BackEnd Automation Testing - Notes By ShariqSP

Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) for HRM Software

Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) is a design paradigm where software components provide services to other components via a network. In the context of an HRM system, SOA allows the system to be modular and scalable, where each service (e.g., Employee Management, Payroll, and Attendance) operates independently but can communicate with other services.

SOA involves several principles such as loose coupling, reusability, scalability, and interoperability. Backend implementation is handled using Java for business logic and MySQL for data storage. The HRM services interact with a centralized service bus for communication.

SOA Layers:

• Presentation Layer: The user interface layer, including web and mobile applications.
• Business Layer: Java-based services providing business logic, such as Employee Management and Payroll.
• Database Layer: MySQL for storing data related to employees, payroll, and attendance.

Diagram:

Importance of Backend Automation Testing in HRM Software

Backend automation testing plays a critical role in ensuring the reliability, efficiency, and scalability of the HRM software built using the SOA architecture. In the context of the HRM example above, where the system involves multiple layers (Presentation Layer, Business Layer, and Database Layer), backend automation testing primarily focuses on validating the **Business Layer** and its integration with the **Database Layer**.

Why is Backend Automation Testing Needed?

In an HRM system, critical operations such as Employee Management, Payroll, and Attendance tracking are handled by backend services. These operations involve complex business logic and data manipulation, making manual testing insufficient. Below are key reasons why backend automation testing is essential:

1. Validation of Business Logic: Backend services in the Business Layer implement critical rules like salary computation, attendance calculation, and leave management. Automation ensures that these rules work as intended without manual errors.
2. Data Integrity: Since the HRM system uses MySQL for storing employee records, payroll data, and attendance logs, automation helps validate that data is correctly stored, retrieved, and updated.
3. API Testing: The SOA architecture relies on APIs to connect the Presentation Layer with the Business Layer. Automated API testing ensures that endpoints are functional, secure, and performant.
4. Regression Testing: Frequent updates in backend services can lead to bugs in existing functionality. Automation enables efficient regression testing, reducing the risk of failures in critical features.
5. Performance and Load Testing: Backend automation helps evaluate how services perform under heavy workloads, ensuring that the HRM system can handle a growing number of employees and data.
6. Faster Feedback Loop: Automation tests can be integrated into the CI/CD pipeline, providing quick feedback on code changes and reducing deployment risks.

How Backend Automation Testing is Implemented

The HRM software's backend automation testing can be implemented as follows:

• Test Automation Frameworks: Tools like Selenium (for UI validation), RestAssured, or Postman for API testing.
• Database Testing: Automated scripts to validate data operations in MySQL.
• Performance Testing: Using tools like JMeter to simulate load and analyze service performance.
• Continuous Testing: Integrating automation scripts into CI/CD pipelines for consistent quality assurance.

Benefits of Backend Automation Testing

• Reduces manual testing effort and improves efficiency.
• Increases test coverage by validating multiple scenarios and edge cases.
• Enhances system reliability and user satisfaction.
• Speeds up the development lifecycle by identifying issues early.

Conclusion

In the SOA-based HRM software, backend automation testing is indispensable for maintaining system quality and ensuring smooth operations across services. By automating testing tasks, organizations can achieve higher productivity, reduce time-to-market, and build robust HRM systems capable of meeting modern business demands.

Order Module in an E-commerce Platform (Example: Amazon)

In an e-commerce platform like Amazon, the Order Module is a critical component that manages the entire lifecycle of a customer’s order. It encompasses functionalities such as order placement, payment processing, inventory management, order tracking, and customer notifications. The module interacts with multiple layers and services, ensuring seamless operation and excellent user experience.

Key Components of the Order Module

• Order Placement: Allows users to add items to the cart, verify details, and place orders.
• Payment Processing: Integrates with payment gateways to handle transactions securely.
• Inventory Management: Updates stock levels and checks product availability in real-time.
• Order Tracking: Enables customers to track their orders post-placement.
• Notifications: Sends updates via email, SMS, or in-app messages for order confirmation, shipping, and delivery.

SOA-based Architecture of the Order Module

The Order Module in Amazon is implemented using a Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) approach. This architecture enables the seamless interaction of various microservices that work together to process and manage orders. Below is the representation of the architecture.

Diagram:

How the Order Module Works

When a customer places an order, the following sequence occurs:

1. The Presentation Layer collects the user's order details and sends them to the backend via APIs.
2. The Order Service in the Business Layer validates the order and checks inventory availability through the Inventory Service.
3. The Payment Service handles the payment transaction securely.
4. Once payment is confirmed, the Order Service updates the Order Database and triggers the Notification Service to send a confirmation to the customer.
5. The inventory stock is updated in the Inventory Database.
6. Throughout the process, APIs enable real-time status updates for the customer.

Benefits of the Order Module's Architecture

• Scalability: Each service (e.g., Order, Payment) can scale independently to handle increased load.
• Fault Tolerance: Issues in one service (e.g., Payment) do not disrupt other services.
• Flexibility: New services can be added (e.g., Refund Service) without impacting existing ones.
• Real-Time Updates: Customers can track orders and receive notifications in real time.

Conclusion

The Order Module is the backbone of any e-commerce platform like Amazon. By leveraging an SOA-based architecture, it ensures a smooth and efficient order management process, enhancing customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. Automation testing, as discussed earlier, is crucial to validate the reliability of this complex ecosystem.

Backend Testing in Real-World Applications (Example: Amazon Order Module)

Backend testing plays a critical role in ensuring the functionality, security, and reliability of applications like Amazon. While frontend testing focuses on user interfaces and interactions, backend testing validates the processes, data flows, and integrations that occur behind the scenes. Let us explore how backend testing is carried out in a real-world application like Amazon's Order Module.

Key Areas of Backend Testing

• API Testing: Ensures that APIs between the frontend and backend, and between microservices, function correctly.
• Database Testing: Verifies data storage, retrieval, updates, and relationships in the database.
• Business Logic Testing: Validates the rules and workflows within the business layer, such as inventory checks and payment validation.
• Performance Testing: Ensures that the backend can handle high loads without performance degradation.
• Security Testing: Checks for vulnerabilities in data handling, authentication, and authorization mechanisms.

Step-by-Step Backend Testing Process

Below is a breakdown of how backend testing would happen for Amazon's Order Module:

1. Test Plan and Case Preparation: Define the test scope, objectives, and cases. For example:
   • Validate the Order Service API handles input data correctly.
   • Ensure the Payment Service integrates securely with external payment gateways.
   • Check that inventory updates are reflected in the Inventory Database.
2. API Testing: Use tools like Postman or RestAssured to validate API endpoints.
   • Send various payloads to the Order API and check the responses.
   • Test for edge cases such as invalid input or network failures.
3. Database Testing: Verify data integrity and consistency.
   • Place a sample order and ensure correct entries in the Order Database.
   • Confirm stock deductions in the Inventory Database.
   • Use SQL queries to validate relationships between tables.
4. Business Logic Testing: Test the workflows within the Business Layer.
   • Ensure that orders are rejected if items are out of stock.
   • Validate the workflow for failed payment attempts.
5. Performance Testing: Simulate concurrent users placing orders to assess system performance using tools like JMeter.
6. Security Testing: Validate secure handling of sensitive data such as payment details and user credentials.
   • Ensure APIs are protected against SQL injection and cross-site scripting.
   • Check for proper encryption of sensitive information.

Tools Used for Backend Testing

• Postman: For API testing and endpoint validation.
• JMeter: For performance and load testing.
• Selenium with Java: For API automation testing.
• Database Tools: SQL clients like MySQL Workbench for database verification.
• Security Tools: Tools like OWASP ZAP for vulnerability scanning.

Importance of Backend Testing

Backend testing ensures that the system's core functionalities work as expected, even under extreme conditions. In the case of Amazon, the Order Module must handle a large volume of transactions daily. Backend testing ensures:

• Data Integrity: Orders, payments, and inventory data remain consistent.
• System Reliability: Services work seamlessly, ensuring no disruptions for customers.
• Performance: The backend can handle peak loads during sales or festive seasons.
• Security: Customer data is safe, and transactions are protected against fraud.

Conclusion

Backend testing is indispensable in ensuring the quality and reliability of complex systems like Amazon. By rigorously testing APIs, databases, business logic, performance, and security, teams can deliver a seamless and dependable shopping experience for millions of users worldwide.

When to Use Postman vs RestAssured for API Testing

Postman and RestAssured are both powerful tools for API testing, but they are suited to different use cases and requirements. Understanding when to use each can help testers streamline their workflow and choose the right tool for their needs.

Postman: When to Use

Postman is a popular API testing tool known for its user-friendly interface, making it an excellent choice for both beginners and experienced testers. It is primarily used for manual testing, exploratory testing, and quick prototyping. Here’s when to use Postman:

• Manual Testing: Postman is ideal for performing manual API testing where testers interact directly with the API through a graphical user interface.
• Exploratory Testing: When testers need to quickly explore and verify different API endpoints, parameters, and responses.
• Quick Prototyping: For building and testing simple API requests, especially during development or when testing new APIs.
• Non-Programmatic Testing: Postman allows testers to write tests in JavaScript, but it’s more geared toward non-programmatic testing compared to RestAssured.
• Collaboration: Postman supports sharing collections and environments, making it easy for teams to collaborate on testing APIs.

Example Use Case for Postman:

Consider testing the Order API of an e-commerce platform like Amazon. If you need to test the basic functionality of creating and retrieving orders, you can manually send HTTP requests (GET, POST) using Postman, inspect the responses, and check for expected behavior. It’s a great tool when you need to test individual endpoints quickly without the need for automation.

RestAssured: When to Use

RestAssured is a Java-based library used for automated API testing. It is more suitable for test automation and integration into CI/CD pipelines. Here’s when to use RestAssured:

• Automated Testing: When you need to automate your API tests and integrate them with other testing frameworks like JUnit or TestNG.
• Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD): RestAssured is commonly used in automated test suites, integrated with CI/CD pipelines for automated API regression testing.
• Advanced API Testing: For more complex scenarios, such as validating response structures, authentication flows, request chaining, or dealing with large payloads.
• Data-Driven Testing: When you need to run the same test with multiple sets of input data (e.g., testing the same API with different user credentials).
• Code Coverage: RestAssured provides better test coverage and the ability to write detailed assertions and logic in your test scripts.

Example Use Case for RestAssured:

When automating the Order API testing for an e-commerce platform, RestAssured can be used to write automated tests for multiple endpoints. For example, you can create tests that check:

• If an order is placed successfully (POST request).
• If inventory is updated correctly after an order (GET request for inventory).
• If invalid payment information results in an error (POST request for payment).

When to Choose Postman or RestAssured

To summarize, here are some guidelines for choosing between Postman and RestAssured:

• Choose Postman if:
  • You are conducting manual or exploratory testing.
  • You need a quick and easy tool to test individual API endpoints.
  • You want to easily collaborate with others by sharing collections and environments.
  • You don’t need full test automation but still want to write simple tests for responses.
• Choose RestAssured if:
  • You need to write automated tests for API endpoints.
  • Your tests need to be part of a continuous integration pipeline.
  • You require more control over the API testing process with advanced scripting and assertions.
  • You are working with complex, data-driven tests or need to integrate your tests into other test frameworks.

Conclusion

Both Postman and RestAssured have their strengths and are often used together in different phases of the testing lifecycle. Postman is ideal for manual, exploratory, and quick testing, while RestAssured is more suitable for comprehensive, automated, and repeatable API tests. Choosing the right tool depends on the type of testing required and the automation needs of the project.