How to test an AJAX application that is pulling data from a live website?

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+1 Q:

How to test an AJAX application that is pulling data from a live website?

Hello, I'm working on a AJAX application that pull data from a live website, I can't replicate the complete application on my local environment at the moment so in order to test if the Javascript code is working as expected I need to be able to bypass the same domain restriction on the browser (without making changes on the web server) any suggestion will be greatly appreciated.

So far I have tried modifying the prefs.js in Firefox 2 and Camino including the lines suggested in this link: http://www.zachleat.com/web/2007/08/30/cross-domain-xhr-with-firefox/

Thanks in advance.

Edit 04/29/2009 3:18pm:

I agree the proxy option is definitely a way to go. But would it be possible to have a solution using just Firefox? (maybe an add-on?)

+4 A:

If you can change the endpoint URL you could bounce the requests through your local server, either with mod_rewrite or a simple script.

This has the advantage that you can easily log the requests and responses, and alter them (e.g. send back timeout errors, bad data and the like).

Greg 2009-04-29 19:51:17

+1 I think this is the way to go. You could write a simple, stand-alone proxy that lets you switch 'modes' at will. For several of our projects, we had a proxy that could switch between 'normal', 'slow', 'timeout', etc from a simple command line interface.

Outlaw Programmer 2009-04-29 20:00:42

I agree the proxy option is definitely a way to go. But would it be possible to have a solution using just Firefox (maybe an add-on?)Actually if there is not, it could be a nice extension to try to write and might be helpful to a lot of people, something like an integrated proxy on the browser.

Javier 2009-04-29 20:16:58

Although Fiddler is a stand-alone proxy, it has some sort of FF plug-in in the latest beta. Not sure if the plugin is just an on/off switch, but communicating more info wouldn't be too hard.

Piskvor 2009-04-29 20:59:02

Well, for viewing the requests/stepping through the js try using Firebug.

Ali Lown 2009-04-29 19:53:17

I don't think this applies here. It sounds like he can't even make the request because his development machine is on a different domain than the data provider. The browser's cross-domain restrictions keep him from ever making the request.

Outlaw Programmer 2009-04-29 19:58:50

@Outlaw Programmer, that is correct. There is no request going on because of the restriction.

Javier 2009-04-29 20:17:48

ansaurus

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How to test an AJAX application that is pulling data from a live website?

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