Concepts: API Level Testing

Question

I'm college grad, soon to be graduating. SO i have started my job search. So my question is for New Grad who is interested in QA (API Level testing in particular). What is level of knowledge in JAVA required? I'm not that great in Java but can rate myself 5/10.

So do companies expect candidate to have extensive coding knowledge in java or just basic java

Again if its just basic java, what concepts should i focus more on ?

Thanks

Answer 1

From your question, I assume that you're looking at a Java API testing gig (otherwise, java experience wouldn't make much of a difference).

Do you have experience in another language? As far as API testing goes, the basics of testing in one language apply to another.

What you want to be able to do is:

• Look at the individual input values and identify potential problem values
• Understand how input parameters can interact - or where they do not interact
• Build a good oracle - i.e. know whether the API succeeded or not by knowing what behavior should happen beyond the return value
• Keep usability in mind - since it's a public interface, can developers use the API to create a useful application?

Lot's more, but I'm slightly off topic on the answer. Again, the short answer is that if you are a 7-8+ on any language, I think you'll be fine as a java api tester.