WireMock best practices

Help teams use WireMock effectively for HTTP dependency stubbing with stable, isolated tests.

What is covered in this Skill?

Stub isolation: per-test registration, resetAll(), avoiding leaked global stubs
Request matching: method, path, headers, query, body patterns; when broad patterns are acceptable
Responses: status, headers, JSON/XML bodies, bodyFileName / classpath fixtures, fault simulation (delays, errors)
Dynamic ports and propagating base URLs into the system under test
Verification of outbound HTTP calls and debugging unmatched requests
Clear delegation to framework integration-test skills for test class layout and extensions

Scope: Portable WireMock behavior only. For BaseIntegrationTest, WireMockExtension, and stack-specific integration tests, use @132-java-testing-integration-testing, @322-frameworks-spring-boot-testing-integration-tests, @422-frameworks-quarkus-testing-integration-tests, or @522-frameworks-micronaut-testing-integration-tests. For OpenAPI contract quality, use @701-technologies-openapi.

Constraints

Keep recommendations at the WireMock and HTTP-stub layer unless the user explicitly asks for framework integration. After editing this repository's XML sources, regenerate skills and verify the build.

MANDATORY: Run ./mvnw compile or mvn compile before proposing Java or Maven changes in the same change set
FRAMEWORK: Defer @SpringBootTest / @QuarkusTest / @MicronautTest and extension setup to @132-java-testing-integration-testing or the matching 322 / 422 / 522 integration-test skill
CONTRACTS: Defer OpenAPI document structure and linting to @701-technologies-openapi
MANDATORY: Regenerate skills with ./mvnw clean install -pl skills-generator after editing skill or system-prompt XML in this repo
VERIFY: Run ./mvnw clean verify or mvn clean verify before promoting changes

When to use this skill

Design or review WireMock stubs (JSON mappings or Java DSL)
Improve request matching, isolation, or reset strategy for HTTP mocks
Add or fix verification of outbound HTTP calls to a WireMock server
Debug flaky tests involving WireMock or unmatched request journals
Stub external HTTP APIs in tests with stable fixtures and dynamic ports

Reference

For detailed guidance, examples, and constraints, see references/702-technologies-wiremock.md.