JSON placeholder is a fake online REST API for testing and prototyping. It is designed to provide developers with dummy data that can be used for testing and debugging purposes. JSON placeholder provides various data types and formats, including numbers, strings, arrays, and objects, that can be used to simulate real-world data.
JSON placeholder is often used by developers when building and testing web applications that consume data from REST APIs. By using JSON placeholders, developers can test their applications without needing access to a real API or having to create their dummy data. This can save time and effort and help ensure that applications work correctly before they are released into production.
It is easy to use and does not require any authentication or setup. Developers can simply request HTTP to the JSON placeholder API to retrieve the dummy data they need for testing. JSON placeholder is free to use and does not require registration or sign-up.
Limitations
it has some limitations that developers should be aware of.
One of the main limitations of JSON placeholders is that it is a fake API and does not provide real-world data. The JSON placeholder’s data is dummy data generated automatically and does not represent real data from a real API. This means that the data may not be accurate or realistic and may not be suitable for all testing and prototyping purposes.
Another limitation of JSON placeholders is that it is a static API, which means that the data does not change or update over time. This can be a problem for developers who are testing applications that require dynamic data, as the data provided by the JSON placeholder will always be the same. In these cases, developers may need to use a different API or create their dummy data.
Additionally, JSON placeholder is a public API, meaning anyone can access and use the data it provides. This can be a problem for developers working on sensitive or confidential projects, as the data provided by JSON placeholders may not be secure or private. In these cases, developers may need to use a different API or create their dummy data.
Possible JSON placeholder alternatives
If you are looking for an alternative to JSON placeholder, some options to consider include:
Mocky:
Mocky is a free online tool that allows you to create and manage fake REST APIs for testing and prototyping. It allows you to define custom endpoints and responses and provides various data types and formats that you can use to simulate real-world data. The only pain point here is the static aspect of the tool. You have to create endpoints that end up returning the same object manually. It is mainly used for mocking API, so it is not a tool for JSON testing.
Beeceptor:
Beeceptor is a cloud-based platform that allows you to create and manage fake REST APIs for testing and prototyping. It provides a user-friendly interface for defining custom endpoints and responses and allows you to switch between different environments and data sets quickly. Unfortunately, it is not entirely free and is limiting users their 50 requests per day. It integrates many other functionalities, but here we are only focused on JSON placeholder, so we can not cite them.
Mockbin:
Mockbin is a free online service that allows you to create and manage fake REST APIs for testing and prototyping. It provides a simple interface for defining custom endpoints and responses and allows you to share your APIs with others easily. It is a fantastic tool used by nearly 11 thousand developers monthly, but he suffers from the static pain we have described previously with Mocky. You can not wholly test an application flow from login to data access with your custom data with those tools. Making them basic tools.
Postman:
Postman is a popular API development platform that allows you to create and manage fake REST APIs for testing and prototyping. It provides various advanced features and tools for defining custom endpoints and responses and allows you to test and debug your APIs quickly. It is prevalent among developers but is not entirely a JSON placeholder alternative. It is mainly used to test REST endpoints.
Any solution?
We have also faced that problem as developers when prototyping products or learning and didn’t find an exciting tool. We are planning to build open source tools that will replace JSON placeholder, will be more integrated and fully open source with functionalities like :
- Authentification and authorisation
- Basic JSON placeholder functionalities
- GraphQL API
- Account-based data and not fake data, which means you can CRUD over the endpoint and get live data
- Possible support for sockets
If this is something exciting for you, join us here, and we will invite you to the discord server where we will shape the future of API building together…
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