There are several ways to execute tests in a Salesforce org:
Option A: Setup Menu
Valid Method.
Tests can be run from the Salesforce Setup menu under Apex Test Execution.
Allows selecting and running test classes and methods.
The Tooling API allows programmatic execution of Apex tests.
Useful for integrating with external tools or CI/CD pipelines.
Salesforce DX (SFDX) CLI allows running tests via command line.
Commands like sfdx force:apex:test:run can execute tests.
The Metadata API is used for deploying and retrieving metadata (like Apex classes).
It is not used to execute tests directly.
The Bulk API is used for loading or querying large volumes of data.
It is not related to executing Apex tests.
Reference:
Running Apex Tests in Salesforce Setup
Option B: Tooling API
Valid Method.
Tooling API Developer Guide
RunTestsAsynchronous
Option D: Salesforce DX
Valid Method.
Salesforce CLI Command Reference
Incorrect Options:
Option C: Metadata API
Not Used for Executing Tests.
Metadata API
Option E: Bulk API
Not Used for Executing Tests.
Bulk API Guide
Conclusion:
The three ways a developer can execute tests are A (Setup Menu), B (Tooling API), and D (Salesforce DX).