critical Testing Considerations
Effective REST API testing goes beyond simple request/response validation. Key factors include:
- Maintaining request correlation through consistent trace IDs
- Testing error scenarios like invalid tokens or insufficient inventory
- Verifying proper data propagation between services
- Monitoring backend logs for complete transaction visibility
- Cleaning test data between runs to ensure reliable results
Automation Strategy
Modern API testing demands robust automation tools that support variable storage, conditional logic, and reproducible test flows.
Interactive notebooks offer an ideal solution by combining executable tests with detailed documentation. This approach enables teams to create maintainable test suites that accurately reflect production scenarios while preserving important context about test design and implementation decisions.
What's Next
This is just a brief overview and it doesn't include many important considerations when it comes to API testing.
If you are interested in a deep dive in the above concepts, visit the original: API Testing Examples & Tutorial
I cover these topics in depth:
- REST API testing examples
- GraphQL API testing examples
- gRPC API testing examples
- WebSocket API testing examples
- General API testing tips
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