During API testing, what is the suggested way to verify if a server is down?

• A. Check the response time
• B. Monitor server logs
• C. Observe the status code returned
• D. Review the deployment history

Answer: (C)

The suggested way to verify if a server is down is to observe the status code returned. When an API request is made to a server, the server responds with an HTTP status code that indicates the outcome of the request. If the server is down or unreachable, the response code will typically be in the 5xx range, such as 500 (Internal Server Error) or sometimes a 503 (Service Unavailable). In some cases, if the server does not respond at all, the client may receive a timeout or connection error. Therefore, examining the status code is a direct and effective method to determine the health of the server.

Checking the response time, monitoring server logs, and reviewing the deployment history can provide useful information, but they do not directly confirm whether the server is operational at the moment. Response time can indicate performance issues but not necessarily server downtime. Server logs may show errors or problems but require access to the server itself, which might not be possible if the server is down. Reviewing deployment history can highlight recent changes that may have impacted server stability but again doesn't provide real-time feedback about the server's status. Thus, observing the HTTP status code is the most straightforward and immediate method for determining server functionality in the context of API testing.