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SPECIFICTION
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Servirtium

servirtium.dev

macOSLinuxAPISelf-hosted

What it is

Servirtium is an open-source testing library and command-line tool for recording HTTP interactions and replaying them offline. Saved interactions, called tapes, use readable Markdown that can include requests, responses, headers and bodies, making them shareable across languages and reviewable in Git diffs. A native record-and-replay engine has bindings for Go, Python, Java, .NET, Rust, Ruby, JavaScript and TypeScript, Dart, PHP, Haskell, Elixir, Pharo, Nim, Zig, Lua, Erlang and Gleam. It works with any unit-test or specification framework. The standalone CLI can serve tapes as HTTP stubs, lint them, and import or export HTTP Archive files, including captures from Chrome DevTools, Fiddler, Charles, mitmproxy and Postman. Redaction and tape normalization address transient values such as IDs and timestamps. Playback requires matching request headers and bodies unless masking is applied. Servirtium targets test automation, not production service replacement, and is available for API, Linux, macOS and self-hosted use.

Spec sheet

Purpose
Servirtium records HTTP conversations from tests and replays them offline without calling the real service.Read 8 Oct 2026 · servirtium.dev
Audience
The site describes it for teams consuming vendor web APIs and vendors shipping example usages.Read 8 Oct 2026 · servirtium.dev
Integrations
The HAR bridge names Chrome DevTools, Fiddler, Charles, mitmproxy and Postman as sources of captures it can convert.Read 8 Oct 2026 · servirtium.dev
CI and API drift
The site describes using tape changes and Git diffs to identify API compatibility changes in CI or code review.Read 8 Oct 2026 · servirtium.dev
CLI
A standalone CLI can serve tapes as a live HTTP stub, lint tapes, and import or export HTTP Archive files.Read 8 Oct 2026 · servirtium.dev
Deployment model
The project describes Servirtium as an in-process testing library with file-based tapes and a standalone CLI, rather than a hosted SaaS endpoint.Read 8 Oct 2026 · github.com
Engine and bindings
The current project describes one native engine with language bindings, including Go, Python, Java, .NET, Rust, Ruby, JavaScript and TypeScript, Dart, PHP, Haskell, Elixir, Pharo, Nim, Zig, Lua, Erlang and Gleam.Read 8 Oct 2026 · servirtium.dev
HAR integrations
The CLI imports and exports HTTP Archive files and names Chrome DevTools, Fiddler, Charles, mitmproxy, and Postman as sources or tools.Read 8 Oct 2026 · servirtium.dev
Notable limit
The site says Servirtium is focused on HTTP and is used for test automation, with production deployments connecting to real services.Read 8 Oct 2026 · servirtium.dev
Offline playback
Playback uses saved Markdown recordings, so tests can run without calling the real service.Read 8 Oct 2026 · servirtium.dev
Playback matching
Playback fails when request headers or bodies differ from the recording, and the site describes optional masking and redaction for transient data.Read 8 Oct 2026 · servirtium.dev
Pricing and support
The opened maker pages provide no product pricing, trial terms or support offer.Read 8 Oct 2026 · servirtium.dev
Production use
The site describes Servirtium as exclusively for test automation and says production deployments connect to the real services.Read 8 Oct 2026 · servirtium.dev
Redaction
The shared engine includes redaction and whole-tape normalization features for handling values such as transient IDs and timestamps.Read 8 Oct 2026 · servirtium.dev
Release history
The site says the Servirtium beta, with Markdown record/playback syntax, a Java library, and examples, was released in autumn 2019.Read 8 Oct 2026 · servirtium.dev
Request matching
Playback fails when the request headers or body differ from the recorded interaction; the site recommends deliberate masking or redaction for transient values.Read 8 Oct 2026 · servirtium.dev
Security and compliance
The opened product pages describe redaction features but make no security certification or compliance claims.Read 8 Oct 2026 · servirtium.dev
Shared engine
The current VCR project uses one native record/replay engine with language bindings, and the site lists seventeen bindings.Read 8 Oct 2026 · servirtium.dev
Tape contents
A Markdown tape can capture HTTP requests, responses, headers, and bodies, with XML or JSON payloads shown in code fences.Read 8 Oct 2026 · servirtium.dev
Tape format
Recordings use human-readable Markdown that teams can share across languages and review in Git diffs.Read 8 Oct 2026 · servirtium.dev
Test frameworks
The site says Servirtium is agnostic about test-runner choice and can be used with any unit-test or spec framework.Read 8 Oct 2026 · servirtium.dev
Test runners
Servirtium is described as agnostic about test-runner choices and usable with any unit test or spec framework.Read 8 Oct 2026 · servirtium.dev
Use cases
The site identifies teams consuming vendor web APIs and API vendors sharing example scenarios as intended users.Read 8 Oct 2026 · servirtium.dev

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Open-source and free
  • Offline playback avoids live service calls
  • Readable Markdown tapes support Git review
  • Bindings span seventeen listed languages
  • CLI handles stubs, linting and HAR files

Limits

  • Focused on HTTP test automation
  • Playback fails when headers or bodies differ
  • Production deployments still use real services
  • No hosted SaaS endpoint

Who it suits

It suits teams consuming vendor web APIs and API vendors sharing example scenarios. It is for test automation where offline HTTP playback and reviewable recordings are useful.

Verdict

Servirtium combines file-based HTTP recordings, broad language bindings and a standalone CLI. Its matching rules and test-only focus should be considered before adoption.

Where Specifiction places it

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