Configure mock server
The mock server allows users to send calls to your API operations and see sample responses without the need for backend services. The mock server is enabled by serving Replay from your API documentation (or a preview) and can be configured to change the experience users have interacting with it.
The mock server is configured using the mockServer
option in the Redocly config file.
Control response behaviors
Use the mock server configuration options to control the response behaviors for your end users, as in the following example:
mockServer: errorIfForcedExampleNotFound: true strictExamples: true
This example changes the mock server behavior in two ways:
- Instead of returning another example, requests with forced examples return an error.
- Requests to the mock server return examples exactly as they're defined in the OpenAPI description.
Understand strict examples
The strictExamples
property controls whether request values are used in the response and can change how "interactive" the mock server feels. To better understand the behavior, consider the following example:
A user sends a request to the Museum API's Update special event operation. Their request body updates the event location,
"location": "Community pool"
.With
strictExamples
enabled (default), the location is updated in the mock server's response:{ "eventId": "dad4bce8-f5cb-4078-a211-995864315e39", "name": "Mermaid Treasure Identification and Analysis", "location": "Community pool.", "eventDescription": "Join us as we review and classify a rare collection of 20 thingamabobs, gadgets, gizmos, whoosits, and whatsits, kindly donated by Ariel.", "dates": [ "2023-09-05", "2023-09-08" ], "price": 15 }
With
strictExamples
disabled, the request value is ignored and the response contains only the pre-defined example:{ "eventId": "dad4bce8-f5cb-4078-a211-995864315e39", "name": "Mermaid Treasure Identification and Analysis", "location": "On the beach.", "eventDescription": "Join us as we review and classify a rare collection of 20 thingamabobs, gadgets, gizmos, whoosits, and whatsits, kindly donated by Ariel.", "dates": [ "2023-09-05", "2023-09-08" ], "price": 15 }
Disable the mock server
The mock server is enabled by default, but can be disabled using the off
property, as in the following example:
mockServer: off: true
Hide the mock server
The following example leaves the mock server enabled, but hides it from the environments list:
mockServer: position: 'off'
A hidden mock server will still send sample responses to API calls sent using cURL or API clients.
Change server list
You can modify the location and name of the mock server in the environments dropdown of Replay, as in the following example:
mockServer: position: 'first' description: 'Amazing mock server'
This example changes what a user sees when they click the environments dropdown in Replay. The position
property controls where the mock server is located on the list and description
controls how it's labeled.
Resources
- Learn about the Replay API explorer used in API reference.
- Send requests to a mock server for your own API description by adding it to a project.
- Add a catalog to offer a better user experience for multiple API descriptions.
- See Mock server reference documentation for more detailed information about the parameters