From Side Project to Daily Dev Tool: Building FakeAPI Studio

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Every developer has side projects that start out as simple experiments or portfolio fillers. Some stay that way. But once in a while, one of those projects turns into something genuinely useful - not just to show off, but to use every day. That’s exactly what happened with FakeAPI Studio.

The Problem

When you’re building front-end apps, especially prototypes or UI components, you’re often stuck without a working backend. Sure, there are tools like JSON Server, which can turn a simple db.json file into a full REST API. But creating that db.json file manually? Tedious and repetitive - especially if you want realistic data.

The Idea

I initially built FakeAPI Studio as a personal utility. I needed an easy way to:

• Define collections (like users, posts, comments)
• Add fields with various data types
• Auto-generate realistic mock data (names, emails, ages, etc.)
• Save my API config locally
• Export a ready-to-use db.json for JSON Server

Nothing fancy - just a no-frills interface to speed up prototyping.

The Build

I made it web-based so I could use it anywhere, no installs required. Key features:

• Collection builder: Create multiple datasets with custom fields.
• Field editor: Choose field types (string, number, boolean, email, etc.)
• Random data generator: Adds mock data automatically for faster setup.
• Local save/load: Store work in localStorage, pick it up later.
• One-click export: Download a db.json file that’s instantly ready to use with JSON Server.

The Surprise

What started as a utility for one-off prototypes quickly became a go-to tool in my workflow. I now use FakeAPI Studio regularly whenever I need to:

• Test front-end logic without a backend
• Build UIs before the real API is ready
• Demo components with fake but realistic data
• Share front-end code with others (without needing a server)

Why It Matters

It’s a reminder that not every project has to start big. Sometimes a small tool solving your own pain point ends up becoming part of your core toolkit. And when that happens - it’s a great feeling.

If you’re a developer working with JSON Server, I highly recommend trying it out. It’s free, it’s fast, and it might just save you a couple of hours on your next mock API setup.

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