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stub Ruby HTTP requests without real network calls and verify expectations against methods, URIs, headers, and bodies

OSS scale score 249.1OSS health 69Update pace 0 commits/30d
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Stars
4,049
Primary language
Ruby
License
MIT
Repository last updated
Aug 29, 2026
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Overview

WebMock is a Ruby testing library for stubbing HTTP requests and verifying request expectations. It intercepts requests at a low HTTP-client layer, letting tests use a common stubbing model across Net::HTTP and several other Ruby HTTP libraries.

Features and best fit

Based on official documentation; not hands-on tested · Content checked:

Key features

Stub HTTP responses without connecting to the real network

Tests can define response bodies, statuses, and headers for matching requests and receive deterministic results from application HTTP calls.

Sources: [1]

Match requests by method, URI, headers, body, and more

Request matching can combine methods, URIs, query parameters, headers, bodies, regular expressions, and related conditions.

Sources: [1]

Integrate with RSpec, Minitest, Test::Unit, and multiple HTTP clients

Framework-specific require entrypoints simplify test-suite integration, while adapters cover many commonly used Ruby HTTP client libraries.

Sources: [1]

Best fit

Fits fast and reproducible unit tests around external HTTP integrations

It isolates tests from network latency, rate limits, and service outages while verifying how application code constructs requests and handles responses.

Sources: [1]

Before adoption

Use another test layer to catch drift from real service contracts

Mocked responses cannot detect provider-side schema, status-code, or authentication changes by themselves. Contract or integration tests should verify compatibility with real services separately.

Sources: [1]

Configure network blocking and localhost allowances intentionally

WebMock.disable_net_connect! can prohibit real external requests, with options such as allowing localhost. Make the policy explicit so accidental network calls do not leak into unit tests.

Sources: [1]

Account for client-specific behavior such as Net::HTTP.start timing

The README explains that WebMock delays Net::HTTP connections until a request by default, altering native connection behavior. Tests covering connection lifecycle need the relevant adapter settings and limitations.

Sources: [1][2]

Official sources

  1. [1]WebMock v3.26.4 README(2026-10-03)
  2. [2]WebMock v3.26.4 release(2026-10-03)
  3. [3]WebMock MIT license(2026-10-03)
Supplemental curator note

WebMock makes external-API unit tests fast and deterministic, but stubs can drift away from real service contracts. Keep contract or integration tests in a separate layer rather than treating mocked behavior as proof that the external integration still works.

Try it in 3 steps

  1. 1

    Install WebMock 3.26.4

    Install the pinned stable release into a Ruby environment.

    gem install webmock -v 3.26.4
  2. 2

    Create a minimal stub-only script

    Create a script that replaces the example.com GET request with a stub response and does not call the real network.

    printf '%s\n' 'require "uri"' 'require "net/http"' 'require "webmock"' 'include WebMock::API' 'WebMock.enable!' 'stub_request(:get, "http://example.com/").to_return(body: "stubbed")' 'puts Net::HTTP.get(URI("http://example.com/"))' > webmock_demo.rb
  3. 3

    Verify the stubbed response

    If it prints stubbed, request interception and response stubbing are working.

    ruby webmock_demo.rb
Check the official README

Growth

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4,049 Stars

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Development activity

Last 90 days · weekly

Commits (last 30 days)
0
Open PRs
27

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GitHub data

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View on GitHub
Stars
4,049
Forks
582
Watchers
40
Open issues
153
Contributors
236
Owner type
User
Primary language
Ruby
License
MIT
Repository last updated
Aug 29, 2026
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