API Mocking
API mocking is a software development technique that involves creating simulated versions of APIs to mimic their behavior without relying on the actual backend services. It allows developers to test, develop, and prototype applications by intercepting API calls and returning predefined responses, enabling isolated frontend or integration testing. This is commonly used in scenarios where real APIs are unavailable, unstable, or costly to access during development.
Developers should use API mocking to accelerate development cycles by decoupling frontend and backend work, allowing parallel development without waiting for APIs to be fully implemented. It's essential for testing edge cases, error handling, and performance scenarios in a controlled environment, such as simulating slow responses or server errors. API mocking is particularly valuable in CI/CD pipelines for automated testing and in microservices architectures to isolate service dependencies.