Mooncake’s Evolution: From Mock Service to One‑Stop API Collaboration Platform

Background and Versions

Mooncake started in March 2022 as a one‑stop collaboration platform for the DeWu (得物) API ecosystem. During its first year it went through two major releases:

Mooncake 1.0 : a mock platform aimed at front‑end and client developers to solve data‑mocking needs.

Mooncake 2.0 : an integrated Yapi + mock documentation platform serving both front‑end and back‑end teams, improving the efficiency of API documentation flow from both supply and demand sides.

The upgraded architecture (illustrated in the image below) positions Mooncake as a core component of DeWu’s R&D ecosystem, continuously adding features such as colored‑environment debugging, iteration reports, Dubbo‑protocol mock, and open APIs that connect to RDC, EP, CMDB, and gateway services.

Design Philosophy

Mooncake’s redesign follows Nielsen’s ten usability heuristics, each illustrated with concrete UI examples.

Visibility of System Status – Immediate feedback via buttons and message prompts (see screenshots).

Match Between System and Real World – Uses familiar terminology and retains existing interaction habits such as document upload via IDE.

User Control and Freedom – Multiple tabs allow users to keep several documents open without page refresh.

Consistency and Standards – Visual style, colors, layout, and component library follow DeWu’s design system.

Error Prevention – Confirmation dialogs appear before irreversible actions.

Recognition Rather Than Recall – Features like 我的收藏 and 最近访问 let users quickly locate frequently used documents.

Flexibility and Efficiency of Use – Collapsible/expandable menu remembers the last user choice, catering to both newcomers and experienced users.

Aesthetic and Minimalist Design – Dialogs present only essential information, reducing visual clutter.

Help Users Recognize, Diagnose, and Recover from Errors – Clear error messages with actionable solutions.

Help and Documentation – Global search, one‑click Feishu Q&A group, and self‑service help docs assist users in finding information quickly.

Technical Architecture

The platform’s architecture is a layered design that first solves documentation problems, then expands to use‑case and mock layers, and finally opens APIs to broaden platform reach. It integrates resources from EP, CMDB, RDC, and gateway services, enabling data‑driven metrics and quality dashboards.

Tooling Suite

Mooncake provides a set of developer‑focused tools:

IDEA plugin for Java and CLI tool for Go to upload documentation quickly.

Webpack/Vite and browser proxy plugins for front‑end mock data.

iOS and Android client proxy tools for mobile mock.

Network capture tools for both front‑end and client to generate mock data automatically.

Future Roadmap

Mooncake’s evolution is described as three eras:

Bronze (1.0) – Covered all front‑end users and ~50% of client users.

Silver (2.0) – Integrated Yapi + mock, connected RDC, EP, and gateway, serving ~90% of DeWu developers with an NPS of 57%.

Gold (future) – Plans to address technical debt, improve diff and migration features, and enable advanced capabilities such as Dubbo debugging and documentation‑driven development.

The platform will continue to innovate in API ecosystem construction, platformization, and openness, delivering better products and services to the engineering team.