Unit testing is crucial for building apps that are easy to change, with automated tests ensuring the intended behavior is preserved during code changes.
Writing tests is important as it allows for continuous code improvement through refactoring and provides confidence in the codebase.
The three types of tests you should focus on are unit tests, integration tests, and end-to-end (UI) tests forming the test pyramid.
Unit tests verify small sections of code independently, focusing on specific functions like returning values, changing system states, or calling other functions.
Integration tests combine interconnected modules to test their interactions as a group, ensuring components work well together.
UI tests simulate real user actions and test the application as a whole, verifying it meets system requirements but are slower and more expensive.
Having a proper balance of unit, integration, and UI tests is essential for a robust testing strategy in software development.
Unit tests are fast, efficient, and good at pinpointing issues at the code level, while integration tests help in finding conflicts between components.
UI tests are useful for verifying the overall system functionality but should be complemented with more low-level tests for better agility.
In conclusion, a well-structured testing strategy involving unit, integration, and UI tests is key to ensuring the quality and reliability of a REST API.