Gene documentation
Testing (WIP)
PR Level Testing
API Tests

API Testing Guide

Why We Need API Tests

API tests are essential because they:

  • Provide fast feedback on API functionality and reliability.
  • Help identify issues early, reducing the cost of bug fixes.
  • Ensure integration points between services are functioning as expected.
  • Complement end-to-end (E2E) tests by covering scenarios difficult to test through the UI.

Responsibilities

Creation

  • Developer:
    • Creates tests when working on specific increments.
    • Fixes tests if they are flaky.
  • QA:
    • Reviews and executes API tests.
    • Ensures test coverage and reliability.

Fixing

  • The developer responsible for introducing the bug.

Maintenance

  • The developer responsible for changes in the area covered by the API tests.

Scope and Effort

  • Scope: API tests should cover all critical endpoints, edge cases, and potential failure points.
  • Effort: Estimation depends on the complexity of the APIs. Initial setup might require significant effort, but regular maintenance should be minimal.

Tools

Note: The team can decide which technology stack to use for E2E tests; the tools below are suggestions.

  • Cypress: Known for ease of use, robust API testing capabilities, and CI/CD integration.
  • Postman: Useful for manual API testing and creating automated tests.
  • Jest: Can be combined with supertest for API testing.
  • Swagger: Free tool for API testing and generating OpenAPI documentation.
  • Pact: Ideal for contract testing between services.

Guidelines and Best Practices

  • Write clear, maintainable tests.
  • Ensure tests are independent and can run in any order.
  • Use descriptive names for test cases.
  • Mock external dependencies to isolate the tested API endpoints, if necessary.

Definition of Done

An API test is considered complete when it:

  • Covers the defined scope and meets the acceptance criteria.
  • Passes consistently in the test environment.
  • Has been reviewed and approved by a peer.
  • Is documented and added to the test suite.

Examples

Testing a GET Endpoint with Cypress

Note: This example uses Cypress to test a GET endpoint. Other libraries, tools, or frameworks can be used based on specific requirements.

describe('GET /api/users', () => {
  it('should return a list of users', () => {
    cy.request('GET', '/api/users')
      .then((response) => {
        expect(response.status).to.eq(200);
        expect(response.body).to.have.length.greaterThan(0);
      });
  });
});
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