API, stands for Application Programming Interface, is a crucial component that facilitates communication between two distinct applications, even if they are built on entirely different platforms. For instance, one application might be developed on Java, functioning as a text platform, while utilizing Oracle as its database. Simultaneously, another application could be built on the Windows platform using C++ and relying on a separate server as its database Naturally, these two diverse applications cannot communicate directly with each other due to their dissimilar architectures and technologies. However, the use of API bridges this gap and enables seamless communication between them. Essentially, an API acts as an intermediary that allows these separate applications to interact effectively and exchange data or perform functions as needed. This communication process between different applications is made possible thanks to the facilitation provided by APIs.
This article will give you a comprehensive tutorial on how to perform API testing in Katalon studio
Installation Of Katalon Studio
Download the Katalon Studio: Visit the Katalon Studio website and download the appropriate version for your operating system
2.Install Katalon Studio: Run the installer and follow the installation instructions.
Create New Project:
Launch Katalon Studio
Click on File-> New-> Project
Choose a project name and location then click “OK”
Object Repository for API Requests:
In Katalon Studio, you can create Test Objects within the Object Repository to represent API requests. These Test Objects can include details such as the request method, URL, headers, parameters, and authentication details. This approach can help you organize and manage your API requests in a structured manner
In the Project Explorer or Test Explorer panel on the left-hand side, right-click on the “Object Repository” folder.
Click on New -> Web Service Request
->Enter New Request Name
->Click on Request Type Drop-Down (SOAP or RESTful)In the dialog box, you’ll see a “Request Type” drop-down menu. You mentioned there are two options: SOAP and RESTful.
Since you want to create a RESTful request, select the “RESTful” option from the drop-down menu.
3.Click OK
Now, we can set the fields with the API specific details like
The HTTP method of the API e.g. GET
The API URL-http://dummy.restapiexample.com/api/v1/employees
Based on the API, we can similarly set the ‘Authorization’, ‘HTTP Header’ and ‘HTTP Body’ fields.
Hitting the Request and Viewing the Response:
Click the Play Icon: Locate the play icon (usually represented as a green triangle) next to the URL field or request section. Clicking this icon will initiate the sending of the SOAP request to the specified endpoint.
Response Section: After sending the request, Katalon Studio will display the response in the “Response” section. This section typically shows the following information:
Status: The HTTP status code returned by the server, indicating the success or failure of the request (e.g., 200 OK, 404 Not Found).
Response Body: The body of the response, which is the data returned by the API. This can be XML data in the case of SOAP requests.
Assertions and Validation: You can now validate the response using assertions. You might check if the status code is as expected, examine specific elements in the response body, and ensure that the API is behaving correctly.
Logging and Debugging: During this process, you can also monitor the logs and console output in Katalon Studio to get insights into the request and response details for debugging purposes.
Creating a New Test Case:
Creating a test case in Katalon Studio to perform API testing is the next logical step. Here’s how you can create a test case named ‘GetEmployeelist’ under the ‘Test Cases’ directory
Go to Test Cases Directory-> Right-click on the ‘Test Cases’ directory->Click New-> Select Test case
provide a name for the new test case.
Click “OK”
Adding Web Service Keywords to Test Case:
Adding “Web Service Keywords” to your test case in Katalon Studio’s right pane is an important step for hitting and verifying API responses. These keywords allow you to interact with the API request you configured earlier and perform various validations on the API response.
On the right pane, we need to add “Web Service Keywords” in order to hit and verify the API response.
Using the “Send Request” Keyword and Saving Output:
Open Your Test Case:
Make sure you have your test case, such as ‘GetEmployeeDataTest,’ open in the test case editor.
Add “Send Request” Keyword:
In the right pane of the test case editor, click the ‘+’ icon or a similar option to add a new test step.
Search for the “Send Request” keyword from the Web Service Keywords.
Configure Parameters:
In the parameters section of the “Send Request” keyword, you’ll need to set the following fields:
Object: This should be the name of the API request you created in the Object Repository. In your case, it’s ‘GetEmployeeDataTest’.
Output: Set this field to a variable name where you want to store the response. This variable will hold the API response data for subsequent validation.
Save Response to Variable:
The “Output” field will store the API response data in the specified variable. You can use this variable in subsequent steps of your test case for validation, assertions, and other actions.
Continue with Validation:
After sending the request and saving the response to a variable, you can add more test steps using other Web Service Keywords to validate and assert the response content.
Save Your Test Case:
Once you’ve added the necessary steps, make sure to save your test case.
Advantages:
Katalon API testing offers several advantages compared to other API testing tools:Integration with Katalon Studio: Katalon API testing seamlessly integrates with Katalon Studio, a comprehensive test automation solution. This integration allows for end-to-end testing covering both API and UI aspects within a single platform.
User-Friendly Interface: Katalon provides a user-friendly interface with a low learning curve, making it accessible to both technical and non-technical users. Its graphical user interface (GUI) allows for easy test creation, management, and execution.
Codeless Test Creation: Katalon API testing supports codeless test creation, enabling testers to create and execute API tests without writing any code. This feature accelerates the test development process and makes it accessible to users with minimal programming knowledge.
Scripting Support: While Katalon supports codeless testing, it also offers scripting support for advanced users who prefer to write custom test scripts using languages like Groovy or JavaScript. This flexibility caters to a wide range of testing scenarios and user preferences.
Built-in Test Reporting: Katalon provides built-in reporting capabilities that generate comprehensive test reports with detailed insights into test execution results. These reports help testers analyze test outcomes, identify issues, and track the overall test coverage.
Integration with CI/CD Pipelines: Katalon API testing seamlessly integrates with popular Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) tools such as Jenkins, Bamboo, and Azure DevOps. This allows for the automation of API testing as part of the CI/CD pipeline, ensuring continuous quality assurance.
Support for Multiple Protocols and Formats: Katalon supports various protocols and data formats commonly used in API testing, including REST, SOAP, GraphQL, and JSON. This versatility allows testers to validate different types of APIs across diverse technologies and platforms.
Reusable Components and Test Objects: Katalon enables testers to create reusable components and test objects, promoting modular test design and reducing redundancy. This approach enhances test maintainability and scalability, particularly in large-scale testing projects.
Conculsion:
In simple terms, Katalon API Testing is a helpful tool for companies that want to make sure their software works well behind the scenes. It’s easy to use, covers a lot of different tests, doesn’t require writing complicated code, works well with other tools, lets you reuse parts of tests, and gives you detailed reports and insights. By using Katalon for API testing, companies can test their software faster, release updates quicker, and make sure their products are top-notch when they hit the market.
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