From Betamax to VCR - Harden Your API Integration Testing

Explore API integration testing techniques in this conference talk from PHP UK 2022. Learn about the challenges of maintaining mocked JSON responses and the potential for false positives when underlying APIs change. Discover the advantages of using VCR (Video Cassette Recording) for API testing, including practical examples and implementation strategies. Examine the pros and cons of this approach, and gain insights into best practices for working with external APIs, staging environments, and open-source projects. Understand how to improve the reliability and maintainability of API test suites, drawing from real-world experiences with inherited PHP API libraries.

Introduction
About me
Outline
Betamax vs VCR
The most practical solution
People do this
My problem
How does VCR work
How does VCR look
Using VCR
VCR examples
Pros and cons
Documentation
External API
Example
Thoughts
Staging environments
Naming APIs
Open Source
Conclusion
Questions