Application programming interface (API) mocking software simulates the behavior of APIs during software development and testing. These platforms enable developers, QA engineers, and other technical teams to create and deploy mock APIs that mimic the functionality of real APIs without needing a live backend or third-party service.
These products allow teams to define custom API endpoints, set up response scenarios, and simulate various network conditions. By creating virtual API environments, developers can work independently of backend services, test edge cases, and validate client-side code without relying on production systems.
API mocking software typically supports multiple API protocols, such as representational state transfer (REST), Graph query language (GraphQL), and simple object access protocol (SOAP). It can generate realistic mock data based on API specifications like OpenAPI or custom schemas.
API mocking is closely related to service virtualization software, though service virtualization encompasses entire services or systems beyond strictly APIs.
To qualify for inclusion in the API Mocking category, a product must:
Provide a platform for creating and managing mock APIs
Support multiple API protocols, like REST, GraphQL, SOAP
Allow users to define custom API endpoints and response scenarios
Offer the ability to simulate various network conditions and error states