API Mocking vs. API Stubbing: What's the Difference and When to Use Each?

API Mocking and Stubbing are techniques used in software development when real data or live systems are not available for testing. While these terms are often interchangeably used, they serve different purposes. API Mocking involves creating a simulated version of an API that mimics its full behavior, while API Stubbing provides fixed, predefined responses for specific API calls. The key difference between the two is how they simulate the API's behavior during testing. Stubbing is more basic and limited in scope, handling only specific calls with static data. On the other hand, Mocking covers broader scenarios and simulates various behaviors, making it better suited for testing complex API interactions. API Mocking is generally preferred because of its flexibility to test against a wide range of scenarios. It's ideal when you need dynamic, realistic behavior for more complex scenarios or long-term API projects. However, setting up mocks can be more complex and time-consuming compared to stubbing. BlackBird simplifies these approaches by providing an easier and faster way of implementing each technique. Its GenAI capabilities enable the creation of both static and dynamically generated responses, handling edge cases, adapting to API changes, and ease of setup.