Mock the Clock

Definitions

1. To replace real time with controlled test time so time-dependent logic becomes predictable and testable. In engineering slang, mocking the clock is one of the first signs a team is taking flaky time-based behavior seriously.

   In plain English: To fake or control time in tests instead of using real time.

   Example: "The scheduler tests stopped flaking only after they mocked the clock instead of sleeping and hoping wall time behaved nicely in CI."

Related Terms

• Alpha Release
• Clock
• Dry Run
• It Compiles Ship It
• Quality Gate Slang
• Smoke Test Slang
• Snapshot Slang
• Test in Production