APIs & Endpoints
Learn how to structure your mock APIs and create powerful endpoints with dotMock.
https://your-api-name.mock.restAPI Structure
Understanding how dotMock organizes your mock APIs
API Project
Top-level container for your mock API with its own unique subdomain
https://my-ecommerce-api.mock.restEndpoints
Individual routes that respond to HTTP requests with dynamic responses
/api/products/api/users/login/api/orders/{orderId}Response Rules
Conditional responses based on request attributes and dynamic templates
{
"id": "{{uuid}}",
"name": "{{randomName}}",
"status": "{{randomChoice('active', 'inactive')}}"
}Creating an API
Step-by-step guide to setting up your mock API
Getting Started
To create a new API in dotMock, navigate to your dashboard and click the "New API" button. This will open the API creation form where you can configure your mock API settings.
Required Fields
API Name
The API name is used to generate your unique subdomain. It must be:
- Lowercase letters only
- Numbers allowed
- Hyphens allowed (but not at start or end)
- 3-63 characters long
- Unique across all dotMock APIs
Example transformations:
my-ecommerce-api → https://my-ecommerce-api.mock.restuser-service → https://user-service.mock.restDescription
Optional field to help you and your team understand what this API is for. This description is only visible in your dashboard and doesn't affect the API functionality.
Adding Endpoints
Configure individual routes and their responses
Overview
After creating your API, you can add endpoints by clicking the "Add Endpoint" button in your API dashboard. Each endpoint represents a specific route that will respond to HTTP requests.
HTTP Methods
dotMock supports all standard HTTP methods. Click on any method to see detailed usage information:
When to use:
Use GET requests to fetch data without modifying server state. GET requests should be safe and idempotent.
Common use cases:
Fetching user profiles, product listings, or configuration data
Example request/response:
// GET requests typically don't have a request body
// Response example:
{
"users": [
{
"id": "{{uuid}}",
"name": "{{randomName}}",
"email": "{{randomEmail}}",
"profile": {
"avatar": "https://example.com/{{randomInt(1,1000)}}.jpg",
"joinedAt": "{{date('-1y')}}"
}
}
],
"pagination": {
"page": 1,
"total": 150
}
}Path Configuration
Define the URL path for your endpoint. dotMock supports both static paths and dynamic path parameters.
Static Paths
Static paths match exactly and are ideal for collection endpoints:
/api/users/api/products/healthDynamic Path Parameters
Use curly braces {} to define path parameters that can match any value:
/api/users/{userId}/api/products/{productId}/api/orders/{orderId}/items/{itemId}Path parameters can be referenced in your response templates using the same name.
Response Configuration
Define how your endpoints respond to requests
Status Codes
Set the HTTP status code that your endpoint will return. Click on any status code to see detailed usage information:
Success (2xx)
Client Error (4xx)
Server Error (5xx)
200OKRequest successful
When to use:
Use for successful GET requests, successful updates, or any successful operation that returns data.
Example scenario:
GET /api/users returns a list of users
Example response payload:
{
"users": [
{
"id": "{{uuid}}",
"name": "{{randomName}}",
"email": "{{randomEmail}}",
"status": "active"
}
],
"total": 1
}Response Headers
Configure custom headers that will be included in the response. Common headers include:
Response Body Templates
Define the JSON response body using Go template syntax. You can use path parameters, query parameters, and dynamic template functions to create realistic responses.
Example: User Profile Response
{
"id": "123",
"name": "{{randomName}}",
"email": "{{randomEmail}}",
"avatar": "https://avatars.example.com/{{randomInt(1, 1000)}}.jpg",
"isActive": {{randomBool}},
"createdAt": "{{date('-1y')}}",
"lastLogin": "{{date('-1d')}}"
}Example: Product List Response
{
"products": [
{
"id": "{{uuid}}",
"name": "{{randomChoice('Widget', 'Gadget', 'Tool', 'Device')}}",
"price": {{randomFloat(10, 999)}},
"inStock": {{randomBool}},
"category": "{{randomChoice('electronics', 'tools', 'home')}}"
},
{
"id": "{{uuid}}",
"name": "{{randomChoice('Widget', 'Gadget', 'Tool', 'Device')}}",
"price": {{randomFloat(10, 999)}},
"inStock": {{randomBool}},
"category": "{{randomChoice('electronics', 'tools', 'home')}}"
},
{
"id": "{{uuid}}",
"name": "{{randomChoice('Widget', 'Gadget', 'Tool', 'Device')}}",
"price": {{randomFloat(10, 999)}},
"inStock": {{randomBool}},
"category": "{{randomChoice('electronics', 'tools', 'home')}}"
}
],
"total": 3,
"page": 1
}Testing Your Endpoints
How to test and verify your mock API responses
Overview
Once your API and endpoints are configured, you can test them using any HTTP client. Your mock API is immediately available at your unique subdomain and will respond with the configured data.
Testing Your API
Test your endpoints using cURL, Postman, Insomnia, or directly in your application code:
Example cURL Request
curl -X GET https://my-api.mock.rest/api/users \
-H "Content-Type: application/json"JavaScript Example
const response = await fetch('https://my-api.mock.rest/api/users');
const users = await response.json();Response Verification
When testing your endpoints, verify that:
Best Practices
Use RESTful conventions for endpoint paths and methods
Group related endpoints with consistent naming
Document each endpoint with clear descriptions
Use response templates for consistency
Test edge cases with response rules