API Testing Foundations (2018)

Course details

As software companies continue to shift towards cloud computing, mobile apps, and microservice architectures, the ability to quickly and effectively test APIs has become a critical skill for software testers. In this course, instructor Dave Westerveld covers the basics of API testing, sharing how to work with several robust tools for testing APIs at scale in an organization. After providing a primer on web services and important API terminology, Dave shows how to use Postman for some basic API exploration. He then goes over some basic approaches and methodologies used in testing GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE requests; shows how to approach performance testing using SoapUI, a popular automated API testing tool; and more.

Learning objectives
Reviewing API terminology
Mitigating risks related to testing APIs
Mapping out the layout of an API
API authorization and authentication
Finding and using bearer tokens
Testing GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE calls
Using mocks, stubs, and fakes in API testing
Testing microservices and the Internet of Things

Concepts

0. Introduction

01 - Stand out as an API tester

1. Understanding Web Services and APIs

02 - Introduction to web services
03 - Understanding API terminology
04 - Types of APIs
05 - Exercise - Map your app
06 - Risks of using services and APIs

2. Getting Started with API Testing

07 - Your first tool - Postman
08 - Install and setup of API challenges
09 - Exploring an API
10 - Challenge - Map the API
11 - Solution - Map the API

3. API Authorization

12 - Overview of authorization and authentication
13 - Using OAuth tokens
14 - Finding and using bearer tokens
15 - Additional API authentication options

4. Hands-on API Testing

16 - Testing GET calls
17 - Challenge - Find the secret
18 - Solution - Find the secret
19 - Testing POST calls
20 - Testing PUT calls
21 - Testing DELETE calls
22 - Challenge - Find the 500
23 - Solution - Find the 500

5. Additional API Testing Considerations

24 - Using mocks, stubs, and fakes in API testing
25 - API automation
26 - Performance testing
27 - Security testing
28 - Testing microservices and the Internet of Things

Conclusion

29 - Next steps