Payment APIs and SDKs are essential tools for integrating online payments into your applications and websites. However, they also pose some challenges and risks for developers and testers who need to ensure their functionality, security, and performance. In this article, we will share some of the best practices for testing Payment APIs and SDKs, covering topics such as:
One of the first steps for testing Payment APIs and SDKs is to set up a test environment that mimics the production environment as closely as possible. This means using sandbox or mock services that simulate the real payment providers, gateways, and processors, as well as the network conditions, data formats, and error scenarios. You should also use test cards and accounts that are valid for the test environment but not for the live one, to avoid accidental charges or fraud.
For testing payment APIs and SDKs, first, use sandbox environments to simulate transactions without real money. Implement unit and integration tests to cover various payment scenarios, including successful, failed, and edge-case transactions. Test for security vulnerabilities, especially in data encryption and fraud detection. Ensure compliance with PCI standards. Regularly update tests to reflect API changes. Finally, perform load testing to evaluate system performance under high transaction volumes. This comprehensive approach ensures reliability, security, and efficiency.
Never implement an API without testing it in a sandbox. All the API providers have tests environment that help to measure a payment solution. The testing process is way more important as it helps minimize the bugs, risks or incidents that could occur on live environments. Testing is the key.
Conduct security assessments to identify vulnerabilities. Test for encryption, data privacy, authentication mechanisms, and compliance with security standards like PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard).
Firstly, the API documentation is a key to getting the testing done smoothly, efficiently and effectively. there are many ways to document and share the API request/response structure such as Swagger, this is a come before availing the testing environment which enables the 3rd parties to develop their BE and also prepare their testing data. 3rd parties don't need to have their full BE up& and running to start the testing, my recommendation is to start building the test data and using a tool like Postman to make sure early that the API interfaces are working properly and also it could require some IPs/ports to be open so this could be working in parallel while developing the 3rd parties BE functionality.
It’s also helpful to have mock integrations available in the developer’s local environment so that they can perform end to end testing before their changes are merged into the staging environment- causing potential breaking side effects that can slow down unrelated testing efforts.
The next step is to design and execute test scenarios that cover the main features and functionalities of the Payment APIs and SDKs. This includes verifying that the APIs and SDKs can be initialized and configured correctly with the required parameters and credentials, handle different types of authentication and authorization methods, support different payment methods and options, send and receive payment requests and responses in the expected formats and protocols, track and update the payment status, send and receive notifications and callbacks in case of success, failure, or timeout of payments, encrypt, decrypt, and hash sensitive data, as well as comply with relevant security and regulatory standards.
Test cases should be categorised and prioritized such as Business/ Non-business sometimes called functional/ Non-Functional, also priority is important so priority 1 should take place early in the testing phase, also the positive or main scenarios should be run early while coming later the negative test cases or alternative scenarios.
Testing scenarios will be a key input to test any api. Best way is to get the functional scenario is from your business team and operations team. BA and PO can also add on to this. Testing team should include technical scenarios also into the test execution, for handling failures like system down, no response from other applications etc. Scenarios covering the data security, encryption must be added for critical data element which can contain sensitive data. Scenarios on bulk request can help with load testing . If team have access to near production cases/dump, pumping those use cases and comparing the results will highlight any gaps if missed.
The third step is to select and use the appropriate test tools that can help you automate, monitor, and debug the testing process of the Payment APIs and SDKs. Examples of these tools include API testing tools like Postman, SoapUI, or Rest-Assured; SDK testing tools such as Selenium, Appium, or Cypress; code analysis tools like SonarQube, Codacy, or Snyk; performance testing tools like JMeter, LoadRunner, or Gatling; and security testing tools like OWASP ZAP, Nmap, or Burp Suite. These tools can help you create, execute, and validate API requests and responses; test SDK integration and functionality in your application or website; check the quality and security of your code; measure and optimize the performance and scalability of your Payment APIs and SDKs; and identify and mitigate the security vulnerabilities and risks of your Payment APIs and SDKs.
It is important to have the automation test script package, for sure for the product-based deliverables so it can be used while doing changes and also for any regression testing.
In my experience, right kind of test data is elementary. Passing on valid use cases with respect to request/response not only proves the functional value but also saves time by avoiding unnecessary testing.
The final step is to generate and analyze test reports that can provide you with useful insights and feedback on the testing process and results of the Payment APIs and SDKs. This includes the measure of how much of the functionality and code has been tested and verified, the outcomes of the test scenarios, quantitative and qualitative indicators of the testing performance and quality, as well as suggestions and actions for improving the testing process. By following these best practices, you can ensure that your Payment APIs and SDKs are tested thoroughly and effectively, providing a smooth and secure online payment experience for your customers and users.
Testing should start from the functional test till reaching the UAT (User Acceptance Testing), before going live the service provider should go with the pilot testing and naro the segment that doing the testing, there are several techniques, I love the Family and Friends to get limited access to the application before going live with public consumers meanwhile, getting real feedback from the production environment.