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yash agarwal
yash agarwal

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"How We Built Faster Frontends Using Ditto — A Mock API Server That Just Works"

#webdev #frontend #api #barkalabs

Introduction

Shipping fast is great — but building frontends while waiting on backend APIs? That’s like racing blindfolded.

To solve this, we started using Ditto, a lightweight mock API server that helped us simulate API behavior instantly, test error flows, and unblock our frontend team early. If you’ve used tools like Beeceptor or Mockoon, Ditto will feel familiar — but it comes with a few powerful twists that made all the difference for us.

What is Ditto?

Ditto is a mock API server you can either self-host or use via SaaS. Think of it as an instant backend you control — no more waiting for real APIs to be ready.

With Ditto, you can:

  • Create and edit mock endpoints through a modern, user-friendly UI.
  • Simulate various HTTP methods, headers, delays, and status codes.
  • Capture request/response history for debugging.
  • Organize mocks into collections for better project management.

🛠️ Our Use Case: Speeding Up Frontend Development

✅ The Problem:

Frontend developers were blocked because backend APIs weren’t ready yet.

✅ Our Solution:

We used Ditto to:

  • Simulate 100% of our expected API responses within minutes.
  • Enable developers to test both success and error flows early.
  • Test frontend behavior for edge cases like timeouts and 500 errors.

✅ The Result:

  • Saved 2 weeks of development time.
  • Caught 5+ UI bugs before backend integration.

🎯 How We Used Ditto (Quick Demo)

Step 1: Create a Mock

  • Select HTTP method: GET, POST, etc.
  • Define endpoint: /api/users
  • Add sample response: 
{
  "id": 123,
  "name": "Jane Doe"
}
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Step 2: Add Headers & Status

  • Add a custom delay (e.g., 1000ms)
  • Set HTTP status: 200 OK

Step 3: Test from Postman or Code

[HIT HERE](https://your-subdomain.baraklabs.app/api/users)
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🧩 When to Use Ditto

  • Building UIs while backend development is still ongoing
  • Simulating flaky APIs to test retry logic
  • Creating demo environments with stable, predictable responses
  • Teaching or demoing APIs in educational settings or meetups

## Final Thoughts
Ditto helped us unblock frontend development, simulate complex APIs on demand, and speed up delivery. Whether you’re a solo dev or working in a team, having control over your mock server setup can make a huge difference.

Try it out:

🆚 Why Choose Ditto Over Postman or WireMock?

Feature / Capability Ditto (BarakLabs) Postman Mock Server WireMock
Hosting Options SaaS & Self-hosted (Docker) SaaS only Self-hosted (Java), Docker, Cloud
UI for Mock Creation ✅ Yes (modern UI) ✅ Yes (via Postman app) ❌ No (code or config-based)
Dynamic Mocking (Rules) 🟡 Limited / Planned ❌ Static responses only ✅ Yes (request matching rules)
Request Logging ✅ Full history ✅ Basic logs ✅ Detailed + recording
Delay / Latency Support ✅ Yes ✅ Yes ✅ Yes
Team Collaboration ✅ SaaS-based ✅ Shared workspace 🟡 Git/config sync needed
Code-free Usage ✅ Yes ✅ Yes ❌ Requires coding/config
Mock Organization ✅ Collections & subdomains ✅ Environments 🟡 Folder-based or manual setup
Custom Headers/Status ✅ Fully customizable ✅ Limited ✅ Fully supported
Scripting Support ❌ Not yet ✅ Pre-request/test scripts ✅ Java or JSON logic
Best For Product teams, rapid UI dev Quick mock + test integration Complex mocks, test automation
Learning Curve 🟢 Low 🟢 Low 🔴 Medium–High
Open Source? ✅ Yes ❌ No ✅ Yes (Apache 2.0)

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