MCPInstall

vercel-labs-emulate

Local drop-in API emulation for Vercel, GitHub, and Google services in CI and no-network sandboxes

Installs
917
Last 24h
—
Trending rank
—
Security
Not audited

Install

Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.

npx skills add https://github.com/reason-machines/trending-skills --skill vercel-labs-emulate
  1. 01

    Install

    Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.

  2. 02

    Describe the task

    Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads vercel-labs-emulate automatically when relevant.

  3. 03

    Review the result

    The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.

SKILL.md

The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.

vercel-labs/emulate

Skill by ara.so — Daily 2026 Skills collection.

emulate provides fully stateful, production-fidelity local HTTP servers that replace Vercel, GitHub, and Google APIs. Designed for CI pipelines and no-network sandboxes — not mocks, real in-memory state with proper pagination, OAuth, webhooks, and cascading deletes.

Installation

# CLI (no install needed)
npx emulate

# Or install as a dev dependency
npm install --save-dev emulate

CLI Usage

# Start all services with defaults
npx emulate

# Start specific services
npx emulate --service vercel,github

# Custom base port (auto-increments per service)
npx emulate --port 3000

# Start with seed data
npx emulate --seed emulate.config.yaml

# Generate a starter config
npx emulate init

# Generate config for a specific service
npx emulate init --service github

# List available services
npx emulate list

Default ports:

  • Vercel → http://localhost:4000
  • GitHub → http://localhost:4001
  • Google → http://localhost:4002

Port can also be set via EMULATE_PORT or PORT environment variables.

Programmatic API

import { createEmulator, type Emulator } from 'emulate'

// Start a single service
const github = await createEmulator({ service: 'github', port: 4001 })
const vercel = await createEmulator({ service: 'vercel', port: 4002 })

console.log(github.url)  // 'http://localhost:4001'
console.log(vercel.url)  // 'http://localhost:4002'

// Reset state (replays seed data)
github.reset()

// Shutdown
await github.close()
await vercel.close()

Options

OptionDefaultDescription
service(required)'github', 'vercel', or 'google'
port4000Port for the HTTP server
seednoneInline seed data object (same shape as YAML config)

Instance Methods

MethodDescription
urlBase URL of the running server
reset()Wipe in-memory store and replay seed data
close()Shut down the server (returns Promise)

Vitest / Jest Setup

// vitest.setup.ts
import { createEmulator, type Emulator } from 'emulate'

let github: Emulator
let vercel: Emulator

beforeAll(async () => {
  ;[github, vercel] = await Promise.all([
    createEmulator({ service: 'github', port: 4001 }),
    createEmulator({ service: 'vercel', port: 4002 }),
  ])
  process.env.GITHUB_URL = github.url
  process.env.VERCEL_URL = vercel.url
})

afterEach(() => {
  github.reset()
  vercel.reset()
})

afterAll(() => Promise.all([github.close(), vercel.close()]))
// vitest.config.ts
import { defineConfig } from 'vitest/config'

export default defineConfig({
  test: {
    setupFiles: ['./vitest.setup.ts'],
    environment: 'node',
  },
})

Seed Configuration

Create emulate.config.yaml in your project root (auto-detected):

# Auth tokens
tokens:
  my_token:
    login: admin
    scopes: [repo, user]

vercel:
  users:
    - username: developer
      name: Developer
      email: dev@example.com
  teams:
    - slug: my-team
      name: My Team
  projects:
    - name: my-app
      team: my-team
      framework: nextjs

github:
  users:
    - login: octocat
      name: The Octocat
      email: octocat@github.com
  orgs:
    - login: my-org
      name: My Organization
  repos:
    - owner: octocat
      name: hello-world
      language: JavaScript
      auto_init: true

google:
  users:
    - email: testuser@example.com
      name: Test User
  oauth_clients:
    - client_id: my-client-id.apps.googleusercontent.com
      client_secret: $GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET
      redirect_uris:
        - http://localhost:3000/api/auth/callback/google

Inline Seed (Programmatic)

const github = await createEmulator({
  service: 'github',
  port: 4001,
  seed: {
    users: [
      { login: 'testuser', name: 'Test User', email: 'test@example.com' }
    ],
    repos: [
      { owner: 'testuser', name: 'my-repo', language: 'TypeScript', auto_init: true }
    ],
  },
})

OAuth Configuration

GitHub OAuth Apps

github:
  oauth_apps:
    - client_id: $GITHUB_CLIENT_ID
      client_secret: $GITHUB_CLIENT_SECRET
      name: My Web App
      redirect_uris:
        - http://localhost:3000/api/auth/callback/github

Without oauth_apps configured, the emulator accepts any client_id (backward-compatible). With apps configured, strict validation is enforced.

GitHub Apps (JWT Auth)

github:
  apps:
    - app_id: 12345
      slug: my-github-app
      name: My GitHub App
      private_key: |
        -----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY-----
        ...your PEM key...
        -----END RSA PRIVATE KEY-----
      permissions:
        contents: read
        issues: write
      events: [push, pull_request]
      installations:
        - installation_id: 100
          account: my-org
          repository_selection: all

Sign JWTs with { iss: "<app_id>" } using RS256 — the emulator verifies the signature.

Vercel Integrations

vercel:
  integrations:
    - client_id: $VERCEL_CLIENT_ID
      client_secret: $VERCEL_CLIENT_SECRET
      name: My Vercel App
      redirect_uris:
        - http://localhost:3000/api/auth/callback/vercel

Real-World Test Patterns

Testing a GitHub API Client

import { createEmulator } from 'emulate'
import { Octokit } from '@octokit/rest'

describe('GitHub integration', () => {
  let emulator: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof createEmulator>>
  let octokit: Octokit

  beforeAll(async () => {
    emulator = await createEmulator({
      service: 'github',
      port: 4001,
      seed: {
        users: [{ login: 'testuser', name: 'Test User' }],
        repos: [{ owner: 'testuser', name: 'my-repo', auto_init: true }],
      },
    })

    octokit = new Octokit({
      baseUrl: emulator.url,
      auth: 'any-token',
    })
  })

  afterEach(() => emulator.reset())
  afterAll(() => emulator.close())

  it('creates and fetches an issue', async () => {
    const { data: issue } = await octokit.issues.create({
      owner: 'testuser',
      repo: 'my-repo',
      title: 'Test issue',
      body: 'This is a test',
    })

    expect(issue.number).toBe(1)
    expect(issue.state).toBe('open')

    const { data: fetched } = await octokit.issues.get({
      owner: 'testuser',
      repo: 'my-repo',
      issue_number: issue.number,
    })

    expect(fetched.title).toBe('Test issue')
  })
})

Testing a Vercel Deployment Workflow

import { createEmulator } from 'emulate'

describe('Vercel deployment', () => {
  let emulator: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof createEmulator>>

  beforeAll(async () => {
    emulator = await createEmulator({
      service: 'vercel',
      port: 4002,
      seed: {
        users: [{ username: 'dev', email: 'dev@example.com' }],
        projects: [{ name: 'my-app', framework: 'nextjs' }],
      },
    })
    process.env.VERCEL_API_URL = emulator.url
  })

  afterEach(() => emulator.reset())
  afterAll(() => emulator.close())

  it('creates a deployment and transitions to READY', async () => {
    const res = await fetch(`${emulator.url}/v13/deployments`, {
      method: 'POST',
      headers: {
        Authorization: 'Bearer any-token',
        'Content-Type': 'application/json',
      },
      body: JSON.stringify({ name: 'my-app', target: 'production' }),
    })

    const deployment = await res.json()
    expect(deployment.readyState).toBe('READY')
  })
})

Testing Multiple Services Together

import { createEmulator, type Emulator } from 'emulate'

let github: Emulator
let vercel: Emulator
let google: Emulator

beforeAll(async () => {
  ;[github, vercel, google] = await Promise.all([
    createEmulator({ service: 'github', port: 4001 }),
    createEmulator({ service: 'vercel', port: 4002 }),
    createEmulator({ service: 'google', port: 4003 }),
  ])

  // Point your app's env vars at local emulators
  process.env.GITHUB_API_URL = github.url
  process.env.VERCEL_API_URL = vercel.url
  process.env.GOOGLE_API_URL = google.url
})

afterEach(() => {
  github.reset()
  vercel.reset()
  google.reset()
})

afterAll(() => Promise.all([github.close(), vercel.close(), google.close()]))

CI Configuration

GitHub Actions

# .github/workflows/test.yml
jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
        with:
          node-version: 20
      - run: npm ci
      - name: Run tests with emulated APIs
        run: npm test
        env:
          # Emulators start in vitest.setup.ts — no extra service needed
          NODE_ENV: test

Docker / No-Network Sandbox

FROM node:20-alpine
WORKDIR /app
COPY package*.json ./
RUN npm ci
COPY . .
# Tests start emulators programmatically — no outbound network needed
RUN npm test

Key API Endpoints Reference

GitHub Emulator

GET    /user                                    # authenticated user
GET    /repos/:owner/:repo                      # get repo
POST   /user/repos                              # create repo
POST   /repos/:owner/:repo/issues               # create issue
PATCH  /repos/:owner/:repo/issues/:number       # update issue
POST   /repos/:owner/:repo/pulls                # create PR
PUT    /repos/:owner/:repo/pulls/:number/merge  # merge PR
GET    /search/repositories                     # search repos
GET    /search/issues                           # search issues

Vercel Emulator

GET    /v2/user                          # authenticated user
GET    /v2/teams                         # list teams
POST   /v11/projects                     # create project
GET    /v10/projects                     # list projects
POST   /v13/deployments                  # create deployment (auto → READY)
GET    /v13/deployments/:idOrUrl         # get deployment
POST   /v10/projects/:id/env             # create env vars
GET    /v10/projects/:id/env             # list env vars

Troubleshooting

Port already in use

# Use a different base port
npx emulate --port 5000
# Or set via env
EMULATE_PORT=5000 npx emulate

Tests interfering with each other

// Always call reset() in afterEach, not afterAll
afterEach(() => emulator.reset())

OAuth strict validation rejecting requests

  • If you configure oauth_apps or integrations, only matching client_id values are accepted
  • Remove the oauth_apps block to fall back to accept-any mode

Emulator not receiving requests from app code

// Make sure your app reads the URL from env at request time, not module load time
// ✅ Good
async function fetchUser() {
  return fetch(`${process.env.GITHUB_API_URL}/user`)
}

// ❌ Bad — captured before emulator starts
const API_URL = process.env.GITHUB_API_URL

GitHub App JWT auth failing

  • JWT must have { iss: "<app_id>" } as a string or number matching the configured app_id
  • Must be signed RS256 with the exact private key from config
  • The emulator verifies the signature — use a real RSA key pair in tests

FAQ

What does the vercel-labs-emulate skill do?

Local drop-in API emulation for Vercel, GitHub, and Google services in CI and no-network sandboxes

How do I install vercel-labs-emulate?

Run npx skills add https://github.com/reason-machines/trending-skills --skill vercel-labs-emulate in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/vercel-labs-emulate/ (personal) or .claude/skills/vercel-labs-emulate/ (project).

Which AI agents can use vercel-labs-emulate?

Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.

Is vercel-labs-emulate safe to install?

No partner security audit is available yet. Skills can run commands and scripts, so read the SKILL.md and any bundled files before installing.

Who maintains vercel-labs-emulate?

It is published by reason-machines in reason-machines/trending-skills. It has 917 recorded installs.

More from reason-machines/trending-skills

View all →

openclaw-control-center

reason-machines/trending-skills

Local-first, security-first control center for OpenClaw agents — visibility dashboard with readonly defaults, token attribution, collaboration tracing, and safe write operations.

Data & Databases4.4K installs

inkos-multi-agent-novel-writing

reason-machines/trending-skills

Multi-agent CLI system for autonomous novel writing, auditing, and revision with human review gates

Docs & Writing2.8K installs

claude-hud-statusline

reason-machines/trending-skills

A Claude Code plugin that displays a real-time HUD showing context usage, active tools, running agents, and todo progress in your terminal statusline.

understand-anything-knowledge-graph

reason-machines/trending-skills

Turn any codebase into an interactive knowledge graph using Claude Code skills — explore, search, and ask questions about any project visually.

agency-agents-ai-specialists

reason-machines/trending-skills

A collection of specialized AI agent personalities for Claude Code, Cursor, Aider, Windsurf, and other AI coding tools — covering engineering, design, marketing, sales, and more.

AI & Agents2.1K installs

agent-browser-automation

reason-machines/trending-skills

Headless browser automation CLI for AI agents using native Rust binary with Chrome DevTools Protocol

Popular devops & cloud skills

View category →

microsoft-foundry

microsoft/azure-skills

Build, deploy, evaluate, optimize, fine-tune, and manage Microsoft Foundry agents, models, and resources end to end. USE FOR: foundry, azd ai agent, azd provision/deploy, hosted agent scaffold/develop/run/deploy/troubleshoot, prompt agent create, managed harness agent create, GitHub Copilot harness agent, create agent, update agent, add tool to agent, invoke agent, agent insights, evaluate agent, batch eval, continuous eval, continuous monitoring, agent CI/CD, optimize prompt, improve prompt, optimize agent instructions, Agent Optimizer scaffold, dataset curation from traces, deploy model, model fine-tuning (SFT/DPO/RFT), Foundry project, RBAC, role assignment, permissions, quota, capacity, region, deployment failure, AI Services, create Foundry resource, knowledge index, customize deployment, onboard, availability, training-data, grader, distillation, large file upload. DO NOT USE FOR: Azure Functions, App Service, general Azure deploy (use azure-deploy), general Azure prep (use azure

OfficialDevOps & Cloud579.1K installs

azure-diagnostics

microsoft/azure-skills

Debug Azure production issues on Azure using AppLens, Azure Monitor, resource health, and safe triage. WHEN: debug production issues, troubleshoot app service, app service high CPU, app service deployment failure, troubleshoot container apps, container app 503 or target port mismatch, troubleshoot functions, function telemetry missing or stopped after a config/connection-string change, troubleshoot AKS, VM RDP, Linux SSH, VM black screen, can't connect to VM, reset VM password, NSG or firewall blocking, kubectl cannot connect, kube-system/CoreDNS failures, pod pending, crashloop, node not ready, upgrade failures, analyze logs, KQL, insights, image pull failures, cold start issues, health probe failures, resource health, root cause of errors, troubleshoot event hubs, troubleshoot service bus, messaging SDK error, AMQP connection failure, message lock lost, lock renewal during long-running processing, service bus dead letter.

OfficialDevOps & Cloud569.8K installs

azure-prepare

microsoft/azure-skills

Prepare azd-based Azure projects for deployment: generates azure.yaml, infrastructure (Bicep/Terraform), and Dockerfiles for the Azure Developer CLI (azd) workflow. USE ONLY when the user explicitly wants to use azd as the deployment tool, or the project already has an azure.yaml file. DO NOT USE FOR: non-azd deployments, Python App Service code-only deploys (use python-appservice-deploy), or cross-cloud migration (use azure-cloud-migrate). WHEN: prepare app for azd, create azure.yaml, set up azd infrastructure, modernize app for Azure with azd, deploy with azd, function app, timer trigger, service bus trigger, event-driven function, managed identity, generate Bicep, generate Terraform, create and deploy to Azure.

OfficialDevOps & Cloud569K installs

azure-ai

microsoft/azure-skills

Use for Azure AI: Search, Speech, OpenAI, Document Intelligence. Helps with search, vector/hybrid search, speech-to-text, text-to-speech, transcription, OCR. WHEN: AI Search, query search, vector search, hybrid search, semantic search, speech-to-text, text-to-speech, transcribe, OCR, convert text to speech.

OfficialDevOps & Cloud568.8K installs

azure-deploy

microsoft/azure-skills

Execute Azure deployments for ALREADY-PREPARED applications that have existing .azure/deployment-plan.md and infrastructure files. DO NOT use this skill when the user asks to CREATE a new application — use azure-prepare instead. This skill runs azd up, azd deploy, terraform apply, and az deployment commands with built-in error recovery. Requires .azure/deployment-plan.md from azure-prepare and validated status from azure-validate. WHEN: "run azd up", "run azd deploy", "execute deployment", "push to production", "push to cloud", "go live", "ship it", "bicep deploy", "terraform apply", "publish to Azure", "launch on Azure". DO NOT USE WHEN: "create and deploy", "build and deploy", "create a new app", "set up infrastructure", "create and deploy to Azure using Terraform" — use azure-prepare for these.

OfficialDevOps & Cloud568.6K installs

azure-validate

microsoft/azure-skills

Pre-deployment validation for Azure readiness. Run deep checks on configuration, infrastructure (Bicep or Terraform), RBAC role assignments, managed identity permissions, and prerequisites before deploying. WHEN: validate my app, check deployment readiness, run preflight checks, verify configuration, check if ready to deploy, validate azure.yaml, validate Bicep, test before deploying, troubleshoot deployment errors, validate Azure Functions, validate function app, validate serverless deployment, verify RBAC roles, check role assignments, review managed identity permissions, what-if analysis, validate Container Apps deployment.

OfficialDevOps & Cloud568K installs