What is Mocktioneer?
Mocktioneer is a deterministic OpenRTB banner bidder designed for edge platforms. It helps test client integrations (Prebid.js, Prebid Server, custom SDKs) without depending on third-party bidders or origin backends.
The Problem
When developing and testing ad tech integrations, you face several challenges:
- Third-party dependencies - Real bidders may be slow, rate-limited, or unavailable
- Non-deterministic responses - Real auctions return different results each time, making tests flaky
- Complex setup - Running a real bidder requires infrastructure, credentials, and configuration
- Cost - Real bid requests may incur costs or use up testing quotas
The Solution
Mocktioneer provides:
- Deterministic responses - Same input always produces the same output
- Zero external dependencies - Everything runs locally or at the edge
- OpenRTB 2.x banner support - Works with standard OpenRTB banner clients
- APS TAM compatibility - Test Amazon Publisher Services integrations
- Predictable creatives - SVG banners with size and bid information for visual verification
Use Cases
QA and Testing
- Verify Prebid.js adapter behavior
- Test Prebid Server bidder configurations
- Validate creative rendering pipelines
- Check win notification handling
Development
- Build ad tech features without waiting for real bidders
- Debug integration issues with predictable responses
- Test edge cases with fixed, deterministic bid pricing
CI/CD
- Run automated tests without external dependencies
- Validate deployments with consistent mock data
- Performance testing with predictable latency
Key Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Multi-platform | Runs on Fastly, Cloudflare, and native Axum |
| Manifest-driven | Single edgezero.toml configures everything |
| Deterministic pricing | Returns a configurable CPM for generated bids (bid_cpm in mocktioneer.toml; default $0.20) |
| Standard sizes | Supports common IAB ad sizes |
| Cookie tracking | Optional pixel tracking with mtkid cookie |
| CORS enabled | Works with browser-based clients |
How It Works
- Receive request - Accept OpenRTB or APS bid requests
- Parse impressions - Extract size and pricing information
- Generate bids - Create deterministic bids based on input
- Return response - Send OpenRTB-compliant response with creative URLs
The creative URLs point back to Mocktioneer's static asset endpoints, which render SVG images showing the ad size and bid price.
Next Steps
- Get started with installation and local development
- Learn about configuration options
- Explore the API reference for endpoint details