Mock server for testing
Systems of the present disclosure provide a versatile, reusable mock server to respond to Application-Programming-Interface (API) requests. The mock server receives an API request and a cookie associated with the API request. The API server identifies response instructions found in the cookie. The response instructions may include a static response value, a name of an API server for the mock server to imitate, or code for the mock server to execute in the process of generating a mock API response. The mock server generates a mock API response based on the response instructions and sends the mock API response in reply to the API request.
1. A method for providing application programming interface (API) response instructions for testing an application, comprising:
creating, at a client device:
response instructions indicating how a mock server is to respond to an API request; and
a response value;
sending, from the client device to the mock server, the API request comprising the response instructions and the response value;
receiving, from the mock server at the client device, an API response, wherein:
the API response is based on the response;
if the response instructions in the PI request comprise executable code, the API response comprises a transformed response value generated by executing the executable code; and
if the response instructions in the request do not comprise executable code, the API response comprises the response value; and
testing the application with the API response.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the response instructions in the API request comprise executable code;
the executable code specifies a proxy server for the mock server to mimic, and
the executable code is configured to cause the mock server to:
forward the API request to the proxy server;
receive a genuine API response from the proxy server; and
send the genuine API response as the API response to the client device.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the executable code is configured to cause the mock server to change the API response from a first format to a second format prior to sending the API response to the client device.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the executable code is configured to cause the mock server to wait for a specified amount of time before sending the API response to the client device.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the response instructions are encoded as parameters of a Uniform Resource Locator (URL).
6. The method of claim 3 , wherein causing the response value to be changed from the first format to the second format comprises a conversion between eXtensible Markup Language (XML) and Javascript Object Notation (JSON).
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the API response comprises a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) status.
8. A system, comprising:
a memory storing executable instructions;
a processor configured to execute the executable instructions and cause the system to perform a method for providing application programming interface (API) response instructions for testing an application, the method comprising:
creating, at a client device:
response instructions indicating how a mock server is to respond to an API request; and
a response value;
sending, from the client device to the mock server, the API request comprising the response instructions and the response value;
receiving, from the mock server at the client device, an API response, wherein:
the API response is based on the response;
if the response instructions in the API request comprise executable code, the API response comprises a transformed response value generated by executing the executable code; and
if the response instructions in the API request do not comprise executable code, the API response comprises the response value; and
testing the application with the API response.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein:
the response instructions in the API request comprise executable code;
the executable code specifies a proxy server for the mock server to mimic, and
the executable code is configured to cause the mock server to:
forward the API request to the proxy server;
receive a genuine API response from the proxy server; and
send the genuine API response as the API response to the system.
10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the executable code is configured to cause the mock server to change the API response from a first format to a second format prior to sending the API response to the system.
11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the executable code is configured to cause the mock server to wait for a specified amount of time before sending the API response to the system.
12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the response instructions are encoded as parameters of a Uniform Resource Locator (URL).
13. The system of claim 10 , wherein causing the response value to be changed from the first format to the second format comprises a conversion between eXtensible Markup Language (XML) and Javascript Object Notation (JSON).
14. A method for providing application programming interface (API) response instructions for testing an application, comprising:
creating, at a client device, executable code and a response value;
sending, from the client device to a mock server, an API request comprising the executable code;
receiving, from the mock server at the client device, an API response, wherein the API response comprises a transformed response value generated by executing the executable code; and
testing the application with the API response.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the executable code is configured to cause the mock server to change the API response from a first format to a second format prior to sending the API response to the client device.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the executable code is configured to cause the mock server to wait for a specified amount of time before sending the API response.
17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the API request comprises a Uniform-Resource-Locator (URL).
18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the executable code specifies a proxy server for the mock server to mimic, and the executable code is configured to cause the mock server to:
forward the API request to the proxy server;
receive a genuine API response from the proxy server; and
send the genuine API response as the API response to the client device.
19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the API response comprises a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) status.
20. The method of claim 15 , wherein causing the response value to be changed from the first format to the second format comprises a conversion between eXtensible Markup Language (XML) and Javascript Object Notation (JSON).