Challenges Faced
✖ Slow Regression Cycles: UI-based testing took 6+ hours, delaying releases.
✖ Microservice Dependencies: Testing individual services without relying on the UI was not feasible in the existing setup.
✖ Limited Test Coverage: Critical API workflows lacked automated validation.
✖ Manual Test Data Setup: Test data creation and environment setup required manual steps.
Goals of the Automation Initiative
✔ Build a scalable API automation framework covering critical business flows.
✔ Shift regression testing from the UI layer to the API layer for faster execution.
✔ Integrate API tests into the CI/CD pipeline for continuous feedback.
✔ Automate data creation and teardown to enable independent test execution.
Solution Approach
1 : API Automation Framework Design
Chose Rest Assured (Java) as the core API automation tool.
Built a modular test framework using TestNG with Allure reporting.
Designed reusable request/response classes for RESTful APIs.
2 : Data Management Automation
Automated test data creation via internal APIs and database scripts.
Used JSON data-driven testing to validate multiple scenarios.
3 : CI/CD Integration
Integrated tests into Jenkins pipelines for scheduled regression and PR triggers.
Configured Slack and email notifications for test run summaries.
4 : Test Optimization
Grouped tests into Smoke, Sanity, and Full Regression suites.
Implemented parallel execution using TestNG and thread-safe practices.
Results Achieved
| Key Metric | Before Automation | After Automation |
|---|---|---|
| Regression Cycle Time | 6+ hours | 1.5 hours |
| API Test Coverage | <20% | 85%+ |
| Defect Leakage to Production | High | Reduced by 60% |
| Test Execution Frequency | Weekly | Daily on PR merges |
| Manual Test Effort | High | Minimal |
Key Benefits Realized
🔹 Reduced regression cycle time by 75%, accelerating release velocity.
🔹 Improved coverage of business-critical APIs including Order Placement, Inventory Sync, and Shipment Creation.
🔹 Enabled teams to isolate and fix API defects before UI testing, reducing overall defect resolution time.
🔹 Automated test environments and data management, eliminating manual dependencies.
