Choosing a Continuous API Testing Solution: A Guide for Developers, QA and DevOps

With APIs becoming a core component of modern applications, - DevOps, QA, developers and API architects need to ensure their reliability. However, testing and monitoring APIs requires overcoming complex integrations, coverage issues, security risks, scalability challenges, and more. In this blog post, we propose a solution to these challenges. 

Read on to learn API testing practices and how BlazeMeter’s continuous API testing platform ensures improved code quality while empowering customers and teams.

What is API Testing?

API testing is a type of software testing for verifying and validating APIs. This is done by sending calls to the API, getting the output, and assessing the system's response against various outcomes. Outcomes could include data accuracy, HTTP status codes, error codes when API returns a fault, and response times. With API testing, engineers can ensure that the APIs meet expectations for functionality, reliability, performance, and security. 

What is API Monitoring?

API monitoring is the observance of production APIs’ performance. This practice helps identify issues like increased latency, reduced throughput, and unexpected downtime in APIs that can affect the end-user experience. With API monitoring, engineers can ensure APIs are available, functional, and performing within expected parameters.  

The Role of API Testing and Monitoring in the Digital Landscape

Over 90% of developers use APIs and 61% of IT leaders say that APIs help build better digital experiences and products. This makes APIs integral to modern applications. Effective testing and monitoring lead to:

• High functioning and performing APIs under all conditions
• A better user experience
• Faster time-to-market
• Improved security posture
• Reduced costs
• Lower risk of failure

These are vital to the success of these applications.

Top Challenges with API Testing and Monitoring

Despite the importance of API testing and monitoring, many organizations are still finding it challenging to evaluate APIs and ensure they can support development and business needs. The main challenges include:

• Complex Integrations - Complex and varied systems make it difficult to ensure accurate, comprehensible and reliable testing
• Comprehensive Coverage - Ensuring complete test coverage that validates all aspects of API functionality and error handling.
• Evolving APIs - Keeping test suites updated with frequent API changes and versioning.
• Performance Under Load - Guaranteeing API performance under high traffic and various use case scenarios.
• Security Risks - Addressing and mitigating security vulnerabilities to prevent unauthorized access and data breaches.
• Real-time Detection - Identifying and resolving production issues with APIs in real time.
• Third-Party Dependencies - Managing the added complexity of third-party APIs and their impact on system performance.
• Scalability - Scaling monitoring strategies to keep pace with the increasing number and usage of APIs.

BlazeMeter’s Continuous API Testing and Monitoring Capabilities

BlazeMeter offers continuous API testing and monitoring services as part of the complete BlazeMeter Continuous Testing Platform. With thousands of brands using BlazeMeter, more than 19 million API uptime and data validation checks are run per day.

BlazeMeter’s continuous API testing capabilities include:

Real-Time API Performance Monitoring

BlazeMeter enables teams to understand their API behavior in real time. By integrating with open-source and third-party tools like Jenkins, PagerDuty, and Slack, BlazeMeter provides timely notifications about API issues​​. These issues are monitored throughout the entire SDLC, from early development through production, API. 

Data Validation and Complex Workflow Testing

BlazeMeter offers robust data validation capabilities. Users can verify that APIs return the correct data and chain API requests to create tests for complex workflows. This functionality includes checking for specific status codes, HTTP headers, and JSON or XML properties, or creating custom validation rules using a built-in JavaScript script engine​​.

"Our API has become a vital part of the business. BlazeMeter’s API Monitoring allows us to set up complicated API monitors that include our OAuth layer with just a few clicks." Jim Naylor, Director of Product Management, Edmunds.com

Continuous API Testing Platform

BlazeMeter provides a single platform to test all APIs, from development to production, without switching between multiple tools. It supports the reuse of functional tests for performance, load, and API monitoring, and facilitates team collaboration with shareable monitor links​​.

"Since we began using BlazeMeter’s API Monitoring, our average support time is a fraction of what it used to be. When a partner reports a bug, we can fix it immediately." Troy Miller, API Product Manager, uShip

Global API Performance Monitoring

BlazeMeter enables global API performance monitoring from 19 different locations, ensuring a high-quality API experience for users and customers worldwide. This helps identify potential issues or slowdowns over time​​.

*The fact that BlazeMeter’s API Monitoring has multiple locations across the globe from which you can monitor is very valuable so that we can proactively solve even the most under-the-radar issues." Chris Knowles, Technology Director, Omnifone

Enhanced Application Quality with Shift-Right Approach

BlazeMeter supports a shift-right approach to API testing, which means APIs are monitored across the entire development life cycle. This approach helps increase API resiliency, find and fix bugs faster, and is a complementary strategy to continuous testing, especially when combined with load and performance testing​​.

"Uptime and performance are vital to us. BlazeMeter’s API Monitoring reduces development time and ensures optimal performance of our API at all times." Sara Cowie, Head of Customer Acquisition, Syncano

Benefits of Continuous API Testing and Monitoring with BlazeMeter

Choosing BlazeMeter for your continuous API testing and monitoring needs provides multiple benefits for organizations. These include:

• Seamless Integrations - BlazeMeter integrates effortlessly with your existing CI/CD stack, streamlining the process and becoming part of the SDLC without disruption. "The ability to integrate API Monitoring into the communications channels our engineers use most often adds tremendous value, and allows us to respond to API failures much more quickly." Cory Watson, Principal Infrastructure Engineer, Keen
• Scalability - BlazeMeter provides unmatched testing scalability and can easily support complex, high-load scenarios.
• All-Inclusive Platform - BlazeMeter is a one-stop shop for all testing requirements, from exploratory to automated API tests, catering to every team member.
• Cost-Effective Testing - BlazeMeter provides straightforward pricing, enabling teams to  expand testing capabilities without financial surprises at the end of the period.
• Security and Compliance - Security is built into every test, ensuring compliance with the stringent standards.
• Empowering Teams - BlazeMeter brings teams together, breaking down silos and fostering collaboration with tools designed for all skill levels. "API Monitoring saves the day over and over again. Our developer community is thriving, and thanks to API Monitoring, even as it expands, we can keep it that way." Keran McKenzie, API Platform Evangelist, MYOB
• Customer-Centric Approach - BlazeMeter is not just a platform; it’s your testing partner. BlazeMeter offers end-to-end support to ensure your success.

BlazeMeter Continuous API Testing and Monitoring Use Cases

When should engineers use BlazeMeter’s API testing and monitoring capabilities? BlazeMeter’s benefits particularly shine in the following use cases:

• Developers - Improving code quality with BlazeMeter's precision testing
• QA - Ensuring benchmarks are the industry standard.
• DevOps - Helping accelerate cycles with BlazeMeter’s integrated testing, ensuring each release is swift and secure.
• API architects - Providing technological solutions
• Performance testers - Providing end-to-end performance testing capabilities
• Technical product managers - Providing an all-encompassing testing suite

Bottom Line

The importance of testing and monitoring APIs only continues to increase. It is (or should be) an integral aspect of a testing strategy. Though the process can be complex rife with coverage issues, security risks, and scalability challenges, there are tools out there to help you.

BlazeMeter's continuous API testing and monitoring capabilities are unrivaled in the testing industry for a reason. Our platform provides superior data validation in the face of complex workflows, real-time API performance monitoring, and a one-stop-shop for continuous API testing and monitoring. Having everything you need in one location means enhanced application quality.

Elevate your API testing and monitoring game with BlazeMeter — get started today for FREE!

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