# Testing RESTful APIs: A Survey

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2212.14604 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2212.14604/

## Key facts

- Cited by 11 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 30 Dec 2022.

## Built on by (most cited first, 11 of 11)

- [A Multi-Agent Approach for REST API Testing with Semantic Graphs and LLM-Driven Inputs](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2411.07098/) (2024)
- [Automating a Complete Software Test Process Using LLMs: An Automotive Case Study](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2502.04008/) (2025)
- [LlamaRestTest: Effective REST API Testing with Small Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2501.08598/) (2025)
- [AutoRestTest: A Tool for Automated REST API Testing Using LLMs and MARL](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2501.08600/) (2025)
- [Combining TSL and LLM to Automate REST API Testing: A Comparative Study](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.05540/) (2025)
- [Generative transformations and patterns in LLM-native approaches for software verification and falsification](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2404.09384/) (2024)
- [Evaluating LLMs on Sequential API Call Through Automated Test Generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.09481/) (2025)
- [Search-Based Software Engineering and AI Foundation Models: Current Landscape and Future Roadmap](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.19625/) (2025)
- [MASTEST: A LLM-Based Multi-Agent System For RESTful API Tests](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2511.18038/) (2025)
- [Multi-Agent LLM-based Metamorphic Testing for REST APIs](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2605.28321/) (2026)
- [Mining Workflow Graphs for Black-Box Boundary Testing of Conversational LLM Agents](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2607.06873/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

In industry, RESTful APIs are widely used to build modern Cloud Applications. Testing them is challenging, because not only they rely on network communications, but also they deal with external services like databases. Therefore, there has been a large amount of research sprout in recent years on how to automatically verify this kind of web services. In this paper, we review the current state-of-the-art on testing RESTful APIs, based on an analysis of 92 scientific articles. This review categories and summarizes the existing scientific work on this topic, and discusses the current challenges in the verification of RESTful APIs.