# Mock a service response

import { Steps } from "@astrojs/starlight/components"

**Mock** lets you return a simulated HTTP status, headers, and body from a service step instead of calling the live API.
Use it to design downstream handling, try error paths, and dry-run or run a flow when credentials or the vendor are
unavailable. Screenshots on this page use a sample IP reputation check so you can see filled names and values.

## When to use

- You are building or testing a flow and do not want each run to hit the live service.
- You need a fixed success or error payload so a Condition or later step can be validated reliably.
- Credentials for the service are not ready yet, but the rest of the flow should keep moving.
- Prefer the live credential and real call when you are validating the vendor contract or a production path.

Before you begin, open the flow in the designer and unlock it if needed. Add a service step you can mock—an HTTP
Request or a native OpenAPI integration. Email, SMTP, and Script steps do not expose Mock.

## Guide

### Configure a mock response

On a mockable service step, the **Mock** tab defines the simulated response. Turn **Enable mock** on, choose a
**Status code**, then set optional **Headers** and a **Body**. When the step runs with mock on, Mindflow uses that
response and does not call the live API.

<ol>
<li>

**Open the Mock tab.** Select the service step, open step settings, then choose **Mock**.

</li>
<li>

**Turn Enable mock on.** The step is now in mock mode. A **MOCKED** badge appears on the canvas.

</li>
<li>

**Set Status code.** Pick the HTTP status the simulated response should return (for example **200 OK** or
**404 Not Found**).

</li>
<li>

**Add Headers (optional).** Use **Add item** for each header. Set **Name** and **Value** (for example
`Content-Type` and `application/json`).

</li>
<li>

**Set Body.** Enter a JSON string that matches what downstream steps expect from a live call.
<div class="docs-screenshot-compact">

![Check IP before block: Look up IP reputation Mock tab with Enable mock on, 200 OK, Content-Type header, and reputation JSON body](./assets/mock-configuration.png)

</div>

</li>
</ol>
### Spot mocked steps on the canvas

When **Enable mock** is on, the step shows a yellow **MOCKED** badge. Use it to see which steps still return simulated
data before you switch back to live calls.

<ol>
<li>

**Find the MOCKED badge.** On the canvas, look for **MOCKED** next to the service step. Click the badge to open the
step and jump to Mock settings when you need to change the response.
<div class="docs-screenshot-compact">

![Check IP before block canvas: Look up IP reputation step showing the MOCKED badge](./assets/mocked-badge.png)

</div>

</li>
</ol>
### Turn mock off

Turn mock off when the step should call the live service again. The mock fields stay saved so you can re-enable them
later.

1. **Open Mock.** Select the service step and open the **Mock** tab.
2. **Turn Enable mock off.** The **MOCKED** badge disappears. The next run uses the step credential and live API.

## Example

A SOC analyst builds **Check IP before block**. The HTTP step **Look up IP reputation** would call a reputation API in
production. During design, Mock is enabled with **Status code** `200 OK`, a `Content-Type` header of
`application/json`, and this body so a later Condition can branch on a high abuse score without calling the vendor:

```json title="Body"
{
  "ip": "203.0.113.50",
  "abuseConfidenceScore": 92,
  "isWhitelisted": false
}
```

When the flow is ready for a live check, the analyst turns **Enable mock** off and selects a credential on Settings.

## Keep in mind

- Mock is available on HTTP and OpenAPI service steps. It is not available on Email, SMTP, or Script steps.
- With mock on, the run uses the simulated response and does not need a working credential for that step.
- Leave **Enable mock** off on paths that must call the real service in production.
- A non-2xx **Status code** still returns as the step’s HTTP response so you can test **On failure** and Condition
  branches on error statuses.

## Related

[Call native integrations](../call-native-integrations/) ·
[Send raw HTTP requests](../send-raw-http-requests/) ·
[Handle step errors](../../control-flow-execution/error-handling/)