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Software Engineering vocabulary · Testing

Mock

Meaning in software engineering, with examples

/mɑːk/nounCommon term

In software engineering, mock means: A fake version of a real object or service used in tests, so you can control its behavior and check how your code uses it. Also a verb: to mock a service.

In Turkish: sahte nesne, taklit nesne

How it is used

Developers create mocks for databases, payment providers and external APIs so that unit tests run fast and without a network. Common phrases: 'mock the API', 'mock out the clock', 'too many mocks'.

Example sentences

  1. We mock the payment provider, so the tests never charge a real card.

  2. This test has so many mocks that it doesn't test anything real.

Common collocations

  • mock a service
  • mock object
  • mock out
  • mock data
  • unit testA small automated test that checks one function or class on its own, separate from the database, the network and the rest of the system.
  • integration testA test that checks how several parts of a system work together, for example your code with a real database or another service.
  • third-partyMade or provided by an outside company or developer, not by your own team, such as a payment service, library or analytics tool.
  • test caseOne specific situation you check, with set inputs, steps and an expected result, for example 'logging in with a wrong password shows an error'.

More terms: Testing

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