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sonya_m's avatar
sonya_m
SmartBear Alumni (Retired)
5 years ago

API Masterminds Talks - What are the most important qualities of a good API tester?

Hi API Masterminds,

 

We’ve prepared another interesting topic for discussion. Your valuable input here will be counted as part of the 2020 API Masterminds event and improve your chances of winning prizes from SmartBear this week! Here's the topic:

 

Last week, we were discussing the ability to stay focused when testing - that is definitely one of the key qualities of a pro tester. What other qualities and skills are you working on improving?

 

That would be a great piece of advice for novice testers who are just entering the field and looking for direction. Share your thoughts by replying to this topic:smileyhappy:

APIMasterminds
  • HimanshuTayal's avatar
    HimanshuTayal
    Community Hero
    5 years ago

    sonya_m , according to me below are the must have qualities

     

    API Masterminds Talks - What are the most important qualities of a good API tester?

     

    Tester is doing Manual API Testing :

     

    1. Understanding of SOAP/REST architecture.
      Should be able to write TestCases which covers functionality very well.
      It will be good if Tester log the bugs which describe the step to reporduce which will save the time of Developer and Tester both on discussions of reproducing.
      Person should be able to learn any new technology that comes or eases the task.
      Whenever it is needed should be able to automate the task like Regression suite/Sanity suite so that in every relase the time gets reduced to test non-imapacted functionality.
      Should be able to communicate properly with developers.
      Able to deliver the task if any task came with tough timelines.


    If Tester in doing Automation Testing :

     

    1. Enhance his/her programming skills time to time to achieve automation more effectively.
      He/She should have understanding of Jenkins/Maven etc tools to achieve CI/CD.
      Should follow practice to check-in automation suite to GIT or any other repository available : i have added this because earlier me and my teammate was not doing and 1 day his project got currpoted now we have started with on daily basis. (Learing)
      Should have knowledge on how to create different type of reporting as requirement we should have multiple options for clients.
    • sonya_m's avatar
      sonya_m
      SmartBear Alumni (Retired)
      5 years ago

      nmrao , HimanshuTayal - thank you for comprehensive and elaborate answers.

       

      This is very helpful for any tester who is either at the beginning of their career or looking for ways to improve. Great content.

      • nmrao's avatar
        nmrao
        Champion Level 3
        5 years ago

        Yes, the content is general.

         

        Didn't pay much focus regarding advanced users. I believe, they knew it anyways though there could be specific issues/ questions which gets addressed in community.

         

        In order to put the above points into implementation, even advanced users take time and can have proctical issue during the phase.

  • nmrao's avatar
    nmrao
    Champion Level 3
    5 years ago

    Here are top 10 :

     

    1. Ability to adapt quick changes during the initial phases of development. Many times engineers have to redo the same test cases because of the changes in the request / response payloads.
    2. Programming skills helps to achieve automation.
    3. Knowledge of build tools such as ant / maven / gradle and CI/CD. This will help to focus more work and existing tests run without manual interaction.
    4. Ability to understand Xml and Json and querying the data out of documents. This is to able to have robust checks in the tests.
    5. Different type of standard or customizing report of test results.
    6. Understand the logging to interpret the test failures. Change log levels DEBUG/TRACE to get more details on demand.
    7. Using version controlling tools and regularly push the changes in order to not lose their work and share the artefacts with team.
    8. Script writing abilities to automate small repeatative tasks to create or cleanup data after tests or test environments.
    9. Knowledge of deploying required applications in test environment. Even automate these tasks if needed.
    10. Work with development to notify issues early and get them addressed. Also can get help from them to achieve fullest automation possible.