| name | API Testing |
| description | This skill should be used when the user asks to "test an API", "write API tests", "mock API responses", "validate API endpoints", or needs guidance on REST API testing strategies. |
API Testing
This skill provides guidance for testing REST APIs effectively.
Quick Start
Test a simple endpoint:
curl -X GET https://api.example.com/users \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN"
Testing Workflow
- Identify endpoints - List all endpoints to test
- Set up test environment - Configure base URL, auth tokens
- Write test cases - Cover success, error, edge cases
- Run tests - Execute and collect results
- Validate responses - Check status codes, body, headers
Common Test Cases
Success Cases
- Valid request returns expected data
- Pagination works correctly
- Filtering/sorting produces correct results
Error Cases
- Invalid auth returns 401
- Missing required fields return 400
- Non-existent resource returns 404
- Rate limiting returns 429
Edge Cases
- Empty results return empty array, not null
- Large payloads handled correctly
- Special characters in inputs escaped properly
Response Validation
Check these elements:
- Status code: 200, 201, 400, 401, 404, 500
- Response body: JSON structure matches schema
- Headers: Content-Type, pagination headers
- Timing: Response within acceptable limits
Additional Resources
For detailed testing patterns and advanced techniques:
references/detailed-guide.md- Comprehensive testing patterns, authentication strategies, and mock server setup