Partner
(Recordings Available)
Transform your API Specs into Executable Contracts in Seconds
Specmatic is an open source tool to transform API Specs (OpenAPI/Swagger, AsyncAPI, etc.) into Executable Contracts in seconds.
Executable API Contracts refer to a modern approach in software development that emphasises the use of API specifications as actionable, enforceable contracts. This approach is part of what's known as Contract-Driven Development (CDD). It allows development teams to use API specifications not just as static documents but as dynamic, executable contracts that can be automatically verified, used as tests and simulate service behaviour.
Here's an overview of how executable API contracts work and their benefits:
1. Contract Testing: Specmatic automates API testing by using API specifications to generate contract tests dynamically. It ensures that the implementation consistently adheres to the specified API contract, facilitating ongoing compliance with the defined API behaviour. Specmatic also has a feature called Generative Tests which does resiliency testing of your APIs.
2. Intelligent Service Virtualisation: Specmatic enables stubbing of services based on their API specifications, offering a mock version of the API that behaves according to the contract. This is particularly useful for testing and development purposes, as it allows API consumers to isolate their code by stubbing out their dependencies and simulating all kinds of positive and negative scenarios from the dependent API.
3. Backward Compatibility Testing: Specmatic can be used to enforce backward compatibility checks as part of the Pull/Merge Request (PR) process in version control systems. This helps in identifying potential breaking changes even before a single line of code is written, thereby reducing integration issues and fostering a smoother deployment process.
4. Enhanced Collaboration: By centralising API specifications in a Git repository, it becomes easier for teams across an organisation to collaborate. A central contract repository acts as the single source of truth for API specifications, streamlining the process of proposing changes, conducting reviews, and ensuring compatibility before integration. Also enables company wide API design standardisation.
5. Automation and CI Integration: Specmatic integrates well with Continuous Integration (CI) workflows. By automating contract testing and stubbing/mocking within CI pipelines, teams can ensure that changes are validated for compliance with the contract before they are merged and deployed.
Adopting executable API contracts offers several advantages, such as improved API reliability, better collaboration between teams, and a more efficient development process. By treating API specifications as living documents that can be executed, tested, and validated, organizations can move towards a more agile and resilient microservices architecture.
For more detailed insights into executable API contracts and contract-driven development, you can explore resources like the GitHub page for Specmatic, which outlines how to turn contracts into executable specifications, and discussions on practical adoption journeys, and the significance of maintaining a central contract repository.
For more information, please visit: https://specmatic.in/
Testµ Conference is a virtual or online-only conference to define the future of testing. Join over 30,000+ software testers, developers, quality assurance experts, industry experts, and thought leaders for 3 days of learning, testing, and networking at Testμ Conference 2024 by LambdaTest.