GraphQL and REST Test Automation – the Key differences

Posted by admin| Posted On March 14th, 2023|General

As the world of software development continues to evolve, new technologies are constantly emerging to improve the way we build and consume applications. One such technology that has gained popularity in recent years is GraphQL, which offers an alternative to the traditional REST API architecture. In this blog post, we will discuss the key differences between REST and GraphQL for API test automation and how testers can ensure they are effectively testing both.

REST (Representational State Transfer)

REST is a widely used architectural style for building web services, which has been around for over a decade. REST APIs rely on HTTP methods such as GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE to perform operations on resources that are identified by URIs. REST is known for its simplicity and scalability and is widely supported by popular testing tools such as JMeter, Katalon Studio, Postman, Rest Assured, etc.

GraphQL

GraphQL, on the other hand, is a query language for APIs and a runtime for fulfilling those queries. Unlike REST, which relies on multiple endpoints to fetch data, GraphQL uses a single endpoint and allows clients to specify exactly what data they need. This reduces the amount of data transferred over the network, improves performance, and allows for more flexibility in client-side development. GraphQL also provides powerful tools for schema validation and type checking, making ensuring data consistency across applications easier. It is widely supported by popular testing tools such as Katalon Studio, Postman, Rest Assured, etc.

Key differences between Testing the REST and GraphQL

So, what are the key differences between REST and GraphQL for API test automation? One of the main challenges in testing REST APIs is ensuring that the API endpoints return the correct data and that they are properly secured. This requires careful planning and design and a robust testing strategy that covers all the relevant endpoints and scenarios.

With GraphQL, testing becomes more focused on ensuring the schema and queries are correct and the API properly responds to client requests. This can be achieved through automated testing tools that validate the schema and manual testing to ensure the queries return the expected results.

Another key difference between REST and GraphQL for API test automation is the level of documentation required. REST APIs often require extensive documentation, including details on each endpoint, the HTTP methods it supports, and any required parameters. GraphQL APIs, on the other hand, require less documentation as clients can easily explore the API schema to determine what data is available and how to query it.

Simple code to test REST API using Rest Assured library in Java:

 import org.junit.Test;
import io.restassured.RestAssured;
import io.restassured.response.Response;

public class RestApiTest {
    @Test
    public void testRestApi() {
        RestAssured.baseURI = "https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com";
        Response response = RestAssured.given()
            .when()
            .get("/todos/1")
            .then()
            .extract()
            .response();
        String responseBody = response.getBody().asString();
        System.out.println("Response body is: " + responseBody);
      // apply the assertions as needed on responseBody
    }
}

And here’s a simple code to test GraphQL API using the Rest Assured library in Java:

import org.junit.Test;
import io.restassured.RestAssured;
import io.restassured.response.Response;

public class GraphqlApiTest {
    @Test
    public void testGraphqlApi() {
        RestAssured.baseURI = "https://api.github.com/graphql";
        String query = "{\"query\":\"{ viewer { login } }\"}";
        Response response = RestAssured.given()
            .header("Authorization", "Bearer <your_token>")
            .header("Accept", "application/vnd.github.v3+json")
            .header("Content-Type", "application/json")
            .body(query)
            .post()
            .then()
            .extract()
            .response();
        String responseBody = response.getBody().asString();
        System.out.println("Response body is: " + responseBody);
        // apply the assertions as needed on responseBody

    }
}

Conclusion

In conclusion, while both REST and GraphQL offer unique benefits for API development, the approach to testing each requires a different strategy. REST APIs require thorough testing of each endpoint to ensure data consistency and security, while GraphQL APIs require more focused testing of the schema and queries. By understanding these differences, testers can develop effective testing strategies that ensure the quality and reliability of their applications.

Please feel free to reach out to us at sales@qualitlabs.com for any help or questions.

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