API Fundamentals
/Beginner
Manual API Testing
Definition
The process of a human developer manually interacting with the API (using tools like Postman, cURL, or the browser) to verify it returns the correct data and handles errors properly.
Explain Like I'm New
Writing a new function and then manually poking it with a stick to see if it breaks. You send a good request, see if it works. You send a bad request, see if it crashes.
Real World Example
Using the terminal command `curl http://localhost:3000/api/health` to manually check if the server is running.
Common Use Cases
- •Local development
- •Quick debugging
- •Exploratory testing
Terminal Output
bash / terminal
# Manual Testing using cURL in the Terminal
# 1. Simple GET request
curl https://api.github.com/users/octocat
# 2. Complex POST request with JSON and Headers
curl -X POST https://api.com/login \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"email": "test@test.com", "password": "123"}'
# 3. View the Headers returned by the server (-I flag)
curl -I https://google.com
Interview Questions
basic
- What terminal command-line tool is universally used by developers to make manual HTTP requests?
intermediate
- Why is relying strictly on Manual API Testing a terrible idea for production applications?