12/13/2017

Why Use A Site Monitor Service to Check a Site’s API Responses?

Automated site monitor service is extremely important when one is looking to evaluate the performance and correct working of websites having wide functionality.  Such comprehensive site functionality comes with large numbers of integration's and possibly even frequent releases. It is true that the exact point when automated website monitor service becomes important may vary greatly from one web app to another. 

API or Application Programming Interfaces are basically sets of commands which allow multiple software components or websites to communicate with each other and exchange data. Development of APIs along with communication protocols such as REST and SOAP has made it easier to conveniently integrate products that are completely different from each other and also create an entirely new application systems and models like SOA. Such results have led to the development of systems that are comprised of numerous sub-components which can fetch, push and process data around based on certain pre-defined business concepts and logic. Such well defined parameters provide the developers with a lot of flexibility when it comes to reusing the same services and ensuring the continuity of the service. However, on the flip side it also causes serious dependency on the actual APIs themselves. If there is anything wrong with the APIs, the whole system can start to malfunction or become really useless, in which case the site developers greatly depend on automated testing

It is to be remembered that API monitoring service is not necessarily limited to different types of functional tests only. Depending on requirements, a wide range of tests can be carried out. One of the type of tests that is commonly done is load testing. The process of load testing can help to find out the efficiency of a remote service when it is trying to handle a significantly large volume of concurrent requests. It can also help to evaluate whether the remote service can send responses back to the main website app within the allotted time-frame. 

API testing is often and erroneously considered to be a complex subject when it comes to usage during web app development. Which is why many technology companies avoid it. Many app development companies fail to understand its importance and utility. Using a site monitor service at the right time in the project development can actually save a lot of future trouble. Rather than, after the site goes live and when there are lots of potential customers on the site. A website cannot afford to go wrong at that time, as it not only leads to lost customers it also leads to damaging the brand reputation. 

Using a good site monitor service, the website can be made ready to handle high volume transactions. Alternatively, the service can be used to identify which part of the website functionality is error prone – so that extra efforts can be put in to address issues in that part of the website. 

Taking the help of a reliable and comprehensive monitoring provider, can make a big positive difference on the quality and performance of the website