---
title: Mocking OAuth services in testing with Dex
description: &desc Mocking OAuth services in testing with Dex
keywords: Dex, container-supported development
linktitle: Mocking OAuth services with Dex
summary: *desc
tags: [app-dev, distributed-systems]
languages: []
params:
  time: 10 minutes
---

Dex is an open-source OpenID Connect (OIDC) and OAuth 2.0 identity provider that can be configured to authenticate against various backend identity providers, such as LDAP, SAML, and OAuth. Running Dex in a Docker container allows developers to simulate an OAuth 2.0 server for testing and development purposes. This guide will walk you through setting up Dex as an OAuth mock server using Docker containers.

Nowadays OAuth is the preferred choice to authenticate in web services, the highest part of them give the possibility to access using popular OAuth services like GitHub, Google or Apple. Using OAuth guarantees a higher level of security and simplification since it is not necessary to create new profiles for each service. This means that, by allowing applications to access resources on behalf of users without sharing passwords, OAuth minimizes the risk of credential exposure.

In this guide, you'll learn how to:

- Use Docker to launch up a Dex container.
- Use mock OAuth in the GitHub Action (GHA) without relying on an external OAuth provider.

## Using Dex with Docker

The official [Docker image for Dex](https://hub.docker.com/r/dexidp/dex/) provides a convenient way to deploy and manage Dex instances. Dex is available for various CPU architectures, including amd64, armv7, and arm64, ensuring compatibility with different devices and platforms. You can learn more about Dex standalone on the [Dex docs site](https://dexidp.io/docs/getting-started/).

### Prerequisites

[Docker Compose](/compose/): Recommended for managing multi-container Docker applications.

### Setting Up Dex with Docker

Begin by creating a directory for your Dex project:

```bash
mkdir dex-mock-server
cd dex-mock-server
```
Organize your project with the following structure:

```bash
dex-mock-server/
├── config.yaml
└── compose.yaml
```

Create the Dex Configuration File:
The config.yaml file defines Dex's settings, including connectors, clients, and storage. For a mock server setup, you can use the following minimal configuration:

```yaml
# config.yaml
issuer: http://localhost:5556/dex
storage:
  type: memory
web:
  http: 0.0.0.0:5556
staticClients:
  - id: example-app
    redirectURIs:
      - 'http://localhost:5555/callback'
    name: 'Example App'
    secret: ZXhhbXBsZS1hcHAtc2VjcmV0
enablePasswordDB: true
staticPasswords:
  - email: "admin@example.com"
    hash: "$2a$10$2b2cU8CPhOTaGrs1HRQuAueS7JTT5ZHsHSzYiFPm1leZck7Mc8T4W"
    username: "admin"
    userID: "1234"
```

Explanation:
- issuer: The public URL of Dex.

- storage: Using in-memory storage for simplicity.

- web: Dex will listen on port 5556.

- staticClients: Defines a client application (example-app) with its redirect URI and secret.