Introduction to API Testing with Postman and Newman

Postman ( https://www.getpostman.com/ ) is tool they use at work to test APIs... along with Swagger, Pact, and Java with Apache HTTPComponents. Postman comes in two versions ... as a Chrome app or a Mac app. They seem similiar, except the Mac app "is packaged with add-ons that make request capturing and cookie handling seamless" according to Postman's documentation.

What is an API?

"Application program interface (API) is a set of routines, protocols, and tools for building software applications. An API specifies how software components should interact and APIs are used when programming graphical user interface (GUI) components. A good API makes it easier to develop a program by providing all the building blocks. A programmer then puts the blocks together". - Webopedia

Need to get up to speed on APIs?

REST API Concept and Examples:



Brought to you by JelledTV's WebConcepts YouTube channel, "This video introduces the viewer to some API concepts by making example calls to Facebook's Graph API, Google Maps' API, Instagram's Media Search API, and Twitter's Status Update API.

• "Youtube's Facebook Page via the Facebook Graph API  
• "Google Maps Geocode API call for the city of Chicago  
• "Apigee Instagram API console  
• "HTTP Request Methods 
• Twitter's Status Update documentation.  

If you want to find many other sites that use APIs, go to ProgrammableWeb.com.

... They also mention how to use this new tool that came out... Postman: https://www.getpostman.com/

Using Docker + Jenkins for Continuous Integration: Assorted Links

So much to do! So little time! There are so many pieces I need to add to my new little automated test framework, Test_TheInternet_2.0 found at https://github.com/tjmaher/Test_TheInternet_2.0. You can see what is on my "wish list" at the end of this blog post.

But what I really want to do is experiment with setting up my own Jenkins environment on my home system, something DevOps does at my workplace. I create, at work, Jenkins jobs to run tests, but it is not the same thing as being able to tinker with Jenkins Plugins, set up the system, etc.

I found out the other day that on Docker Hub, Jenkins has its own Docker image! https://hub.docker.com/_/jenkins/! That is definitely something I really want to tinker with.

• Not familiar with Docker? Read more about Docker on this blog!
• Not familiar with Jenkins? Read more about Jenkins on this blog!

Instead, here are some links that I was planning on checking out that I wanted to share with you. I probably won't be able to get to this for another few months or so, at the rate I am going:

• Access The State of Docker, Jenkins and Continuous Delivery survey infographic: https://pages.cloudbees.com/rs/083-PKZ-512/images/Docker-Jenkins-Survey-Infographic.pdf
• Get the whitepaper Jenkins, Docker and DevOps: The Innovation Catalysts: https://pages.cloudbees.com/Website_Docker-Jenkins.html?lsd=WebsiteForm_DockerJenkins
• Learn more about Continuous delivery with Docker: https://www.cloudbees.com/continuous-delivery/jenkins-docker
• Watch the webinar Continuous Delivery with Jenkins Pipeline and Docker Explained: https://pages.cloudbees.com/2016-0120-Jenkins-Workflow-Explained-Registration-Landing-Page.html

The plan is to finish off the automated test framework we started: Test_TheInternet_2.0. You can see the source code at https://github.com/tjmaher/Test_TheInternet_2.0

• RemoteWebDriver: Taking our DesiredCapabilities we touched upon, and expand it. 
• Docker Compose: https://docs.docker.com/compose/: Bundle together scaling up or down Selenium Grid browser nodes, downloading Selenium Grid, starting up a Hub, and starting up various nodes.
• MicrosoftWebDriver: ( Link ): How to incorporate Microsoft Edge into your tests.
• Microsoft Virtual Images: https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/tools/vms/ add IE8, IE9, IE10, IE11 on Windows 7 or IE 11 and Microsoft Edge to Windows 10 nodes to your Selenium Hub! Just use VirtualBox, Vagrant, HyperV (Windows), VMWare, or Parallels (Mac). Take a snapshot of the images because the originals are only good for 90 days. (What, no Docker solution? Gee, Microsoft, do you always have to be different?)
• Selenium Grid Extras: https://github.com/groupon/Selenium-Grid-Extras

... I also want to check out what Sauce Labs has for its own sample test framework in Java-Junit-Selenium: https://github.com/saucelabs-sample-test-frameworks/Java-Junit-Selenium

As always, Happy Testing!

-T.J. Maher
Sr. QA Engineer,
Fitbit-Boston

// BSCS, MSE, and QA Engineer since Aug. 1996
// Automation developer for [ 1.5 ] years and still counting!
// Check out Adventures in Automation and Like us on Facebook!

Lecture: Customizing Jenkins @ SiteSpect

What happens when a favorite open-source tool is stretched beyond its limit and needs severe customization? Two automation engineers at SiteSpect, Dustin Masterson and Josh Shapiro, talked Wednesday evening at the AutoTestCentral - Boston meetup about the problems they faced --- and solution they came up with -- when forcing Jenkins to run 350+ functional test scenarios comprising over 550,000 tests.

The following is compiled from my hastily scribbled notes, and a heck of a lot of late night last minute independent research. Please let me know in the comments section what needs to be fixed.