Mock a dependency the tests currently call for real
A third-party the tests currently call for real, replaced with a mock server so the suite stops depending on somebody else's uptime.
The ticket
Stand up a mock server for a dependency the test suite currently calls over the network.
Acceptance criteria
- The suite passes with no network access
- Mock responses are recorded from the real service, not invented
- Suite timing before and after is recorded
- One test still runs against the real service, on a schedule rather than per commit
What lands as proof
A green suite with networking disabled, plus the timing difference that removing the network calls bought.
Why teams defer it
- The tests pass today, so the flakiness gets blamed on the network rather than on the design.
- Recording faithful responses means understanding the real service properly, which is the part nobody has time for.
Questions
- What does the agent actually change?
- The ticket is scoped to one outcome: stand up a mock server for a dependency the test suite currently calls over the network. Work that serves that outcome is in scope, and anything outside it is left for a separate ticket, so the pull request stays reviewable.
- How do I know the work is done?
- The pull request carries the evidence, not only the diff. Here that means the suite runs offline, timing measured before and after, so a reviewer can confirm the result without reproducing the work locally.
- How much oversight does this need?
- The run stops once the plan is written. Somebody reads the approach and approves it before any code exists, which is the cheapest moment to redirect the work.