What is SoapUI? Introduction to SoapUI Testing

Details: Last Updated: 05 February 2021

What is SOAP UI?

SOAP UI is the leading open source cross-platform API Testing tool
SOAPUI allows testers to execute automated functional, regression, compliance, and load tests on different Web API.
SOAPUI supports all the standard protocols and technologies to test all kinds of API's.
SOAPUI interface is simple that enables both technical and non-technical users to use seamlessly.

Why use SOAPUI?

SOAPUI is not just a functional Api Testing tool but also lets us perform non-functional testing such as performance and security test.

Let us discuss the 5 important features of SOAPUI

1) Functional Testing

A powerful tool allows testers to write Functional API Tests in SoapUI
Supports Drag-Drop feature which accelerates the script development
Supports debugging of tests and allows testers to develop data driven tests.
Supports Multiple Environments - Easy to switch between QA, Dev and Prod Environments
Allows advanced scripting (tester can develop their custom code depending on the Scenario)

2) Security Testing

Has the capability to perform a complete set of vulnerability scan.
Prevents SQL Injection to secure the databases
Scans for Stack overflows that are caused by documents huge in size
Scans for Cross Site Scripting, which usually occurs when service parameters are exposed in messages.
Performs Fuzzing scan and Boundary scan to avoid erratic behavior of the services.

3) Load Testing

Distribute the Load Tests across any number of loadUI Agents.
Simulate high volume and real-world load testing with ease.
Allows Advanced custom reporting to capture performance parameters.
Allows End-to-End System Performance Monitoring

4) Supported Protocols/Technologies:

SoapUI has the most comprehensive Protocol Support

5) SOAP-INTEGRATION with Other Automation Tools:

SoapUI integrated very well with popular tools

Maven

Apache Maven is a software project management tool that can manage a project's build, reporting and documentation from a central repository. Maven can also execute SOAPUI tests within Maven Build using simple commands.
HUDSON
HUDSON, a Java based Continous integration tool and integrates with tools such as CVS, Subversion, Git, Perforce, Clearcase, and RTC. SOAPUI also integrates with HUDSON, which helps us to spot bugs quickly for each and every commit by the developers.
JUnit

JUnit is a Unit Testing framework built in Java, which can control the flow of tests from SOAPUI as well.
Apache - Ant

Apache Ant, a Java library which is a command-line tool that helps in building software. Using SOAP UI's Command line, we can execute tests within an ANT Automated Build.

SOAP UI Vs Selenium:

Let's compare SoapUI with Selenium

SOAP UI	Selenium
SOAP UI is NOT used for User Interface Testing. It is only used for WebAPI or WebService Testing	Selenium is used for User Interface Testing.
Capability to test the data sent and received between the web browser and a web server. Can test the protocols/technologies such as REST, SOAP.	Selenium cannot test protocols, but they can test the UI behavior.
Able to perform functional, load and Security Testing of the above-mentioned technologies.	Selenium can perform only Functional Testing. Performance Testing to some extent because we can track execution time with regards to the performance but cannot test multi user and multi tenancy. Selenium certainly cannot be used for security testing.
It is PROTOCOL Dependent and NOT browser dependent.	Selenium depends on the browser capabilities.

SOAP UI Vs SOAP UI PRO

We know that there are two flavors of SOAP UI, One being SOAP UI (Open source version) while the other one is SOAP UI PRO. Let us understand the difference between these two flavors and we will also discuss when to go for use what.

Features	SOAP UI (Open Source Version)	SOAP UI PRO
Supported Technologies
SOAP/WSDL
REST
JMS
AMF
JDBC
HTTP

Automation
Functional Tests
Load Tests
Mock Services
Code Generation
Command Line
Maven
CI and Build Integration
General Features
Standalone Application
Groovy Code Templates
Multi Environment Support
Floating Licenses

Functional Testing features
WSDL Coverage
Request/Response Coverage
Message Assertion
Test Refactoring
Running of Multiple Tests
Data Source Driven Tests
Scripting Libraries
Unit Reporting
Manual Test Step
Security Testing features
Boundary Scan
Invalid Type
SQL Injection
XPath Injection
XML Bomb
Fuzzing Scan
Cross Site Scripting
Configurable Scans
Reporting
Load Testing Features
Rapid Load Tests from Functional Tests
Configurable Load Strategies
Load Test Assertions
Real-Time Statistics
Performance Monitoring
Statistics Exporting
Setup/TearDown using Groovy Scripting
loadUI Integration
Reporting
Reports
JUnit Reports
Report Data Export
WSDL HTML Report
WSDL Coverage
TestSuite Coverage
TestCase Coverage
Assertion Coverage
Message Recording Coverage

When use SoapUI PRO Version?

Data Driven: PRO Version, helps us to work with an external data source such as text files, XML, Groovy, Excel, file, and Databases. This helps us to scale our tests with a range of inputs driven through the above-said sources.
Test Coverage: PRO Version allows testers to get a statistic report which shows the functionalities that are well tested and also the areas that are NOT thoroughly tested as well. The drill down reports even pinpoints exactly what has NOT been tested and what has NOT been asserted.
Test Debugging: You can then run the test to that breakpoint and view the current value of the SoapUI properties. The Test Debugging Interface simplifies following Test Flow, Variables, Properties, Requests, Context, and much more, making test creation and improvement more streamlined.
Multi-Environment Support: Working with multiple environments such as DEV, QA, Pre-PROD environment can be a daunting task with the open source version as testers need to change the end points to execute in different environments. PRO version helps us to switch between environments seamlessly.
Reporting: PRO version is loaded with many options to customize reports that generate detailed reports at Project, TestSuite, TestCase or LoadTest level. It also produces reports in various formats such as PDF, HTML, Word or Excel.
Security Testing: Both SOAP UI versions have capabilities to test for security vulnerabilities such as XML bombs, SQL injections, fuzzing, cross-site scripting. However, only SOAP UI PRO can perform vulnerability scans using Security Test Generator using a mouse click.
SQL Builder: For Non-Technical testers writing complex SQL Query can be cumbersome. The SOAP UI PRO's SQL Builder can help them in creating SQL Query using the SQL Builder's graphical interface. This feature helps us to accelerate the implementation of data-driven testing.
Support: As part of the license agreement SOAP UI Pro has exclusive support apart from the online forum support.

We will be using the Open Source version of SoapUI for our training purpose.