Frequently Asked SoapUI Interview Questions for 2023 - IQCode

SoapUI: A Tool for Testing Web Services

SoapUI is a free testing application for Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) and Representational State Transfer (REST) web services. Its capabilities cover web service inspection, invocation, development, simulation and mocking, functional testing, load and compliance testing. Eviware Software AB developed another version called SoapUI Pro that focuses on productivity features, and SmartBear Software purchased Eviware in 2011. It was released on SourceForge in September 2005 as open-source software licensed under the European Union Public License. The user interface is designed in Swing, and it works on the Java platform, making it cross-platform. SoapUI now supports IDEA, Eclipse, and NetBeans.

SoapUI is capable of testing SOAP and REST web services, Java Message Service (JMS) and Adobe's ActionScript Messaging Format (AMF), as well as HTTP, HTTPS, and Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) calls. It is downloaded over two million times since its initial release and widely used in Fortune 1000 companies worldwide and several industries.

In this article, you will find essential information related to SoapUI interview questions for prospective employees along with answers from fresher to experienced professionals, useful for those looking for a challenging job with a reputable organization.

Here's a list of commonly asked SoapUI interview questions for freshers:

1. What do you understand about web services? State some of the communication channels that are available for a web service.

My Understanding of SoapUI Automation

SoapUI Automation is the process of utilizing SoapUI, an API testing tool, to automate various operations of a software application. This involves writing test scripts using programming languages such as Groovy or Java to test APIs and web services, validate responses, and analyze the performance of the application. SoapUI Automation reduces manual efforts, increases the efficiency and accuracy of the testing process, and provides faster feedback to developers, ensuring a reliable and stable software product.

Using SoapUI for Testing RESTful Web Services

SoapUI can be used for testing RESTful web services by following these steps:

1. Open SoapUI and create a new project. 2. Add the RESTful web service endpoint to the project definition. 3. Create a new REST API test case in the project. 4. Add REST API requests to the test case for testing different endpoints. 5. Add assertions to verify the response from the web service. 6. Run the REST API test case and review the results.

By using SoapUI for testing RESTful web services, developers can ensure that their APIs are functioning correctly and providing accurate responses.

Advantages of Using SoapUI and SoapUI's Test Structure

SoapUI is a widely used testing tool for web services. It has several advantages that make it an excellent choice for testing APIs. Some of the benefits are:

1. SoapUI offers an easy-to-use graphical interface which makes the testing process faster and simpler.

2. Its powerful scripting options make it possible to automate test suites and integration with other tools.

3. SoapUI supports various types of protocols such as HTTP, JDBC, JMS, REST, SOAP, and AMF.

4. It provides comprehensive support for both functional and load testing.

5. SoapUI offers a comprehensive reporting system which allows testers to track the performance of their tests over time.

SoapUI's functional tests are built using projects, test suites, test cases, and test steps. A project in SoapUI is an organizational unit that contains all of the resources, configurations, and settings necessary to perform a set of related tests.

Test suites are containers for test cases. Test cases are a collection of related functional test steps. Test steps are the building blocks of a test case; they represent the individual steps in a test case. Each test step has a specific purpose, such as sending a request and validating the response.

SoapUI's test structure allows testers to create complex test scenarios with multiple test cases, each with their own test steps and assertions. These assertions validate the responses returned by the web service and ensure that it meets the functional requirements of the application.

Basic Approach to Automating Web Services in SoapUI

Automation of web services in SoapUI can be done using the following basic approach:

1. Creating a project in SoapUI 2. Adding web service definition to the project using its WSDL URL 3. Creating a test suite inside the project 4. Adding test cases to the test suite 5. Creating and parameterizing test steps for each test case 6. Executing the test suite to test the web service 7. Generating reports and analyzing results

By utilizing these steps, one can effectively automate the testing of web services in SoapUI and ensure their reliability and functionality.

Testing an ASMX Web Service in SOAPUI

To test an ASMX web service in SOAPUI, follow these steps:

1. Open SOAPUI and create a new project. 2. Add a new SOAP web service definition. 3. Enter the URL for the ASMX web service in the "Initial WSDL/WADL" field. 4. Click "OK" to generate a new SOAP project from the WSDL. 5. Expand the generated project and navigate to the operation you want to test. 6. Double-click the operation to open the request editor. 7. Enter the required input values and click "Send" to submit the request. 8. Review the response to verify that the web service is functioning correctly.

Testing an SAP Web Service in SoapUI

To test an SAP web service in SoapUI, follow these steps:

1. Open SoapUI and create a new project.

2. Right-click the project and select "Add WSDL" from the context menu.

3. Enter the URL of the SAP web service's WSDL file and click "OK."

4. SoapUI will generate the service and its operations for you.

5. Right-click the operation you want to test and select "New Test Request."

6. Enter the required input parameters for the operation and click "Submit" to execute the request.

7. SoapUI will display the response from the SAP web service, allowing you to verify that it's working correctly.

8. Repeat steps 5-7 for any other operations you want to test.

With these simple steps, you can easily test an SAP web service in SoapUI and ensure that it's functioning as expected.

Testing a WCF REST Service using SOAPUI

SOAPUI is a widely used tool for testing APIs and web services. To test a WCF REST service using SOAPUI, the following steps can be followed:

1. Start SOAPUI and create a new project.
2. Add the WCF REST service endpoint URL to the project.
3. Configure the request parameters for the REST API method being tested.
4. Execute the REST API request and verify the response received from the service.
5. If any issues are found in the response, debug the issues and repeat the testing process.

By following these steps, one can effectively test a WCF REST service using SOAPUI and ensure that the service is functioning correctly.

Assertions in SoapUI

Assertions in SoapUI are used to validate the responses received in the API testing. They help ensure that the expected results match with the actual results.

Some of the important assertions present in SoapUI are:

• Response Assertion
• Schema Compliance Assertion
• XPath Match Assertion
• Valid HTTP Status Codes Assertion
• SLA Assertion

The Response Assertion is used to validate the content of the response against the expected result. The Schema Compliance Assertion checks if the response is compliant with the specified schema. The XPath Match Assertion validates the response based on the specified XPath expression. The Valid HTTP Status Codes Assertion checks if the response status code is within the defined range. The SLA Assertion helps measure the performance of the API by checking if the response time is within the expected limit.

Default Properties in SoapUI

SoapUI has several default properties that are used for configuration, customization, and automation of API testing. Some of the commonly used default properties are:

1. ${#TestCase#propertyName} - This property is used to access test case properties within the same test case. It is useful when we need to access a value that is stored in a property transfer step.

2. ${#Project#propertyName} - This property is used to access project-level properties. It allows you to share values across test cases in the same project.

3. ${#Global#propertyName} - This property is used to access globally defined properties. These properties can be used across multiple projects.

4. ${#Env#propertyName} - This property is used to access environmental properties. These properties are used when you want to execute the same test case on multiple environments like dev, prod, staging, etc.

5. ${RandomInt} - It is used to generate a random integer.

6. ${RandomString()} - It is used to generate a random string of given length.

7. ${= expression} - This property is used to perform a math operation or execute a Groovy script.

These default properties are very useful while testing APIs as they save a lot of time and effort in writing scripts for repetitive tasks.

Important Functionalities of SOAP UI

SOAP UI is a popular API testing tool used by developers and testers. Some of its important functionalities are:

1. Create and execute API requests:

   SoapUI supports the creation and execution of SOAP and RESTful API requests, allowing developers and testers to simulate API requests and observe the responses for debugging and testing purposes.

2. Mock services:

   SOAP UI allows the creation of mock services that simulate API request and response, and can be used for testing and development when the actual services are unavailable or under development.

3. Assertions:

   Assertions in SoapUI are used to validate the expected values of response messages, headers, and properties received from API requests. This helps to ensure the API behaves as required.

4. Data-driven testing:

   SoapUI supports data-driven testing, where large volumes of API requests can be sent to the service with varying data sets. This functionality helps testers to verify that the API works efficiently and accurately.

5. Scripting:

   SoapUI provides support for scripting languages such as Groovy and JavaScript, allowing developers to customize the requests and responses and create complex test scenarios for testing API functionality.

Steps for Parameterizing Endpoints in SOAP UI:

To parameterize endpoints in SOAP UI, follow the below steps:

1. Open SOAP UI and create a new project or open an existing one.
2. Select the test case in which you want to parameterize the endpoint and click on the "Properties" tab.
3. Click on the "Add" button to add a new property.
4. Give a name for the property. For example, if you want to parameterize the endpoint for different environments, you can name it as "Environment".
5. Enter the value for the property. For example, if you are testing in a local environment, the endpoint URL will be like "http://localhost:8080".
6. In the test case section, replace the endpoint URL with ${#TestSuite#PropertyName}. For example, ${#TestSuite#Environment} in the endpoint URL field.
7. Save the changes and run the test case. The endpoint URL will now be parameterized and the test case can be run for different environments by changing the property value.

// Sample code for parameterizing endpoint URL in SOAP UI
String environment = context.expand('${#TestSuite#Environment}');
String endpointUrl = environment + "/api/v1/users";

XPath Assertion in SoapUI and Data-Driven Testing

XPath assertion is a validation check performed in SoapUI to assert whether a specific outcome or behavior is true based on XML data, web services, or any other data source. XPath is a query language used to locate and navigate nodes in an XML document. In SoapUI, XPath assertions can be used to ensure that specific nodes or data values are present in the response.

Data-driven testing is a software testing approach that involves separating test script logic from test data. Test data is stored externally, and a single test script is written to execute tests repeatedly with different input values. This technique can save significant effort and time in creating and maintaining the test suite. Data-driven testing can be applied to different types of testing, such as functional testing, performance testing, and security testing.

Steps to Add Assertions in SoapUI

Assertions in SoapUI are used to validate the responses received from a web service. Here are the steps to add assertions in SoapUI:

1. Open your SoapUI project and go to the test case for which you want to add assertions.
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2. Right-click on the test step for which you want to add assertions and select "Add Assertion" from the context menu.
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3. Select the type of assertion you want to add. SoapUI provides several types of assertions such as “Contains,” “Not Contains,” “XPath,” etc.
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4. Configure the assertion as needed. For example, if you select the “XPath” assertion, you need to specify the XPath expression to use for validation.
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5. Save the assertion and run your test case to validate that the assertions pass or fail based on the response received from the web service.

Understanding WSDL

WSDL stands for Web Services Description Language. It is an XML-based file that describes the functionality offered by a web service. WSDL is used to define and describe the different endpoints, data types, operations, and bindings used by a web service. It provides a standard way for clients and servers to communicate with each other regardless of their platform, programming language or architecture. A WSDL file provides a machine-readable contract between a web service provider and a client, which makes it easier to understand and use the web service.

Difference between SOAP and REST

SOAP

and

REST

are both web service communication protocols, but they differ in several ways. Here are some of the main differences:

1. Architecture: SOAP stands for Simple Object Access Protocol and it is based on an XML messaging protocol. On the other hand, REST stands for Representational State Transfer and is an architectural style for building web services based on HTTP protocol.

2. Message Format: Soap uses XML (Extensible Markup Language) format, while RESTful web services can use both XML and JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) formats.

3. State Management: SOAP emphasizes stateful operations, which means that every request gets its response, and the server retains information about the previous request. RESTful web services are stateless and do not keep track of the client's previous interactions with the server.

4. Performance: As SOAP uses XML format for messaging, it can be slower than RESTful web services, which typically use JSON format for messaging.

5. Implementation: SOAP has a standard specification with built-in error handling and security features, which makes it easier to implement, but it requires more bandwidth for its messaging format. RESTful web services, on the other hand, have a more flexible implementation with no built-in security and error handling features.

SOAPUI Interview Questions for Experienced

17. Can SOAPUI be used for API testing? If yes, what are the steps to perform API testing using SOAPUI?

Yes, SOAPUI can be used for API testing. Here are the steps to perform API testing using SOAPUI:

1. Launch SOAPUI tool and create a new project.
2. Provide the API endpoint URL in the "Initial WSDL/WADL" field and click "OK".
3. Click on the "Auth" tab and provide authorization details if required.
4. Click on the "Request 1" tab and enter the API input parameters.
5. Click on the "Run" button to execute the API request.
6. Verify the API response and check for any errors or issues.
7. Save the project and exit the SOAPUI tool.

By following the above steps, you can successfully perform API testing using SOAPUI.

Using SoapUI to Test Web Services

SoapUI is a widely used tool for testing web services. It provides an easy-to-use interface for testing, debugging, and simulating web services. Here are the steps to use SoapUI for testing web services:

1. First, download and install SoapUI from the official website.

2. Once you have installed SoapUI, open it and create a new project.

3. In the new project window, enter the name and WSDL URL of the web service you want to test.

4. After creating a new project, SoapUI will create a new test suite and test case for your web service.

5. Next, add the required operations and test steps to the test case.

6. Finally, run the test case and verify the output of the web service.

SoapUI provides many features for testing web services, such as creating mock services, load testing, and security testing. It is also highly configurable and customizable, making it an ideal tool for testing a wide range of web services.

Automating Test Cases with SOAPUI

Yes, we can automate test cases using SOAPUI. SOAPUI allows us to create functional and regression tests for SOAP and REST APIs. We can create a test suite for a series of test cases, add test steps, and execute the tests. SOAPUI allows us to parameterize tests, generate reports, and integrate tests with continuous integration tools. To automate test cases, we need to perform the following steps:

1. Create a project in SOAPUI
2. Import the WSDL or Open API document for the API under test
3. Create test cases based on the API methods and operations
4. Add test steps to the test cases, such as requests, assertions, and scripts
5. Parameterize the test steps using data sources or property transfer
6. Create a test suite and add the test cases to it
7. Execute the tests and view the results

Using SOAPUI for test automation saves time and effort and ensures consistent and reliable test results.

Creating and Importing Test Suites in SoapUI

SoapUI allows us to create test suites, which are a group of test cases that can be run together. Here are the steps to create and import test suites in SoapUI:

Creating a Test Suite:

1. Open the SoapUI project in which you want to create a test suite.
2. Right-click on the project name in the "Navigator" pane, and select "Add Test Suite" from the context menu.
3. Provide a name for the test suite and click "OK".
4. Now, you can add test cases to the test suite by dragging and dropping them from the "Navigator" pane to the "Test Suite Editor" pane.
5. Once all the desired test cases are added to the test suite, save it.

Importing a Test Suite:

1. Open the SoapUI project in which you want to import a test suite.
2. Right-click on the test suite under which you want to import the new test suite, and select "Import TestSuite" from the context menu.
3. Select the XML file containing the test suite and click "OK".
4. The imported test suite will be added under the selected test suite in the "Navigator" pane.

With these simple steps, you can easily create and import test suites in SoapUI for effective testing and analysis of your APIs.

How to Read Data from an Excel Spreadsheet Using a Groovy Script in SoapUI?

To read data from an Excel spreadsheet using a Groovy script in SoapUI, you can follow these steps:

1. Create a new Groovy test step in SoapUI.
2. Import the Apache POI libraries to manipulate the Excel spreadsheet.
3. Use the following code example to read the data from the Excel file:

import org.apache.poi.ss.usermodel.*;

// Open the Excel file
FileInputStream file = new FileInputStream("path/to/file.xls");
Workbook workbook = WorkbookFactory.create(file);

// Get the first sheet
Sheet sheet = workbook.getSheetAt(0);

// Iterate over rows
for (Row row : sheet) {
  // Iterate over cells in the row
  for (Cell cell : row) {
    // Get the value of the cell
    String value = cell.getStringCellValue();
    log.info("Cell value: " + value);
  }
}

// Close the Excel file
file.close();

This code will read each cell value from the first sheet of the Excel spreadsheet specified by the file path. You can modify the code to read data from a different sheet or a different file if needed.

Writing a Groovy Script to Save Request and Response in SoapUI

SoapUI provides an option to store the complete request and response of a web service call for later reference. This can be achieved using a Groovy script. Below is an example script:

// get the current test case
def currentTestCase = testRunner.testCase

// get the current test step
def currentTestStep = testRunner.testCase.testSteps["TestStepName"]

// get the request and response messages
def requestMessage = currentTestStep.testRequest.requestContent
def responseMessage = currentTestStep.testRequest.response.responseContent

// create a folder to store the messages
def messagesFolder = currentTestCase.testSuite.project.getWorkspace().childFolder("MessageStorage")

// create a file for the request message
def requestFile = messagesFolder.createTempFile("request_", ".xml")
requestFile.write(requestMessage)

// create a file for the response message
def responseFile = messagesFolder.createTempFile("response_", ".xml")
responseFile.write(responseMessage)

// print the file paths
log.info("Request saved to file: " + requestFile.getCanonicalPath())
log.info("Response saved to file: " + responseFile.getCanonicalPath())

This script retrieves the current test case and test step, gets the request and response messages, creates a folder to store the messages, creates two files for the request and response messages and saves the messages into the respective files. Finally, it logs the paths of the saved message files.

To use this script, simply replace "TestStepName" with the name of the test step you want to store the messages for.

Stopping a Groovy Script in SoapUI

To stop a Groovy script in SoapUI, you can use the `cancel()` method.

Code:

Thread.currentThread().interrupt()

This will interrupt the currently running thread and stop the script. You can also catch the `InterruptedException` to handle the interruption gracefully.

Setting Property Values in SoapUI using Groovy Script

We can set property values in SoapUI using the following Groovy script:

testRunner.testCase.testSuite.setPropertyValue("propertyName", "propertyValue")

Replace "testSuite" with the actual name of the test suite and "propertyName" with the name of the property you want to set. "propertyValue" is the value you want to set for the property.

For example:

testRunner.testCase.testSuite.setPropertyValue("endpoint", "http://localhost:8080/example/api")

This script sets the value of the endpoint property to "http://localhost:8080/example/api".

Retrieve Test Case Name in SOAPUI using Groovy Script

To retrieve the test case name in SOAPUI using Groovy Script, you can use the following code:

def testCaseName = testRunner.testCase.name
log.info("Test case name is: " + testCaseName)

The above code first initializes a variable named 'testCaseName' which is assigned the value of the test case name using 'testRunner.testCase.name'. The 'log' statement then displays the retrieved test case name using this variable.

You can modify this script as per your specific use case.

Using SoapUI to import an XSD file

To import an XSD file into SoapUI, follow these steps:
1. Open SoapUI
2. Click on 'File' from the top menu
3. Select 'Import Definition' and choose 'WSDL or WADL...'
4. Browse to the location of your XSD file
5. Click on 'Open'
6. Select the target project where you want to import this XSD
7. Click on the 'OK' button
8. Your XSD will be imported into your selected SoapUI project

Calling SOAPUI Mock Service from Java using SOAPUI Service

In SOAPUI, we can use the "SOAPUI Service" to call the SOAPUI mock service from Java. This service can be found in the SOAPUI user interface under the "Tools" menu. To use it, we need to specify the endpoint of the mock service and configure any necessary authentication details. Once configured properly, we can call the mock service using the methods provided by the SOAPUI Service.

Classification of SOAP as an RPC (Remote Procedure Call)

In terms of classification, SOAP can be considered as an RPC or Remote Procedure Call.

Options for debugging Groovy scripts in SoapUI

To debug Groovy scripts in SoapUI, you can use the following options:

1. println()

statements: You can insert debug statements in your script using the println() method. The output will be displayed in the log window in SoapUI.

2. Debugger

: You can use the built-in debugger in SoapUI to help identify and solve issues with your Groovy scripts. To use the debugger, set a breakpoint in your code and run the test case in debug mode.

3. External IDEs

: You can use external IDEs like Eclipse or IntelliJ to write your Groovy scripts and then import them into your SoapUI project. You can then use the debugging features of the external IDE to debug your scripts.

By using these options, you can easily identify and solve any issues with your Groovy scripts in SoapUI.

Understanding API Testing and its Importance

API testing is a type of software testing that focuses on testing the application programming interfaces (APIs) that enable communication between different software components. It involves evaluating the accuracy, reliability, security, and performance of APIs to ensure they meet their specified functional requirements.

API testing is essential because APIs are critical for integrating different software components and systems. By testing APIs, developers can identify and correct any issues before they affect the end-users' experience. Additionally, API testing enables developers to discover defects early in the development cycle, reducing the cost of fixing them and improving software quality overall.

Differences between SoapUI and Postman

SoapUI and Postman are both popular tools used for API testing, but there are a few differences between them:

1. **Interface:** Postman has a more user-friendly and intuitive interface compared to SoapUI, which has a steeper learning curve.

2. **Functionalities:** While both tools provide similar functionalities for API testing, SoapUI has more advanced features for managing and automating complex test cases.

3. **Protocols:** SoapUI supports a wider range of protocols (SOAP, REST, HTTP, JMS, AMF, JDBC, and more), while Postman primarily supports REST API testing.

4. **Price:** Postman has a free version with limited features, but SoapUI is entirely open source and free to use.

5. **Integration:** Postman provides better integration with popular tools like GitHub and Jenkins, while SoapUI integrates better with enterprise tools like Maven and Ant.

Overall, the choice between SoapUI and Postman depends on the specific needs of the project and personal preferences of the user.