Manual API Testing vs Unit Testing

Developers should learn manual API testing to quickly debug and validate APIs during development, especially in early stages or for ad-hoc testing meets developers should learn and use unit testing to catch defects early, reduce debugging time, and facilitate code refactoring without breaking existing functionality. Here's our take.

Manual API Testing

Nice Pick

Developers should learn manual API testing to quickly debug and validate APIs during development, especially in early stages or for ad-hoc testing

Pros

• It's crucial for understanding API behavior, testing edge cases, and verifying integrations before automation, making it essential for roles involving API development, quality assurance, or DevOps
• Related to: postman, curl

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Unit Testing

Developers should learn and use unit testing to catch defects early, reduce debugging time, and facilitate code refactoring without breaking existing functionality

Pros

• It is essential in agile and test-driven development (TDD) environments, where tests are written before the code to guide design and ensure quality
• Related to: test-driven-development, integration-testing

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

Use Manual API Testing if: You want it's crucial for understanding api behavior, testing edge cases, and verifying integrations before automation, making it essential for roles involving api development, quality assurance, or devops and can live with specific tradeoffs depend on your use case.

Use Unit Testing if: You prioritize it is essential in agile and test-driven development (tdd) environments, where tests are written before the code to guide design and ensure quality over what Manual API Testing offers.

The Bottom Line

Manual API Testing wins

Developers should learn manual API testing to quickly debug and validate APIs during development, especially in early stages or for ad-hoc testing