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This guide shows how to test APIs that use API key authentication. Perfect for testing different API key placement methods and validation.

Use Cases

  • Test header-based API key authentication
  • Test query parameter API key authentication
  • Test invalid API key error handling
  • Validate missing API key responses

Simple Implementation

Setup Instructions

  1. Replace self.valid_key with your actual API key
  2. Replace self.invalid_key with a test invalid key
  3. Update self.endpoints with your actual API endpoints
  4. Adjust authentication method if your API uses different headers

What This Tests

  • Header Authentication: Tests X-API-Key header method
  • Bearer Token: Tests Authorization: Bearer token method
  • Query Parameter: Tests api_key query parameter method
  • Error Handling: Validates rejection of invalid/missing keys

Best Practices

  • Use realistic API keys that match your API’s format
  • Test all authentication methods your API supports
  • Validate both success and failure scenarios
  • Monitor response times for different auth methods

Common Issues

  • API Key Format: Ensure test keys match your API’s expected format
  • Rate Limiting: Some APIs rate limit by API key, adjust test frequency
  • Permissions: Different API keys may have different permissions
  • Expiration: Check if your test API keys expire