lightweight-mock-server v0.8.5

Lightweight Mock Server

A lightweight and simple but flexible mock server for node which is based on the Express framework and just extended with some convenience features.

Unlike other solutions, the endpoints are specified programmatically rather than descriptively, which gives you more freedom to design your endpoints (e.g. sorting or filtering of entries can actually be implemented).

Quick Start

Install it as local dev dependency for your project:
$ npm i --save-dev lightweight-mock-server

Start the server:
$ npx lightweight-mock-server
or better (to automatically restart the server on changes to your API)
$ npx nodemon --exec npx lightweight-mock-server

View this README at: http://localhost:3030/-

Configuration

You can pass some arguments to adjust the behaviour of the mock server. For example pass the port if you want a port different from 3030.
$ npx lightweight-mock-server --port=3000

See all parameters via:
$ npx lightweight-mock-server --help

At the moment there are three parameters:

Create your own mock environment

You have to create a file an entrypoint file (default: ./mock-data/api.js) for your mock definitions. This file has to export a default function and gets two parameters passed:

Commented example

const api = function(app, env) {
	// if you want all your routes to be available via /api/* use this,
	// otherwise you would have to use app.* instead of router.* for all route definitions
	const router = env.express.Router()
	app.use('/api', router)
	
	// a simple possibility to delay all requests to simulate a slow network
	// if you create a static build you probably don't want to have this delay
	router.use((req, res, next) => {
		setTimeout(next, env.args.build ? 0 : 1000)
	})

	// an example which renders your README.md with the docs for your API
	// the command "sendMarkdown" is an extension of the response object by lightweight-mock-server
	// endpoint available via / (not /api as the route was appended to app and not router)
	app.get('/', (req, res) => {
		res.sendMarkdown('README.md')
	})    

	// if your response doesn't have to be dynamic you can also just return a file you've prepared
	// endpoint available via /api/colors
	router.get('/colors', (req, res) => {
		res.sendFile('colors.json', { root: __dirname })
	})    

	// faker is already included
	// endpoint available via /api/faker
	router.get('/faker', (req, res) => {
		res.json({ name: env.faker.helpers.createCard() })
	})    

	// session handling is already included (useful to fake a simple login system)
	// endpoint available via /api/user
	// and /api/user?action=login
	// and /api/user?action=logout
	router.get('/user', (req, res) => {
		if (!req.query.action) {
			res.send('logged in: ' + (req.session.loggedin ? 'true' : 'false'))
		}
		else if (req.query.action === 'login') {
			req.session.loggedin = true
			res.send('logged in')
		}
		else if (req.query.action === 'logout') {
			req.session.loggedin = false
			res.send('logged out')
		}
	})
}

module.exports = {
	default: api,
}

Convenience routes

All routes starting with /-/ are endpoints with convenience functionality.

The response (res) object was extended with the following methods:

Static build generation

If you have a static build of your clickdummy it could make sense to have a static build of your mocked api too to be able to upload your complete clickdummy to a webspace which is only capable of delivering static ressources. For this reason it's possible to save static files of your API endpoints. As your API endpoints can be very individually programmed it is not possible to simple generate the static files without your assistance.

For this to work you have to export a function named build from your entrypoint file (default: ./mock-data/api.js).

Example

const build = function(_app, env) {
	return [
		env.saveRoute('get', ['/'], 'dist/api/README.htm'),
		env.saveRoute('get', ['/api/colors'], 'dist/api/colors'),
		env.saveRoute('get', ['/api/faker'], 'dist/api/faker'),
	]
}

module.exports = {
	default: api,
	build,
}

This function has to return an array of promises. lightweight-mock-server provides a helper function called saveRoute() which utilizes axios to access your API. It excepts three parameters: axiosMethod (the method of axios that will be called), axiosParams (parameters that will be passed to axios via apply; so you are free to finetune your HTTP request) and filePath (the path the result of the HTTP request will be saved to).

To generate your static build, simply call:
$ npx lightweight-mock-server --build

License

ISC License (ISC)
Copyright 2021 Christoph Erdmann

Permission to use, copy, modify, and/or distribute this software for any purpose with or without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above copyright notice and this permission notice appear in all copies.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE AUTHOR DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.