Automated API Testing
Automated API testing is a software testing practice that uses automated tools and scripts to verify the functionality, reliability, performance, and security of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). It involves sending requests to API endpoints and validating responses against expected outcomes, typically as part of continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines. This approach ensures APIs behave correctly under various conditions without manual intervention.
Developers should learn automated API testing to ensure API reliability in modern microservices and distributed systems, where APIs are critical for communication between components. It is essential for regression testing, performance validation, and security checks, particularly in agile and DevOps environments where frequent deployments require fast, repeatable testing. Use cases include validating RESTful or GraphQL APIs, testing third-party integrations, and automating smoke tests in CI/CD workflows.