API (Application Programming Interface) testing reviews the integrity of the API’s logic at the business layer. The API is tested for its ability to accept and return information from various user interfaces (UIs) and numerical transactions on the database layer. The test also reveals if the API meets functionality, reliability, performance, and security requirements. API testing can also be performed as part of end-to-end testing. This helps ensure that customer-facing APIs are contributing to positive user experiences, and accelerates E2E test execution. API testing within E2E tests also makes it easier to investigate failed tests.

Can API testing be automated?

API testing can (and should) be automated for faster feedback, which reduces time for debugging and patches. Backend APIs are used by several clients and servers. Automating your API testing is essential to ensure functionality throughout development.

Which is the best tool for API automation testing?

Mabl is the best API automation testing tool because it tests the entire end-to-end workflow with integrated API and UI tests through a single platform. Automated API testing with mabl can validate status code responses, headers and body (JSON/Text) values without having to interact with the application’s UI. Changes made to the API are easily adopted into testing for a seamless automated API testing experience.

Where is API testing done?

API testing is done at the business layer as part of integration testing to ensure that all connected systems can exchange data seamlessly. API tests reveal if a system meets functionality, reliability, performance, and security requirements/criteria. Since a functional API is integral to the system’s success, developers will perform API regression tests during application development and every version update to verify that all changes added will not break the API.

Why does API testing matter?

APIs are an essential - and growing - component of the user experience. Any time data is exchanged between applications, odds are the transaction is facilitated by an API. Payment processors, login authenticators, and navigation apps are all dependent on the API economy to make our digital lives easier. But standard UI testing can be too slow to capture degrading API performance, making it critical for QA teams to integrate routine API testing into their test automation strategy to capture the full user experience.

How can manual testers start API testing?

Usually, API testing is a code-heavy process that’s difficult to scale across entire testing teams, especially for testers with little-to-no coding experience. Low-code API automation testing with mabl removes the barrier to entry through a user-friendly low-code interface that makes it possible for everyone to contribute to testing by simply clicking through the user journey or by harnessing the power of reusable flows.

Can API testing make UI tests faster?

Complex UI tests are a valuable tool for ensuring quality across the full user experience. However, UI tests are slower than API tests, and as such you should not rely only on UI tests. If a tester or developer needs to validate that a specific API is working as intended, standalone API tests are preferred as they are quick to execute and can also ensure API performance during development.

Can I convert a Postman collection into a mabl API test?

Yes, absolutely. Mabl was built to work seamlessly with Postman and allows importing Postman Collections as a single API test or by importing individual folders as distinct API tests. You may also import environment variables from Postman directly into mabl so your tests run flawlessly leveraging mabl’s cloud infrastructure and test orchestration.

E2E API Testing Tool

API Testing

API testing is critical for delivering delightful user experiences. Mabl’s unified test automation platform empowers your entire team, regardless of coding experience, to create comprehensive end-to-end API tests using low-code or by importing directly from Postman, then orchestrate them alongside web or mobile tests and even reuse them for API load testing. Get more value from your APIs with a consolidated platform that empowers your team.

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How does it work?

High-velocity software teams rely on mabl

Benefits of Integrated API Testing

Test Coverage

Extend end-to-end test coverage by combining API and UI tests with centralized reporting.

Team Efficiency

Enable everyone on your team - regardless of coding experience - to contribute to API test automation.

Customer Experience

Build products with delightful and functional customer experiences across all user-facing use-cases.

Proven Success with Industry Leaders

Dale Cook

VP of Product Engineering

“Mabl easily integrates with our workflows and CI/CD pipelines so that developers can run really robust tests without using a lot of engineering resources.”

Adeeb Valiulla

Head of Product Quality Assurance

"We went from 10% to 95% test automation coverage with 3 QAs and 5 developers. Our team is working with greater confidence and our customers are even happier."

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Janet Bracewell

Senior Engineering Manager, QA

"Mabl allows our team to focus on improving our product and user experience. The fast, consistent execution has been instrumental in showing the value of testing."

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Samar Khan

VP Software Development and DevOps

"Using traditional automation tools like Selenium would have taken 2 years and $240K to accomplish what ITS did with mabl in just 4 months at 80% cost savings."

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Gary Gann

VP and Domain Owner for Loss Sensitive IT

"Mabl lets us accomplish in hours what we used to do in 2 weeks. Our team is increasing velocity with higher quality and providing more value to the business."

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Aniket Sonwalker

QA Manager for R&D

“My team started using mabl effectively in 6 weeks versus months with a traditional tool. They can easily maintain tests and our output has doubled as a result.”

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Meghan Elledge

Director of Engineering

“It’s about using automation to let people do their best work. Mabl helps more of our people play an active role in testing and think about higher value things.”

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Pradgnya Kulkarni

Director of QA Engineering

“With mabl, my team can scale testing when we need it most. We can run as many tests as needed in parallel without worrying about managing infrastructure.”

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