msw-cli

name	msw-cli
description	Control MSW mocks at runtime via msw-cli (open session, add/update/remove handlers). Use when mocking APIs, changing mock responses, or debugging MSW without restarting the app.

msw-cli

Dynamically add, update, and remove MSW handlers while the app keeps running. Run commands from the project directory (or pass -s <name> for a named session).

Project not set up yet? Use the msw-setup skill or run msw-cli setup first.

Agent guidelines

When using this skill to change mocks:

1. Do not edit local handler files (e.g. handlers.ts, mocks/handlers). msw-cli applies add / update / remove / reset to the browser runtime over the WebSocket session. Changing on-disk handler modules is the wrong tool and can confuse the next dev reload.

2. Before open, check whether a session is already running: run msw-cli list (all open sessions) and, if a session for this project already exists, msw-cli status (or status -s <name>) to see connection and handlers. Only run open when no suitable session is active—avoid duplicate daemons for the same work.

Quick start

msw-cli open                    # prints WebSocket URL + port
# If port ≠ app config, update MSW_WS_URL (or VITE_MSW_WS_URL / NEXT_PUBLIC_MSW_WS_URL) to match output
msw-cli add "http.get('/api/users', () => HttpResponse.json([{ id: 1 }]))"
msw-cli status                  # connected must be true for mocks to apply
msw-cli close

Use msw-cli open --port 6789 when the app already hard-codes that port. list works without a session. Handler commands (add, update, remove, reset, status) require an open session for that cwd (or -s) — otherwise you get "Session not open".

Workflow

1. list / status — confirm no session is already open (or reuse it). Then open only if needed — start daemon; read Port and WebSocket from markdown output.
2. Sync app — if port auto-changed (6789 busy), set ws://127.0.0.1:<port> in MSW_WS_URL / VITE_MSW_WS_URL / NEXT_PUBLIC_MSW_WS_URL env.
3. add / update / remove / reset — handler changes.
4. status — confirm browser connected.
5. close when finished.

Sessions: default name = current directory basename. State: ~/.msw-cli/sessions/.

Handler rules

• Valid JS strings; http, graphql, HttpResponse, bypass, passthrough, delay are in scope (no imports).
• Wrap handlers in double quotes; use single quotes inside JS.
• Return a Response via HttpResponse (e.g. HttpResponse.json({ ok: true })).
• Passthrough / partial override — fetch the real response, then override fields. Always wrap the request in bypass() to avoid an infinite intercept loop:

msw-cli add "http.get('*/api/user', async ({ request }) => { const res = await fetch(bypass(request)); const data = await res.json(); return HttpResponse.json({ ...data, role: 'admin' }) })"

Pattern matching (remove / update)

status displays handlers as METHOD URL, e.g. GET */api/v1/users/*. But remove / update patterns match the handler URL only (substring or * glob) — not the method.

Command	Pattern is…	Example
status	Display only: METHOD + URL	GET */api/v1/users/*
remove/update	URL substring or * glob	*/api/v1/users/*

• To filter by method, use -m, --method <methods...> (e.g. remove "*/api/users" -m GET).
• A leading method token in the pattern (e.g. "GET */api/users", copied from status) is auto-split into a method filter, so pasting a status line works — but prefer the URL-only pattern plus -m for clarity.
• remove/update report how many handlers matched. Removed 0 or 0 matched means the pattern matched nothing — fix the pattern, do not retry with another update (that just adds a duplicate).

Commands

Command	Purpose
open [--port N] [-s name] [--no-persist-handlers] [--persist-handlers N] [--single-client]	Start/reuse daemon (required first)
add "<handler>"	Add handler(s)
update "<pattern>" [-m METHOD...] -h "<handler>"	Replace handlers matching pattern
remove "<pattern>" [-m METHOD...]	Remove handlers (reports match count)
reset [handlers...]	Clear runtime handlers (optional new set)
status	Connection + active handlers
list	All open sessions
close [name] / close-all	Stop daemon(s)

Troubleshooting

• Session not open → run msw-cli list; if no session for this project, run open, then retry.
• No browser clients connected → app not wired to the WebSocket URL from open; fix port/env and reload.
• Mock not firing → match request path exactly or use wildcards (*/api/users/*).
• remove says "Removed 0" → the pattern matched no handler. Drop any HTTP method prefix (patterns match the URL only) and match the URL from status, e.g. remove "*/api/v1/users/*". Use -m GET to filter by method.
• Duplicate handlers after update → the update pattern matched nothing, so it added a second handler instead of replacing (the CLI warns 0 matched). remove "*/api/..." the extras, then update/add once with a correct URL pattern.
• open --port fails → port in use; free it or use open without --port and sync app to the new port.
• Handler syntax errors → check shell quoting and JS validity.