SmartBear Software has released a new version of SoapUI Pro, including a new plug-in framework that allows users to create, browse, and install plug-ins for SoapUI Pro's API testing functionality.Just last month, SoapUI Pro was awarded the top honor of Dr. Dobb's Jolt Award in the Best Testing Tools category.
The company reminds us that API design and testing has become increasingly complicated in recent years with the advent of the so-called "API economy" and the Internet of Things (IoT), both driving rapid development and adoption of APIs.
The problem is, API technologies continue to evolve as well, creating a complex map of testing and development concerns.
SmartBear asserts that being confined to out-of-the-box functionality for any development tool can force process and technology choices that are suboptimal for an organization. This is especially true in the world of APIs where the choices impact an organization's ability to respond to market demands and evolving capabilities.
SoapUI Pro's new plug-in architecture offers a simplified plug-in framework and uses annotation-based extension points instead of XML configuration files � it and provides automatic installation of any third-party dependencies.
To get started faster, SoapUI Pro includes an extensive sample plug-in project that models the various aspects of the framework and is available on GitHub. Once you've built your plug-in, you can share it via the improved integration with SoapUI Pro's user interface, so other SoapUI Pro users are able to find and install the plug-in quickly and easily.
SoapUI Pro 5.1 provides enhancements that further its support of REST APIs, including "point-and-click" testing for JSON, which allows choosing assertions and transfer properties from a right-click selection menu. It includes a redesigned starter page with Quick Launch links for select features and Find It Fast videos that provide one-minute highlights of certain features.
"SoapUI Pro's improved plug-in interface allows our users to customize the product to fit their needs and furthers our commitment to our tester and developer ecosystem," said Lorinda Brandon, Sr. product marketing manager for API products at SmartBear.
