Testing External APIs in Ruby with Webmock and VCR

Automated testing has long been an integral part of the software development and deployment process. Writing automated tests is essential to ensure code quality, prevent regression, and improve overall development efficiency. However, when working with external APIs, writing tests can be challenging due to issues such as slow test execution times and unpredictability in response rates. In this context, mocking and stubbing techniques can help mitigate these challenges by isolating the API dependency and providing a controlled environment for testing. The `VCR` library offers an alternative approach by recording and replaying HTTP interactions, allowing developers to create deterministic tests with minimal setup. By leveraging mocking and VCR, developers can write faster, more reliable tests that improve overall development productivity.