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API Testing Interview Questions and

Answers 2024 | Anh Tester
Anh Tester
14–18 minutes

1.​ What is an API?

API stands for Application Programming Interface. It is a set of rules, protocols, and tools that
allow different software applications to communicate and interact with each other. APIs define
the methods and data formats applications can use to request and exchange information.

2.​ What is API Testing?

API Testing is a type of software testing that focuses on testing APIs directly, examining their
functionality, reliability, performance, and security. It involves validating the API's endpoints,
requests, responses, data formats, error handling, and more.

3.​ How does SOAP compare to REST?

SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) and REST (Representational State Transfer) are two
different approaches for building web services. SOAP is a protocol with strict standards and
uses XML for message formatting, while REST is an architectural style that relies on simpler,
lightweight standards like JSON, XML, or others.

4.​ What are the advantages of API Testing?

Advantages of API Testing include faster test execution, broader test coverage, early detection
of issues, easier automation, improved security testing, and reduced overall testing efforts.

5.​ What Is The Difference Between Web Services and APIs?

Web services are a type of API that specifically uses web protocols and technologies for
communication between different applications or systems. APIs, on the other hand, can include
various interfaces beyond web services, allowing different types of software systems to
communicate.

6.​ What are HTTP status codes?

HTTP status codes are standardized responses provided by servers to indicate the outcome of
a client's request. They are three-digit numeric codes sent as part of the HTTP header when a
request is made to a server.

7.​ What are common HTTP status codes?

HTTP status codes are grouped into different categories: 1xx (informational response), 2xx
(success), 3xx (redirection), 4xx (client errors), and 5xx (server errors). Each category indicates
a specific class of responses.

8.​ What are the common API testing types?

Common API testing types include functional testing, performance testing, security testing, load
testing, interoperability testing, and fuzz testing.

9.​ What are the Limits of API Usage?

API usage limits refer to restrictions set by API providers on the number of requests, rate limits,
access privileges, or data usage for a specific API endpoint within a certain time frame.

10.​What is an API, and what is an Endpoint?

An API is a set of rules and protocols allowing different software applications to communicate.
An endpoint refers to a specific URL or URI that a client application accesses to interact with the
API.

11.​How do you validate the Endpoints?

Endpoint validation involves checking the correctness and functionality of the endpoints by
sending requests and verifying responses. It includes checking endpoint availability, response
times, and returned data.

12.​How do you validate the Search, Filtering, and Sorting Endpoint?

Validating Search, Filtering, and Sorting Endpoints involves verifying that these functionalities
return accurate results based on search queries, filter criteria, and sorting parameters provided
in the API requests.

13.​How do you validate the Request Methods?

Request method validation ensures that different HTTP methods (e.g., GET, POST, PUT,
DELETE) work correctly and perform the intended actions as specified in the API
documentation.

14.​How do you validate the Request Header?

Validating Request Headers involves verifying that the headers sent in API requests contain the
expected information, such as content types, authentication tokens, or any other required
headers.

15.​How do you validate the Request Body?

Validating Request Body involves ensuring that the data or payload sent in API requests
matches the expected format, structure, and content defined in the API specification or
documentation.

16.​How do you validate Rate Limits and Caching in API?

To validate rate limits, simulate requests exceeding the defined rate limit, and verify that the API
rejects additional requests as expected. For caching, test by sending requests and checking if
the expected cached responses are returned, avoiding unnecessary calls to the server.

17.​How do you validate Pagination and cursors?

For pagination, test by fetching a large dataset and validating if the API returns the correct
number of records per page with accurate metadata like page numbers, next/previous links, and
total records. Cursors can be tested by ensuring the cursor-based navigation returns the
expected data sets.

18.​What are some architectural styles for creating a Web API?

Some architectural styles for creating Web APIs include RESTful architecture, SOAP
(Service-Oriented Architecture Protocol), GraphQL, and RPC (Remote Procedure Call).

19.​Who can use a Web API?

Web APIs can be used by developers, third-party applications, or any entities that require
access to specific functionalities or data provided by the API.

20.​What are the request methods for API?

Common request methods for APIs include GET (retrieve data), POST (create data), PUT
(update data), DELETE (remove data), PATCH (partially update data), and OPTIONS (get
supported methods).

21.​What are the advantages of API Testing?

Advantages of API Testing include faster test execution, broader test coverage, early detection
of issues, easier automation, improved security testing, and reduced overall testing efforts.

22.​Some common protocols used in API testing?

Common protocols used in API testing include HTTP/HTTPS (RESTful APIs), SOAP
(XML-based protocols), and protocols like TCP/IP for some specialized APIs.

23.​What is the test environment of API?

The test environment for API testing involves a setup where APIs can be tested independently
from the production environment, often using tools like Postman, SoapUI, or custom scripts.

24.​What are the principles of an API test design?

Principles of API test design include understanding API specifications, focusing on key
scenarios, prioritizing input validation, designing reusable test cases, handling security aspects,
and ensuring test data management.

25.​What are the common API testing types?

Common API testing types include functional testing, performance testing, security testing, load
testing, interoperability testing, and fuzz testing.

26.​What is the procedure to perform API testing?

The procedure for API testing involves planning, designing test cases, preparing test data,
executing tests, analyzing results, reporting issues, and retesting after fixes.

27.​What must be checked when performing API testing?

During API testing, key aspects to check include endpoint functionality, response accuracy, error
handling, data format (JSON/XML), security, rate limiting, and performance under different
loads.

28.​What is the best approach method to perform API testing?

The best approach for API testing involves understanding requirements, designing test cases
covering positive/negative scenarios, automating repetitive tests, validating responses, and
continuously improving test coverage.

29.​What tools could be used for API testing?

Tools for API testing include Postman, SoapUI, RestAssured, JMeter, Karate, pytest, Newman,
and others, depending on requirements and the type of testing needed.

30.​What are the differences between API Testing and Unit Testing?

API testing validates an application's APIs, focusing on functionality, performance, security, and
integration, while Unit testing verifies individual units or components of the code for correctness.

31.​What are the major challenges faced in API testing?

Major challenges in API testing include endpoint availability, proper authentication, data format
validation, handling rate limits, versioning, maintaining test data, handling dependencies, and
dynamic responses.

32.​What are the testing methods that come under API testing?

Testing methods in API testing include functional testing, load testing, security testing,
performance testing, fuzz testing, interoperability testing, and validation of request/response
data.

33.​What are common API errors that are often found?

Common API errors include 4xx client errors (e.g., 400 Bad Request, 401 Unauthorized, 404
Not Found) and 5xx server errors (e.g., 500 Internal Server Error, 503 Service Unavailable).

34.​What kinds of bugs that API testing would often find?

API testing commonly identifies bugs related to incorrect responses (e.g., incorrect data format,
missing fields), security vulnerabilities, performance bottlenecks, improper error handling, and
rate-limiting issues.

35.​What is the API documentation?

API documentation is a comprehensive guide that provides information about available

endpoints, request/response formats, parameters, authentication methods, rate limits, error
codes, and usage examples of an API.

36.​How often are the APIs changed and, more importantly, deprecated?

API changes and deprecations vary widely based on providers. Some APIs have frequent
changes due to feature updates or improvements, while others might remain stable for longer
periods. Deprecated APIs are often phased out gradually over time.

37.​What is REST?

REST stands for Representational State Transfer, an architectural style that defines a set of
principles for designing networked applications. It uses standard HTTP methods (GET, POST,
PUT, DELETE) for communication. What is a RESTful Web Service? -A RESTful Web Service is
a web service based on REST principles. It exposes resources through standardized URLs and
uses HTTP methods to perform CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations on these
resources.

38.​What is a “Resource” in REST?

In REST, a resource is any information or entity that can be accessed via a unique identifier
(URL) and manipulated using standard CRUD operations.
 39.​What is the most popular way to represent a resource in REST?

The most popular way to represent a resource in REST is by using JSON (JavaScript Object
Notation) or XML (eXtensible Markup Language) for data serialization.

40.​Which protocol is used by RESTful Web services?

RESTful Web services primarily use the HTTP protocol for communication, leveraging its
methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) and status codes to interact with resources.

41.​What are some key characteristics of REST?

Key characteristics of REST include statelessness, client-server architecture, uniform interface

(using URLs), layered system, cacheability, and a stateless communication model.

42.​What is messaging in RESTful Web services?

In REST, messaging refers to the process of exchanging representations of resources between

clients and servers using standardized HTTP methods and data formats.

43.​What are the core components of an HTTP request?

The core components of an HTTP request include the request line (method, URL,
protocol/version), request header (metadata), request body (optional for some methods), and
sometimes query parameters.

44.​Can "GET request" be used instead of "PUT" to create a resource?

No, according to RESTful principles, GET requests should not be used to create resources.
PUT requests are typically used to update or create resources, while POST requests are
specifically for creating resources.

45.​Is there any difference between "PUT" and "POST" operations?

Yes, in RESTful services, PUT is used to update or create a resource if it doesn't exist, while
POST is specifically used to create new resources.

46.​Which purpose does the OPTIONS method serve for the RESTful Web services?

The OPTIONS method in RESTFUL Web services allows a client to determine which HTTP
methods and headers are allowed for a specific resource. It provides information about
supported operations for the resource.

47.​What is URI? What is the main purpose of REST-based web services and what is
its format?
URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) is a string of characters that identifies a particular resource. In
REST, URIs are used to uniquely identify resources, typically formatted as URLs.

48.​What is the payload in RESTful Web services?

In RESTful Web services, the payload refers to the data transmitted in the HTTP request or
response body. It contains the representations of resources exchanged between the client and
server.

49.​What is the upper limit for a payload to pass in the POST method?

There is no standardized upper limit defined for the payload size in the POST method. It can
vary based on server configurations, network limitations, and API-specific constraints.

50.​What is Latency in API testing?

Latency refers to the response time or the delay taken by the request to reach the server. We
need to ensure that the latency involved in reaching the server is minimum as higher the
latency, greater is the impact in the application’s speed and performance.

51.​Why is automated API testing useful?

Automated testing is useful in the long run as it helps to maximize the test coverage of the
applications in a shorter period of time meaning it helps to test large test sets very easily and
quickly. It enables parallel execution and helps to reduce human-generated errors in testing. It
saves the time required to test applications thereby saving the overall cost.

52.​What do you understand by Input injection?

Input injection is the act of simulating inputs for testing APIs. It can be simulated in different
ways:

●​ Direct Method Invocation

●​ Accessibility interface invocation
●​ Low-level input simulation
●​ Device driver simulation
●​ Robot Simulation.
53.​Is it possible to hack API while testing?

Yes, it is possible. This is because we are sending requests over the internet which mostly
follows HTTP protocol. This protocol is text-based and is easier to read. Hence, it is required to
perform security testing of the APIs to ensure safer systems.

54.​How should we test the API security?

To test the security of the API during API testing, we need to validate 2 things:
Authentication: Whether the identity of the end-user is correct.

Authorization: Whether the user is allowed to access the resource.

We can also validate whether the TLS or the SSL certificate used over the HTTPS protocol is
valid or not.

55.​How do you perform API Load Testing?

●​ Load Testing is a category of Performance Testing that is used for checking an
application’s capability to perform under various user loads.
●​ This is done for identifying bottlenecks in performance before the application becomes
live.
●​ It is done by simulating many users hitting the API at the same time or in other words,
artificial traffic is simulated to identify if the application is capable of handling the load by
maintaining consistency in the response times and not impacting the functionality.
●​ One such tool to perform Load Testing is JMeter. It provides flexibility to create a test
plan, define the thread groups and record test scripts to simulate artificial load to the API.
It finally provides a feature to visualize the result of load testing done. For more
information about using JMeter.
API Fundamentals (Common Web API Testing interview
questions)
1. What is an API?

An API (Application Programming Interface) is a software intermediary that enables two

applications to communicate with each other. It comprises a number of subroutine definitions,
logs, and tools for creating application software.

In an API testing interview, you could be asked to give some API examples, here are the
well-known ones: Google Maps API, Amazon Advertising API, Twitter API, YouTube API, etc.

2. What are the main differences between API and Web Service?

●​ All Web services are APIs but not all APIs are Web services.
●​ Web services might not contain all the specifications and cannot perform all the tasks
that APIs would perform.
●​ A Web service uses only three styles of use: SOAP, REST, and XML-RPC for
communication whereas API may be exposed in multiple ways.
●​ A Web service always needs a network to operate while APIs don’t need a network for
operation.

3. What are the Limits of API Usage?

Many APIs have a certain limit set up by the provider. Thus, try to estimate your usage and
understand how that will impact the overall cost of the offering. Whether this will be a problem
depends in large part on how data is leveraged. Getting caught by a quota and effectively cut off
because of budget limitations will render the service (and any system or process depending on
it) virtually useless.

4. How does an API work?

An API (Application Programming Interface) functions as a communication layer between two

software applications. It defines a set of rules and protocols that allow applications to interact
with each other. In the case of a Web API, the process usually works as follows:

1.​ Client Request: The client (e.g., a web browser, mobile app, or another server) sends
an HTTP request to the API's endpoint. This request specifies the operation (e.g.,
retrieving data, creating a resource) and includes any necessary parameters, headers,
or a payload.
2.​ Server Processing: The API's server receives the request, processes the data,
performs the required operations (e.g., querying a database or triggering a service), and
formulates a response.
 3.​ Response: The server sends an HTTP response back to the client, which typically
includes a status code (e.g., 200 OK), headers, and a payload (e.g., data in JSON or
XML format).
4.​ Client Handling: The client processes the response and updates its interface or
behavior based on the data received.

5. What are the main types of API?

There are 4 main types of API:

1.​ Public APIs (Open APIs): Available to any developer, public APIs are open to external
users with minimal restrictions, typically requiring an API key for access. Examples
include the Twitter and Google Maps APIs.
2.​ Private APIs: Used internally within organizations, private APIs connect internal
systems or microservices and are not exposed to external users. They help automate
workflows and integrate backend systems.
3.​ Partner APIs: Shared with specific external partners, these APIs enable controlled
access to systems or data for business collaborations, managed through authentication
and SLAs.
4.​ Composite APIs: These APIs combine multiple requests into one, allowing clients to
interact with several services or perform multiple operations in a single call, improving
efficiency and performance.

HTTP Methods and Communication Protocols

6. What are some common protocols used in API testing?

Common protocols include HTTP, REST, SOAP, JMS, and UDDI. These define how data is
structured and transmitted between systems during API testing.

7. Compare the differences between HTTP, REST, SOAP, JMS, and UDDI
Protoco Data Format Complexity Communication Transport Use Cases
l Style Protocol

HTTP Typically plain Simple, Synchronous HTTP Web

text or HTML lightweight (request-respons communication,
e) page requests
REST JSON Flexible, Synchronous HTTP Web/mobile
(commonly), lightweight (request-respons APIs,
XML e) microservices,
simple
web-based
apps

SOAP XML Rigid but Synchronous HTTP, Enterprise apps

reliable, (request-respons SMTP, needing
follows strict e) JMS, security,
standards others transactions,
complex
services

JMS No fixed format Moderate Asynchronous Specific to Internal

(varies by complexity (message message systems,
implementation) queuing) queues asynchronous
(JMS communication
protocol) in enterprise
environments

UDDI XML Moderate, Synchronous HTTP, Web service

requires (service SOAP discovery,
registry discovery) service
setup registries
(primarily for
SOAP services)

8. What are the core components of an HTTP request?/span>

An HTTP request includes:

●​ Method (GET, POST, etc.)

●​ URI (resource location)
●​ Headers (metadata)
●​ Body (data, if applicable)
●​ HTTP version.

9. What does an HTTP method do?

The HTTP method specifies the action to be performed on the resource. Common methods
include:

●​ GET: Retrieve data from the server.

●​ POST: Send data to the server to create or update a resource.
●​ PUT: Replace a resource.
●​ DELETE: Remove a resource.
●​ PATCH: Partially update a resource.

Let’s put that into a specific scenario. Say you’re testing an online bookstore API.

●​ The GET can retrieve a list of books from the store’s database
●​ The POST can add data of new books to the store’s database
●​ The PUT can replace a certain book with a new one
●​ The DELETE can remove a book from the database
●​ The PATCH update only a few details of a book (such as its price), leaving everything
else unchanged

10. What do the URI and the Headers do in an API?

The URI specifies the location of the resource on the server. It includes the path to the resource
and query parameters (e.g., example.com/resource?id=123), helping the server identify what
data or action is requested.

Headers carry additional information about the request or response, such as:

●​ Content-Type: Specifies the format of the body (e.g., JSON, XML).

●​ Authorization: Contains credentials to authenticate the request.
●​ User-Agent: Identifies the client making the request.

API Design and Architecture (Common Web API Testing

interview questions)
11. What are some architectural styles for creating a Web API?

This is one of the fundamental Web API interview questions. Bellows are four common Web API
architectural styles:

●​ HTTP for client-server communication

●​ XML/JSON as formatting language
●​ Simple URI as the address for the services
●​ Stateless communication

12. Who can use a Web API?

Web API can be consumed by any clients which support HTTP verbs such as GET, PUT,
DELETE, and POST. Since Web API services do not require configuration, they can be easily
used by any client. In fact, even portable devices such as mobile devices can easily use Web
API, which is undoubtedly the biggest advantage of this technology.

13. What are the principles of an API test design?

1.​ Setup: Initialize test data and configure the necessary environment, such as starting
services or creating objects.
2.​ Execution: Send API requests with defined parameters, methods, and data, and
observe how the system behaves.
3.​ Verification: Validate the response against expected results, including status codes,
response data, and schema.
4.​ Reporting: Document test outcomes, marking them as passed, failed, or blocked based
on validation results.
5.​ Cleanup: Return the environment to its pre-test state, such as deleting test data or
stopping services.

14. What is the importance of statelessness in API architecture?

Statelessness in API architecture means each request from the client contains all the necessary
information for the server to process it, without relying on stored context from previous requests.
This is crucial because:

●​ Scalability: Stateless APIs are easier to scale horizontally, as no session information

needs to be stored between requests.
●​ Reliability: Each request is independent, which reduces the chance of errors due to
inconsistent server-side states.
●​ Simplicity: It simplifies both server and client logic, as no complex session management
is required.
●​ Performance: Stateless APIs can be cached more efficiently, improving performance
and reducing server load.

Testing APIs (Common Web API Testing interview

questions)
15. What is API Testing?

API testing is a kind of software testing that determines if the developed APIs meet expectations
regarding the functionality, reliability, performance, and security of the application.

Learn More: An In-depth Guide To API Testing

16. What are the advantages of API Testing?

In an API interview, they are likely to ask about the advantages of API testing. So be prepared
with the significant ones such as:

●​ Test for Core Functionality: API testing provides access to the application without a
user interface. The core and code-level of functionalities of the application will be tested
and evaluated early before the GUI tests. This will help detect minor issues which can
become bigger during the GUI testing.
●​ Time Effective: API testing usually is less time-consuming than functional GUI testing.
The web elements in GUI testing must be polled, which makes the testing process
slower. Particularly, API test automation requires less code so it can provide better and
faster test coverage compared to GUI test automation. These will result in cost saving for
the testing project.
●​ Language-Independent: In API testing, data is exchanged using XML or JSON. These
transfer modes are completely language-independent, allowing users to select any
coding language when adopting automation testing services for the project.
●​ Easy Integration with GUI: API tests enable highly integrable tests, which is particularly
useful if you want to perform functional GUI tests after API testing. For instance, simple
integration would allow new user accounts to be created within the application before a
GUI test started.

18. What is the test environment of API?

Setting up the API’s test environment is not an easy task, so you should have a ready answer if
your API testing interview is coming. The test environment of API is a bit complete and requires
the configuration of the database and server, depending on the software requirements. No GUI
(Graphical User Interface) is available in this test form.

When the installation process is complete, API is verified for proper operation. Throughout the
process, the API called from the original environment is set up with different parameters to study
the test results.

19. What are the common API testing types?

While there are certainly specialty tests, and no list can be asked to be comprehensive in this
realm, most tests fit broadly into the following nine categories that you should remember before
attending an API testing interview.

1.​ Validation Testing

2.​ Functional Testing
3.​ UI Testing
4.​ Load testing
5.​ Runtime/ Error Detection
6.​ Security testing
 7.​ Penetration testing
8.​ Fuzz testing
9.​ Interoperability and WS Compliance testing

20. What is contract testing?

Contract testing is a technique used to verify that an API adheres to the agreed-upon "contract"
between the service provider and the consumer. It ensures:

●​ Compatibility: The API provides the expected inputs and outputs (data format,
structure, and behavior).
●​ Integrity: Changes in the API don’t break existing client integrations.

Contract testing is particularly useful in microservices, where services interact with each other
via APIs.

21. What is fuzz testing?

Fuzz testing (or fuzzing) involves sending random, invalid, or unexpected inputs to an API to
test its robustness and error-handling capabilities. Fuzz testing helps identify:

●​ Vulnerabilities: Unhandled errors or crashes.

●​ Security Issues: Exposing potential flaws like buffer overflows, injection attacks, or data
leaks. In API testing, fuzz testing is used to simulate unpredictable user behavior or
malicious inputs to see how the API responds under stress.
23. What is microservices architecture?

Microservices architecture is a design approach in which an application is built as a collection of

small, independent services that each perform a specific business function. These services
usually communicate with each other via APIs (like REST or gRPC), to collectively form a
complete system.

Key characteristics of a microservices architecture include:

1.​ Independence: Each service is independently deployable, testable, and scalable.

Teams can work on different services in parallel.
2.​ Single Responsibility: Each microservice is designed to handle one specific function,
such as user management, payment processing, or inventory.
3.​ Decentralized Data Management: Each service typically manages its own database,
avoiding a centralized monolithic database.
4.​ Technology Flexibility: Microservices can be developed in different languages or
frameworks, depending on what best suits each service’s needs.
5.​ Fault Isolation: Failure in one microservice doesn’t necessarily impact the entire
system, improving system reliability.

24. What is the procedure to perform API testing?

1.​ Choose the suite to add the API test case

2.​ Choose the test development mode
3.​ Demand the development of test cases for the required API methods
4.​ Configure the control parameters of the application and then test conditions
5.​ Configure method validation
6.​ Execute the API test
7.​ Check test reports and filter API test cases
8.​ Arrange all API test cases

25. What must be checked when performing API testing?

During the API testing process, a request is raised to the API with the known data. This way you
can analyze the validation response. While testing an API, you should consider:

●​ Accuracy of data
●​ Schema validation
●​ HTTP status codes
●​ Data type, validations, order, and completeness
●​ Authorization checks
●​ Implementation of response timeout
●​ Error codes in case API returns, and
●​ Non-functional testing like performance and security testing
26. What is the best approach method to perform API testing?

The following factors should be considered when performing API testing:

●​ Defining the correct input parameters

●​ Verifying the calls of the mixture of two or more added value parameters
●​ Defining the basic functionality and scope of the API program
●​ Writing appropriate API test cases and making use of testing techniques such as
equivalence class, boundary value, etc. to check the operability
●​ Testing case execution
●​ Comparing the test result with the expected result
●​ Verifying the API behavior under conditions such as connection to files and so on

27. How do you handle dynamic data in API testing?

1.​ Data Parameterization: Using data-driven tests where input values are generated
dynamically from a data source (e.g., database, files).
2.​ Assertions with Patterns: Instead of hardcoding expected values, validate dynamic
responses with patterns, regex, or partial matches.
3.​ State Management: Keeping track of the state of the system and using that information
(such as generated user IDs) in subsequent tests.
4.​ Mocking: For external services that provide dynamic data, mocks or stubs can simulate
expected responses.
5.​ Environment-specific Data: Adjust test data based on the environment (e.g.,
development vs. production).

28. What tools could be used for API testing?

There are a lot of different API testing tools available that enterprises around the world are using
to ensure that their APIs are up and running smoothly. A few common tools are Katalon Studio,
Postman, SoapUi Pro, Apigee, etc.

29. What are the differences between API Testing and Unit Testing?

API Testing Unit Testing

Conducted by QA Team Conducted by the development

team

Mostly black-box testing White box testing

 Aimed to assess the full functionality of the Used to verify whether each unit in
system for it will be employed by the isolation performs as expected or
end-user (external developers who will use not
your API)

Often run after the build is ready and Each of the code modules must be
authors do not have access to the source ensured to pass the unit test before
code being built by developers

Read More: What is Unit Testing? A Comprehensive Guide

30. What are the differences between API Testing and UI Testing?

●​ API enables the communication between two separate software systems. A software
system implementing an API contains functions or subroutines that can be executed by
another software system.
●​ On the other hand, UI ( User Interface) testing refers to testing graphical interfaces such
as how users interact with the applications, and testing application elements like fonts,
images, layouts, etc. UI testing basically focuses on the look and feel of an application.

31. What are the major challenges faced in API testing?

If you can overcome the challenges in API testing, you can be confident in the API testing
interview too. They are:

●​ Parameter Selection
 ●​ Parameter Combination
●​ Call sequencing
●​ Output verification and validation
●​ Another important challenge is providing input values, which is very difficult as GUI is not
available in this case.

32. What are the testing methods that come under API testing?

One of the most common Web API testing interview questions is about the testing methods.
They are:

●​ Unit Testing and Functional testing

●​ Load testing to test the performance under load
●​ Discovery testing to list, create and delete the number of calls documented in the API
●​ Usability and Reliability testing to get consistent results
●​ Security and Penetration testing to validate all types of authentication
●​ Automation testing to create and run scripts that require regular API calls
●​ End to end Integration and Web UI testing
●​ API documentation testing to determine its efficiency and effectiveness

33. Why is API testing considered as the most suitable form for Automation
testing?

API testing is now preferred over GUI testing and is considered as most suitable because:

●​ It verifies all the functional paths of the system under test very effectively.
●​ It provides the most stable interface.
●​ It is easier to maintain and provides fast feedback.

In fact, according to the State of Quality Report 2024, API service is the second-most
automated AUT, following web applications.

34. What are common API errors that are often found?

Not only API fundamental questions, the interviewer also determines your knowledge and
experience by asking about the API errors in a Web API testing interview. So the most common
ones are:

●​ Missing module errors

●​ Documentation errors
●​ Parameter validation errors
●​ And some standard error expectations as if the result is not so predicted then the
occurrence of errors can be seen and the same warnings are specified in the form of a
message. There can be one or more warnings within an individual module.
35. What kinds of bugs that API testing would often find?

●​ Missing or duplicate functionality

●​ Fails to handle error conditions gracefully
●​ Stress
●​ Reliability
●​ Security
●​ Unused flags
●​ Not implemented errors
●​ Inconsistent error handling
●​ Performance
●​ Multi-threading issues
●​ Improper errors

API Documentation (Common Web API Testing interview

questions)
36. What is API documentation?

The API documentation is a complete, accurate technical writing giving instructions on how to
effectively use and integrate with an API. It is a compact reference manual that has all the
information needed to work with the API and helps you answer all the API testing questions with
details on functions, classes, return types, arguments, and also examples and tutorials.

37. What are API documentation templates that are commonly used?

There are several available API documentation templates that help to make the entire process
simple and straightforward, which could be answered in your API testing interview, such as:

●​ Swagger
●​ Miredot
●​ Slate
●​ FlatDoc
●​ API blueprint
●​ RestDoc
●​ Web service API specification

38. What are the key components of good API documentation?

1.​ Endpoint Descriptions: Clear explanations of all API endpoints (e.g., /users, /products),
including their purpose.
2.​ HTTP Methods: Indicate the allowed methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) for each
endpoint.
 3.​ Request Parameters: Define query parameters, path parameters, headers, and body
requirements (e.g., data types, format).
4.​ Authentication: Provide instructions on how to authenticate (e.g., API keys, OAuth
tokens) and any necessary security headers.
5.​ Request/Response Examples: Include detailed examples of both requests and
responses (in formats like JSON or XML) to show expected input/output.
6.​ Status Codes: List the possible HTTP status codes (e.g., 200, 404, 500) for each
endpoint and explain what they represent.
7.​ Error Handling: Document error messages and how clients should handle common
errors.
8.​ Rate Limits and Throttling: Describe any rate limits or usage quotas applied to the API.
9.​ Versioning: Provide clear guidance on API versioning and deprecated endpoints, if
applicable.

39. What are some common pitfalls to avoid in API documentation?

1.​ Outdated Information: Failing to update the documentation when the API changes,
leading to inaccurate or incomplete instructions.
2.​ Lack of Examples: Not including concrete examples of requests and responses,
making it harder for developers to implement the API.
3.​ Missing Error Details: Not providing explanations for common error responses or
missing error-handling guidelines.
4.​ Vague Descriptions: Using unclear or overly technical language that makes it difficult
for developers to understand endpoint functions.
5.​ Inconsistent Formatting: Inconsistent use of terms, layout, or structure across different
parts of the documentation.
6.​ No Authentication Guidance: Leaving out critical details on how to authenticate or
secure API calls.
7.​ Ignoring Edge Cases: Failing to document how the API behaves in uncommon or
complex scenarios (e.g., rate limiting, large datasets).
8.​ Poor Navigation: Making it difficult to find information due to disorganized or
non-intuitive documentation structure.

40. When writing API documents, what must be considered?

●​ Source of the content

●​ Document plan or sketch
●​ Delivery layout
●​ Information needed for every function in the document
●​ Automatic document creation programs

41. How often are the APIs changed and, more importantly, deprecated?
APIs, especially modern RESTful APIs, is a nice creation that can certainly simplify and
accelerate integration efforts, which makes it more likely you will benefit from them. But APIs
can and do change for various reasons, sometimes abruptly, and hence REST APIs do not differ
from traditional integration methods in this respect. If an API call is obsolete and disappears,
your procedure will interrupt and it is important to understand how often the APIs you depend on
change or are deprecated.

REST API Testing interview questions

42. What is REST?

REST (Representational State Transfer) is an architectural style for developing web services
that exploit the ubiquity of HTTP protocol and uses the HTTP method to define actions. It
revolves around resources where every component is a resource that can be accessed through
a shared interface using standard HTTP methods.

In REST architecture, a REST Server provides access to resources and REST client accesses
and makes these resources available. Here, each resource is identified by URIs or global IDs,
and REST uses multiple ways to represent a resource, such as text, JSON, and XML. XML and
JSON are nowadays the most popular representations of resources.

43. What is a RESTFul Web Service?

Mostly, there are two kinds of Web Services that should be remembered in your next API testing
interview:
 1.​ SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) – an XML-based method to expose web
services.
2.​ Web services developed in the REST style are referred to as RESTful web services.
These web services use HTTP methods to implement the concept of REST architecture.
A RESTful web service usually defines a URI, Uniform Resource Identifier a service, and
provides resource representation like JSON and a set of HTTP methods.

44. What is a “Resource” in REST?

REST architecture treats any content as a resource, which can be either text files, HTML pages,
images, videos, or dynamic business information.

REST Server gives access to resources and modifies them, where each resource is identified
by URIs/ global IDs.

45. What is the most popular way to represent a resource in REST?

REST uses different representations to define a resource like text, JSON, and XML.

XML and JSON are the most popular representations of resources.

46. Which protocol is used by RESTful Web services?

RESTful web services use the HTTP protocol as a medium of communication between the client
and the server.

47. What are some key characteristics of REST?

Key characteristics of REST are likely asked in a Web API Testing interview. So please get the
answer ready in your mind with these 2 ones:

●​ REST is stateless, therefore the SERVER has no status (or session data) ​
With a well-applied REST API, the server could be restarted between two calls, since all
data is transferred to the server
●​ Web service uses POST method primarily to perform operations, while REST uses GET
for accessing resources.

48. What is messaging in RESTful Web services?

RESTful web services use the HTTP protocol as a communication tool between the client and
the server. The technique that when the client sends a message in the form of an HTTP
Request, the server sends back the HTTP reply is called Messaging. These messages comprise
message data and metadata, that is, information on the message itself.

49. What are the core components of an HTTP request?

An HTTP request contains five key elements:

1.​ An action showing HTTP methods like GET, PUT, POST, and DELETE.
2.​ Uniform Resource Identifier (URI), which is the identifier for the resource on the server.
3.​ HTTP Version, which indicates HTTP version, for example-HTTP v1.1.
4.​ Request Header, which carries metadata (as key-value pairs) for the HTTP Request
message. Metadata could be a client (or browser) type, format supported by the client,
format of a message body format, cache settings, and so on.
5.​ Request Body, which indicates the message content or resource representation.

50. What are the most commonly used HTTP methods supported by REST?

●​ GET is only used to request data from a specified resource. Get requests can be cached
and bookmarked. It remains in the browser history and has length restrictions. GET
requests should never be used when dealing with sensitive data.
●​ POST is used to send data to a server to create/update a resource. POST requests are
never cached and bookmarked and do not remain in the browser history.
●​ PUT replaces all current representations of the target resource with the request payload.
●​ DELETE removes the specified resource.
●​ OPTIONS is used to describe the communication options for the target resource.
●​ HEAD asks for a response identical to that of a GET request, but without the response
body.

51. Can GET request be used instead of PUT to create a resource?

The PUT or POST method should be used to create a resource. GET is only used to request
data from a specified resource.

52. Is there any difference between PUT and POST operations?

PUT and POST operations are quite similar, except for the terms of the result generated by
them.

PUT operation is idempotent, so you can cache the response while the responses to POST
operation are not cacheable, and if you retry the request N times, you will end up having N
resources with N different URIs created on the server.

In a Web API Testing interview, you should give a specific example for PUT and POST
operations to make it crystal clear to the interviewer. Below is an example:

Scenario: Let’s say we are designing a network application. Let’s list down a few URIs and their
purpose to get to know when to use POST and when to use PUT operations.

API Lifecycle Management Interview Questions

53. What are the key stages of the API lifecycle, and why are they
important?

1.​ Planning & Design: Define the API’s purpose, endpoints, data formats, and security
requirements. This ensures the API meets business goals and user needs.
2.​ Development: Implement the API following best practices for security, scalability, and
maintainability.
3.​ Testing: Ensure functionality, performance, and security through unit, integration, and
load testing. This reduces the risk of issues in production.
4.​ Deployment: Release the API to a production environment. Proper deployment
strategies (e.g., staging environments) minimize disruptions.
5.​ Versioning & Maintenance: Regularly update and fix the API while maintaining older
versions. This ensures ongoing support and feature enhancements.
6.​ Monitoring & Analytics: Track API usage, performance, and errors in real time.
Monitoring helps in identifying issues and understanding usage patterns.
7.​ Deprecation: Phasing out outdated APIs in a controlled manner. Proper deprecation
ensures users have time to transition to newer versions.

These stages ensure the API is developed, maintained, and managed effectively, providing a
smooth experience for users.

54. How do you handle versioning in API management, and why is it

essential?

Versioning is managed by labeling different API iterations (e.g., v1, v2) to indicate changes or
updates. Common strategies include:

●​ URI Versioning: Adding the version number to the endpoint (e.g., /api/v1/users).
●​ Header Versioning: Including the version in the request headers (e.g., X-API-Version: 2).
●​ Query Parameter Versioning: Using query parameters (e.g., /users?version=1).

Versioning is essential because:

●​ It allows backward compatibility, ensuring existing clients continue functioning when new
features or breaking changes are introduced.
●​ It provides flexibility for users to adopt new features at their own pace.​

55. What strategies can be used to deprecate an API without disrupting

users?

1.​ Advanced Notice: Inform users well in advance of the deprecation, providing a clear
timeline for when the API will no longer be available.
 2.​ Dual Support: Run both old and new API versions in parallel for a transition period,
allowing users time to migrate.
3.​ Clear Documentation: Provide detailed documentation for the new version and
migration paths.
4.​ Grace Period: Offer a grace period for users unable to migrate immediately, providing
support until they can switch.
5.​ Deprecation Warnings: Include deprecation warnings in the API responses to alert
users when they are using deprecated endpoints.

These strategies ensure a smooth transition and minimize disruption to API consumers.

56. How do you manage API dependencies during updates or changes?

1.​ Dependency Mapping: Identify all internal and external dependencies (databases,
third-party APIs, microservices) and document their interactions.
2.​ Testing: Perform regression testing to ensure that dependencies are not broken by
updates.
3.​ Mocking & Stubbing: Use mocks or stubs to simulate dependent services during
development and testing.
4.​ Backward Compatibility: Ensure that updates do not break existing dependencies by
maintaining compatibility or using versioning.
5.​ Communication: Notify all stakeholders and dependent teams or clients about changes
to avoid issues in downstream services.

Managing dependencies reduces the risk of breaking functionality and ensures smoother
updates.

57. How do you ensure backward compatibility when releasing a new

version of an API?

1.​ Versioning: Release the new version separately (e.g., /v2/) so the old version remains
functional.
2.​ Additive Changes: Introduce non-breaking changes (e.g., adding new fields or
features) rather than modifying existing functionality.
3.​ Deprecation Warnings: Start issuing warnings when deprecated features are used, but
keep the old functionality operational for a grace period.
4.​ Contract Testing: Use contract testing to ensure that existing clients can still
communicate effectively with the API.
5.​ Feature Flags: Gradually introduce changes using feature flags, which allow new
features to be enabled or disabled without affecting the old version.

General Non-technical Interview Questions For API

Testers
These are the more general and non-technical questions that require you to demonstrate your
experience:

●​ Can you describe a challenging testing project you worked on and how you overcame
the obstacles?
●​ How do you prioritize your tasks when multiple testing deadlines are approaching?
●​ How do you ensure effective communication with developers and project managers
during the testing process?
●​ What steps do you take to ensure that you fully understand the requirements before
starting testing?
●​ How do you handle disagreements with developers over whether a bug is valid or should
be fixed?
●​ How do you stay organized when managing multiple test cases and defects at once?
●​ What strategies do you use to maintain focus and attention to detail during repetitive
testing tasks?
●​ Can you give an example of a time when you missed a bug during testing? How did you
handle the situation?
●​ How do you stay up to date with industry trends and best practices in testing?
●​ What motivates you as a tester, and how do you maintain a high level of quality in your
work?

We recommend the STAR framework to answer these questions. It is a structured method used
to answer behavioral interview questions by clearly explaining past experiences. It stands for
Situation, Task, Action, and Result, and it helps ensure your answers are focused, organized,
and demonstrate the skills or behaviors the interviewer is looking for.

Here’s the example:

Situation: Describe the context or background of a specific event or challenge you faced. This
sets the scene and provides the interviewer with relevant details.

●​ Example: “In my previous role as a QA tester, we were preparing to launch a major

product update under tight deadlines.”

Task: Explain your specific role or responsibility in the situation. Focus on what needed to be
accomplished.

●​ Example: “My task was to lead the testing effort for the update and ensure there were no
major defects.”

Action: Describe the specific actions you took to address the task. Focus on the steps you
personally took to handle the situation.

●​ Example: “I coordinated with the development team to clarify the test requirements,
created detailed test cases, and organized daily stand-ups to track progress.”
Result: Share the outcome or result of your actions. Try to quantify the impact if possible (e.g.,
time saved, increased efficiency) and ensure the result is positive.

●​ Example: “As a result, we identified and resolved several critical bugs early, and the
update was launched on time with minimal issues. The product received positive
feedback from users.”

Final Thoughts
The aforementioned API Testing interview questions are quite common in interviews for
software QA engineers and testers positions. To best prepare for your upcoming interview,
make sure to read thoroughly those questions, and try to understand the reasoning and
knowledge behind them instead of simply memorizing.

To better prepare for your next interview, Katalon Academy is your go-to hub! Whether you're
just stepping into the world of automation testing or you’re a seasoned pro looking to sharpen
your skills, Katalon Academy has something for you. With a wide range of engaging courses
and hands-on tutorials, you'll dive deep into every feature and functionality, gaining the
confidence to tackle real-world testing challenges like a pro.

There are also plenty of API Testing tutorials on YouTube, a notable example is this Katalon
Studio API Testing video by Automation Step By Step. In addition to all of this, you can better
prepare for your interviews with these topic-specific lists of interview questions:

●​ QA Interview Questions
●​ Mobile Testing Interview Questions
●​ DevOps Interview Questions
●​ Software Testing Interview Questions
●​ Manual To Automation Testing Interview Questions
●​ 15 Questions to Evaluate Your QA Team's Software Testing Process
●​ Strategies to Deal A Software QA Engineer's Salary