Mockd vs MSW
Standalone API mocking without service worker limitations
Feature Comparison
Side-by-side comparison of Mockd and Mock Service Worker capabilities.
| Feature | Mockd | MSW |
|---|---|---|
| HTTP Mocking | Yes | Yes |
| WebSocket | Yes | No |
| GraphQL | Yes | Yes |
| gRPC | Yes | No |
| MQTT | Yes | No |
| Standalone Server | Yes | No (browser/Node only) |
| Record & Replay | Yes | No |
| mTLS Support | Yes | No |
| Any Language | Yes | No |
| Browser Testing | Via proxy | Native |
| CI/CD Ready | Native | Requires browser |
| Built-in Cloud Tunnel | Yes | No |
| MCP Server (AI editors) | 18 tools | No |
| AI Mock Generation | 4 providers | No |
Why Choose Mockd Over MSW?
No Service Worker Required
Mockd runs as a standalone server. No browser context needed, no service worker registration, no HTTPS requirements. Works everywhere.
Any Language, Any Framework
MSW is JavaScript-only. Mockd works with Python, Go, Java, Rust, Ruby - any language that can make HTTP requests. One mock server for your entire stack.
7 Protocols, Not Just HTTP
Mock WebSocket connections, gRPC services, MQTT brokers, SSE streams, and SOAP endpoints. MSW focuses on HTTP/GraphQL only.
CI/CD Without Headless Browsers
Run your integration tests in CI without spinning up Playwright or Puppeteer. Mockd is a simple binary that starts in milliseconds.
Record Real Traffic
Proxy production or staging APIs, record real responses, then replay them in tests. MSW requires manual mock definition.
Enterprise Security
mTLS authentication, audit logging, RBAC. Share mock servers across teams with proper access control.
When to Use Each Tool
Both tools have their strengths. Here's when to choose each one.
Use MSW for
- Browser-first unit testing with Jest or Vitest
- Frontend component tests in isolation
- Storybook integration for UI development
- Quick prototyping in browser dev tools
Use Mockd for
- Backend and API integration testing
- Multi-protocol mocking (WebSocket, gRPC, MQTT)
- CI/CD pipelines without browser dependencies
- Team-wide mock sharing and collaboration
- Recording production traffic for test fixtures
- Load testing with realistic mock responses
- Sharing mocks via built-in cloud tunnel (no ngrok needed)
Architecture Difference
MSW intercepts requests in the browser. Mockd runs as an independent server.
MSW Architecture
Mockd Architecture
Performance Advantage
Mockd is a native Go binary optimized for high throughput.
From the Blog
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