Vishnu Prasad
March 30, 2023

Top API Testing Tools to Boost Your DevSecOps Approach in 2023

DevSecOps offers a lot of benefits, and if you’re not taking advantage of it as an organization, then you’re missing out big time! Improved security posture, reduced risk of security incidents, increased collaboration between development, security and operations teams, early detection and remediation of vulnerabilities, and continuous monitoring of security are just mentioning some of them.

To simply put it, DevSecOps is a modern approach to software development that emphasizes the integration of security into the DevOps process. It's all about breaking down the traditional silos between development, security, and operations teams and promoting a shared responsibility for security.

Table of Contents

1. DevOps automation vs DevSecOps automation

2. Automating REST API Testing Tools

  1. REST Assured
  2. Karate
  3. Tavern
  4. Testim Automate
  5. Assertible
  6. Katalon

3. Final Thoughts

DevOps automation vs DevSecOps automation

DevOps and DevSecOps share the same approach when automating the software development and deployment process. DevOps automation is more committed to efficiency and faster time to market, while DevSecOps automation adds a security component ensuring that applications and systems are secure.

DevOps automation

DevOps automation provides a faster, dynamic, and more reliable software delivery cycle. Some examples of tasks that can be automated in DevOps include:

  1. Continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) - Automating the development, testing, and deployment of software.
  2. Infrastructure as Code (IaC) - Automating the provisioning, configuration, and management of infrastructure using code.
  3. Monitoring and Logging - Automatically gathering and interpreting log data to observe the implementation and soundness of applications and systems.
  4. Deployment pipeline - Automating the deployment process to guarantee quick and uniform software release with minimal manual intervention.
  5. Test automation - Automating different types of testing to prevent the risk of errors, such as unit testing, functional testing, acceptance testing, and integration testing.

DevSecOps automation

DevSecOps automation helps improve the security posture of applications and systems while keeping the speed and efficiency of the software delivery cycle. Here are some examples of tasks that can be automated in DevSecOps:

  1. Security Testing - Automating various types of security testing, such as dynamic application security testing (DAST) and static application security testing (SAST), to identify and remediate vulnerabilities in the code faster.
  2. Threat modeling - Automating the procedure of identifying and prioritizing potential security threats, helping organizations to distribute resources more effectively.
  3. Compliance and Governance - Automating the process of verifying if applications and systems meet security and compliance requirements, such as OWASP Top 10, PCI-DSS, and HIPAA.
  4. Continuous Security Monitoring - Automating the collection and analysis of security data, such as logs and network traffic, to quickly identify potential security incidents and respond to them before they become major issues.

Automating REST API Testing Tools

API testing is the backbone of software development, ensuring the flawless performance of APIs. It helps us avoid bugs, performance issues, and other problems before deployment, for a high-quality software product for our users.

API testing is usually done utilizing automated testing tools, which can quickly and efficiently validate the functionality of the API. The tools can emulate diverse scenarios, such as different inputs and outputs, edge cases, and performance testing, to confirm that the API can manage a broad range of conditions. 

1. Postman

Because of its user-friendly interface and extensive collaboration features, Postman is an in-demand choice among developers. Another reason for it is Postman’s simplification of the testing process and streamlining of collaboration efforts. Teams utilizing Postman also have the advantage of sharing API tests seamlessly with team members, making it easier for them to work in unison. Here are its key features:

  • Straightforward and intuitive interface for sending requests and validating responses.
  • Supports an extensive range of HTTP methods, such as GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE.
  • Capability to automate testing with collections and environments.
  • Robust request and response inspection capabilities for debugging.
  • Ability to write scripts using JavaScript for functional testing.
  • Effortless management and storage of API requests.
  • Thorough information about the request and response, including headers, status codes, and response times.

2. REST Assured

REST Assured has a rich feature set and supports various formats, like XML and JSON. This makes REST Assured a comprehensive solution to test APIs and validate responses. One of the major advantages of REST Assured is its uncomplicated syntax for assembling HTTP requests. This makes it a popular API testing tool for developers new to API testing and for experienced testers who want a quick and efficient solution. Here are its key features:

  • Intuitive syntax for writing and conducting tests.
  • Ability to validate the configuration of the response, including status codes, headers, and body content.
  • Support for testing APIs in isolation.
  • Straightforward organization and governance of tests with support for test suites.
  • Supports full-scale integration testing and unit testing.

3. Karate

Unlike traditional API testing tools, Karate stands out from the crowd with its unique approach to API testing, combining both functional and performance testing in one. Karate is also known for its easy-to-read and use syntax, which developers and non-technical testers enjoy at the same time. This streamlines the process of writing tests to perform testing quickly and effectively. Additionally, Karate supports data-driven testing, complex request and response validation, and test reuse, making it a versatile tool capable of handling even the most intricate API testing scenarios. Here are its key features:

  • Combines functional and performance testing for APIs in one tool
  • Easy-to-read and use syntax
  • Supports data-driven testing
  • Capable of handling complex request and response validation
  • Supports test reuse
  • Versatile tool for even the most complex API testing scenarios
  • Comprehensive set of features for API testing

4. Tavern

Tavern's YAML-based syntax is easy to understand and write, making it accessible to both developers and non-technical testers. It also supports parameterized tests that make testing easy on a wide range of scenarios with just a few tests. Another feature of Tavern that many users enjoy is the automatic test report to understand test results easier and determine areas for improvement. This is extremely useful for organizations that need to share test results with stakeholders who may not be familiar with technical testing tools. Here are its key features:

  • Supports HTTP and WebSockets protocols
  • Offers parameterized tests for increased test coverage
  • Provides support for test fixtures and setup/teardown hooks
  • Integrates with popular test frameworks like pytest
  • Offers a comprehensive API for automating tests
  • Supports a wide range of testing scenarios, including API requests and responses
  • Has a plug-in architecture that enables third-party extensions
  • Offers robust error handling and reporting features to help identify issues quickly

5. Testim Automate

With its codeless interface, Testim Automate is the API testing tool that non-technical users are waiting for! It uses machine learning algorithms to analyze and optimize tests for faster and more accurate results compared to traditional API tools. Testim Automate also integrates with well-known test frameworks and supports several protocols, including REST, SOAP, and GraphQL. Here are its key features:

  • AI-powered test automation
  • Codeless interface
  • Supports a wide range of protocols, including REST, SOAP, and GraphQL
  • Integrates with popular test frameworks
  • Offers a comprehensive set of API testing features
  • Supports data-driven testing
  • Ability to run tests in parallel
  • User-friendly interface
  • Robust reporting and error-handling capabilities
  • Scalable and versatile, suitable for organizations of all sizes

6. Assertible

Assertible can automate API tests with just a single click! This is especially a feature that many users take advantage of as it makes it easier for teams to quickly test and initiate the necessary changes. Assertible can also perform load testing and test for security vulnerabilities. Another feature that users enjoy is its multitude of protocols, such as REST, SOAP, and GraphQL. With its robust automation and testing features, Assertible fits the qualification whether you are working on a small project or a large enterprise application. Here are its key features:

  • One-click API test automation
  • Intuitive user-friendly interface
  • Wide range of test options like load testing and security testing
  • Supports multiple protocols like REST, SOAP, and GraphQL
  • Integrates with popular test frameworks
  • Detailed test results and reporting
  • Convenient API for test automation and tool integration
  • Scalable and versatile, suitable for small and large projects
  • Automated error tracking and resolution
  • Continuously monitors API performance for uptime and errors

7. Katalon

With its integration with well-known dev tools and test frameworks, Katalon makes a versatile API testing tool for a team of all sizes. For users in need of a tool that can test multiple scenarios with different data inputs, this API testing tool makes it easy with its data-drives testing feature. Katalon took testing to another level with its codeless interface that non-technical users truly enjoy in creating and running API tests. Here are its key features:

  • Codeless interface for non-technical users
  • Supports multiple protocols, including REST, SOAP, and GraphQL
  • Wide range of API testing capabilities, including functional, security, and performance testing
  • Data-driven testing for testing with different data inputs
  • Integration with popular development tools and test frameworks
  • Built-in test management and reporting features
  • Supports parallel test execution for faster test runs
  • Test script generation for easier test case creation
  • Supports multiple environments for testing
  • User-friendly interface with an intuitive design.

Final Thoughts

Say goodbye to manual security testing woes and hello to a more efficient and secure DevSecOps process! With test automation tools, you can give your applications the extra layer of security they deserve, all while saving time and reducing the risk of breaches. Imagine being able to catch vulnerabilities early on and quickly resolve them, without sacrificing the speed of your development process. That's the power of DevSecOps with test automation!

So, why wait? Make a move today and supercharge your DevSecOps game with we45! They are developed to support organizations like yours to stay ahead of the curve and build, test, and deploy secure applications with ease.