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Testing APIs is Every Bit Important as Testing the UI
What we’ve covered so far in this series has largely involved the importance of keeping the user experience top of mind. The logical way to go about this is of course running UI tests to make sure we are delivering the correct look and feel that we have designed for the user. The word ‘user’ is right there in ‘user interface’ so this is clearly an important step in delivering that consistent user experience.
What I see too often though is folks running multiple UI tests in an attempt to validate specific output values or logic. A much easier way to accomplish this task is to run specific API tests on the business logic of the software.
Why should we do this? It’s much faster and easier to write these tests. We can have our developers supporting this process and not just Selenium or automation experts. 'Work smarter, not harder' is a theory we should all be familiar with. In the case that working smarter decreases your work and also makes you more efficient? It’s a no-brainer.
Check out this video for more on how I think we should approach UI and API testing.
I’ll see you again next week when I talk about the value of failed tests.
