Best Tools to Test and Document Your API like a Hero
Tags: testing, testdev, webdev
Published: 2021-02-05 10:36:45

Building your API is fun right? how about testing It?

In this article, I will be sharing resources on how to test your APIs. 
Testing your API endpoints might be a big deal after developing them but there are amazing tools I will be sharing with you to test your APIs efficiently.

## Table of Contents

- Introduction to API
- Testing tools
- API Documentation
- Resources

## Introduction to API

### What is an API?

API(Application Programming Interface) serves as a middleware that enables channeling data between software products.
It can be used to define requests made, handles business logic, the data formats that should be used and the conventions to adhere to when building software products, etc. 

## Testing Tools

#### [POSTWOMAN / HOOPSCOTCH](https://hoppscotch.io/)

![image.png](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1610838514220/wgOkw8vQ3.png)

A free, fast, and beautiful API request builder with an online testing environment, support for multiple platforms and multiple devices, and many more.


#### [REST-Assured](http://rest-assured.io/)

![image.png](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1610837510019/Ov6MVxfni.png)

This tool simplifies testing API endpoints in Java, it tests and validates responses.

#### [PAW](https://paw.cloud/)

![image.png](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1610837773386/2R87zfCwx.png)

Paw is a full-featured HTTP client that lets you test and describe the APIs you build or consume. It has a beautiful native macOS interface to compose requests, inspect server responses, generate client code, and export API definitions.

#### [POSTMAN](https://www.postman.com/)

![image.png](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1610837360130/6c-I1EOBsG.png)
Postman is a collaboration platform for API development. The awesome thing about this tool is that simplifies each step of building an API and it also makes collaboration seamless for building faster APIs.

#### [SOAPUI](https://www.soapui.org/downloads/soapui/)

![image.png](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1610838275333/aNen9DiyH.png)
This is also a testing tool that can help to make testing API endpoints seamless.

#### [FIRECAMP](https://firecamp.io/)

![image.png](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1610838609975/NMgS4VRQP.png)
This is a tool with friendly UI and can be used to test any stack it doesn't matter which tech stack you use, ranging from REST API, WebSockets, GraphQL, etc. in software engineering.

#### [KARATE](https://intuit.github.io/karate/)

![image.png](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1610838910786/HV8JjrBvP.png)
Karate is an open-source tool for operations like API test-automation, performance-testing, UI automation into a single, etc.

#### [APIFORTRESS](https://apifortress.com/)

![image.png](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1610839080287/6jRcD2BHL.png)
This is a great tool for testing REST, SOAP, GraphQL, Web Services, and Microservices,
automating tests as part of a CI pipeline, monitoring internal APIs continuously, etc.

#### [TAURUS](https://gettaurus.org/)

![image.png](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1610839305412/mN1ap0AI9.png)

This is a tool for continuous testing by automating the whole process to increase productivity.

#### [APPIUM](https://appium.io/)

![image.png](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1610839493488/hMLThTJdW.png)
This is an open-source test automation framework for use with native, hybrid, and mobile web apps.

#### [INSOMNIA](https://insomnia.rest/)

![image.png](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1610839598673/AtaxuNDr4.png) 
This tool helps you to test API endpoints easier and faster without limitations
.
## API Documentation

API Documentation is one of the most important things to note after developing and testing your APIS, it simplifies the process of understanding what each endpoint does or their request samples and responses.
Imagine you build several endpoints for user authentication, you aren't available but one of the frontend developers on your team wants to consume it and there is no guide or instructions to what each APIs does or sample request and response, that's a flaw that can really slow down the development process.

here are some tools you can use for APIs documentation
- [Swagger](https://swagger.io/)
- [APIDocs](https://apidocjs.com/)
- [Postman](https://www.postman.com/api-documentation-tool/)


## Resources

[Testing Tools](https://skillgigs.com/the-10-best-api-testing-tools-on-the-market/)

I hope you find this resource useful

You can reach out to me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/olanetsoft)