Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) are important for businesses today. They enable organizations to implement repositories that integrate production lines, manufacturers and third-party logistics providers in a standardized manner. APIs can authenticate contracts and gather data for requests. However, companies spend only a fraction of time in testing them. When testing APIs you should remember that bugs are inevitable, and you need to envision a testing strategy for eliminating them.
APIs are the key to better interoperability in the B2B network. They ensure supply chain integrity and scale business in ways that you have never seen before. However, managing the sum total of APIs is a challenge. Teams can encounter errors which harm the entire value chain. These bugs are integration problems, and they can be fixed with little technical know-how.
Here are some common API problems that you should watch out for:
200 is Not Okay
Developers check for 200 status code by pinging and validating an endpoint. Developers will get a message that the request has succeeded. This doesn’t mean that the API is perfect, though. Often, APIs return the request successfully, but issues still persist in them. While validating an API, you should check the entire response in the header and payload.
Data Inconsistency Errors
Developers get fake results when they use a handful of calls against comma-separated values (CSV) data. Fake tests and data will always deliver faulty results. Codes should be tested with live data and databases and used in subsequent calls. Tests deliver accurate results when real-time data is used. This practice prevents errors that disrupt partners from exchanging data.
Memory Leaks
The inability of code-to-release memory leads to increased memory consumption and a substandard system performance. Memory leaks are undesirable and should be eliminated with a detection strategy.
This API bug surfaces when the program gets a lot of hits after going live. In the CI/CD process, you should check APIs and simultaneously monitor machine memory.
Invalid Authorization Credentials
APIs that implement OAuth 2 require an authorization header for each validation request. Many developers often confuse the term authorization with authentication. The developers should confirm that they are using the right word for testing APIs.
You should monitor the value of syntax, and it should have the right form, for example: Authorization: Basic base64_encode(username:password). Avoid mistakes like missing the "Basic" (note the space) prefix/colon, or encoding the username and password or forgetting the colon.
Invalid Content Type
It is debilitating to see this API error which appears as it occurs when you forget to include an "accept" header with your request. As a result, the API fails to deliver data in the desired format. Some frameworks use HTML as the default format. Make sure to check for default errors if the APIs don’t have to return HTML response.
These are some common API errors that can restrain you from transacting smoothly with business partners. An automated B2B solution can help you climb these barriers and make the electronic data interchange (EDI) fast and smooth. A comprehensive solution uses a no code approach to connect partner systems, create an engaged business community, and drive business forward.
