> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://andrewmcodes.gitbook.io/vcr/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://andrewmcodes.gitbook.io/vcr/configuration/ignore_request.md).

# Ignore Request

By default, VCR hooks into every request, either allowing it and recording it, or playing back a recorded response, or raising an error to force you to deal with the new request. In some situations, you may prefer to have VCR ignore some requests.

VCR provides 3 configuration options to accomplish this:

* `ignore_request { |req| ... }` will ignore any request for which the

  given block returns true.
* `ignore_hosts 'foo.com', 'bar.com'` allows you to specify particular

  hosts to ignore.
* `ignore_localhost = true` is equivalent to \`ignore\_hosts 'localhost',

  '127.0.0.1', '0.0.0.0'\`. It is particularly useful for when you use

  VCR with a javascript-enabled capybara driver, since capybara boots

  your rack app and makes localhost requests to it to check that it has

  booted.
* `unignore_hosts 'foo.com', 'bar.com'` makes VCR stop ignoring particular hosts.

  Ignored requests are not recorded and are always allowed, regardless of the record mode, and even outside of a `VCR.use_cassette` block.

## Background ()

*Given* a file named "sinatra\_app.rb" with:

```
response_count = 0
$server = start_sinatra_app do
  get('/') { "Port 7777 Response #{response_count += 1}" }
end
```

## ignore requests to a specific port

*Given* a file named "ignore\_request.rb" with:

```
include_http_adapter_for("<http_lib>")
require 'sinatra_app.rb'

response_count = 0
$server_8888 = start_sinatra_app do
  get('/') { "Port 8888 Response #{response_count += 1}" }
end

require 'vcr'

VCR.configure do |c|
  c.ignore_request do |request|
    URI(request.uri).port == $server.port
  end

  c.default_cassette_options = { :serialize_with => :syck }
  c.cassette_library_dir = 'cassettes'
  <configuration>
end

VCR.use_cassette('example') do
  puts response_body_for(:get, "http://localhost:#{$server_8888.port}/")
end

VCR.use_cassette('example') do
  puts response_body_for(:get, "http://localhost:#{$server.port}/")
end

puts response_body_for(:get, "http://localhost:#{$server.port}/")
puts response_body_for(:get, "http://localhost:#{$server_8888.port}/")
```

*When* I run `ruby ignore_request.rb`

*Then* it should fail with an error like:

```
An HTTP request has been made that VCR does not know how to handle:
```

*And* the output should contain:

```
Port 8888 Response 1
Port 7777 Response 1
Port 7777 Response 2
```

*And* the file "cassettes/example.yml" should contain "Port 8888"

*And* the file "cassettes/example.yml" should not contain "Port 7777".

### Examples

| configuration          | http\_lib              |
| ---------------------- | ---------------------- |
| c.hook\_into :webmock  | net/http               |
| c.hook\_into :typhoeus | typhoeus               |
| c.hook\_into :faraday  | faraday (w/ net\_http) |

## ignored host requests are not recorded and are always allowed

*Given* a file named "ignore\_hosts.rb" with:

```
include_http_adapter_for("<http_lib>")
require 'sinatra_app.rb'

require 'vcr'

VCR.configure do |c|
  c.ignore_hosts '127.0.0.1', 'localhost'
  c.cassette_library_dir = 'cassettes'
  <configuration>
end

VCR.use_cassette('example') do
  puts response_body_for(:get, "http://localhost:#{$server.port}/")
end

puts response_body_for(:get, "http://localhost:#{$server.port}/")
```

*When* I run `ruby ignore_hosts.rb`

*Then* it should pass with:

```
Port 7777 Response 1
Port 7777 Response 2
```

*And* the file "cassettes/example.yml" should not exist.

### Examples

| configuration          | http\_lib              |
| ---------------------- | ---------------------- |
| c.hook\_into :webmock  | net/http               |
| c.hook\_into :typhoeus | typhoeus               |
| c.hook\_into :excon    | excon                  |
| c.hook\_into :faraday  | faraday (w/ net\_http) |

## unignored host requests are recorded again

*Given* a file named "unignore\_hosts.rb" with:

```
include_http_adapter_for("<http_lib>")
require 'sinatra_app.rb'

require 'vcr'

VCR.configure do |c|
  c.ignore_hosts '127.0.0.1', 'localhost'
  c.cassette_library_dir = 'cassettes'
  <configuration>
end

VCR.use_cassette('example') do
  puts response_body_for(:get, "http://localhost:#{$server.port}/")
end

VCR.configure do |c|
  c.unignore_hosts '127.0.0.1', 'localhost'
end

VCR.use_cassette('example') do
  puts response_body_for(:get, "http://localhost:#{$server.port}/")
end
```

*When* I run `ruby unignore_hosts.rb`

*Then* it should pass with:

```
Port 7777 Response 1
Port 7777 Response 2
```

*And* the file "cassettes/example.yml" should not contain "Response 1"

*And* the file "cassettes/example.yml" should contain "Response 2".

### Examples

| configuration          | http\_lib              |
| ---------------------- | ---------------------- |
| c.hook\_into :webmock  | net/http               |
| c.hook\_into :typhoeus | typhoeus               |
| c.hook\_into :excon    | excon                  |
| c.hook\_into :faraday  | faraday (w/ net\_http) |

## unignored host requests are not allowed without a cassette

*Given* a file named "unignore\_hosts\_without\_cassette.rb" with:

```
include_http_adapter_for("<http_lib>")
require 'sinatra_app.rb'

require 'vcr'

VCR.configure do |c|
  c.ignore_hosts '127.0.0.1', 'localhost'
  c.cassette_library_dir = 'cassettes'
  <configuration>
end

puts response_body_for(:get, "http://localhost:#{$server.port}/")

VCR.configure do |c|
  c.unignore_hosts '127.0.0.1', 'localhost'
end

puts response_body_for(:get, "http://localhost:#{$server.port}/")
```

*When* I run `ruby unignore_hosts_without_cassette.rb`

*Then* it should fail with "An HTTP request has been made that VCR does not know how to handle"

*And* the output should contain "Response 1"

*And* the output should not contain "Response 2"

*And* the file "cassettes/example.yml" should not exist.

### Examples

| configuration          | http\_lib              |
| ---------------------- | ---------------------- |
| c.hook\_into :webmock  | net/http               |
| c.hook\_into :typhoeus | typhoeus               |
| c.hook\_into :excon    | excon                  |
| c.hook\_into :faraday  | faraday (w/ net\_http) |

## localhost requests are not treated differently by default

*Given* a file named "localhost\_not\_ignored.rb" with:

```
include_http_adapter_for("<http_lib>")
require 'sinatra_app.rb'

require 'vcr'

VCR.configure do |c|
  c.cassette_library_dir = 'cassettes'
  c.default_cassette_options = { :serialize_with => :syck }
  <configuration>
end

VCR.use_cassette('localhost') do
  response_body_for(:get, "http://localhost:#{$server.port}/")
end

response_body_for(:get, "http://localhost:#{$server.port}/")
```

*When* I run `ruby localhost_not_ignored.rb`

*Then* it should fail with "An HTTP request has been made that VCR does not know how to handle"

*And* the file "cassettes/localhost.yml" should contain "Port 7777 Response 1".

### Examples

| configuration          | http\_lib              |
| ---------------------- | ---------------------- |
| c.hook\_into :webmock  | net/http               |
| c.hook\_into :typhoeus | typhoeus               |
| c.hook\_into :excon    | excon                  |
| c.hook\_into :faraday  | faraday (w/ net\_http) |

## localhost requests are allowed and not recorded when ignore\_localhost = true

*Given* a file named "ignore\_localhost\_true.rb" with:

```
include_http_adapter_for("<http_lib>")
require 'sinatra_app.rb'

require 'vcr'

VCR.configure do |c|
  c.ignore_localhost = true
  c.cassette_library_dir = 'cassettes'
  <configuration>
end

VCR.use_cassette('localhost') do
  puts response_body_for(:get, "http://localhost:#{$server.port}/")
end

puts response_body_for(:get, "http://localhost:#{$server.port}/")
```

*When* I run `ruby ignore_localhost_true.rb`

*Then* it should pass with:

```
Port 7777 Response 1
Port 7777 Response 2
```

*And* the file "cassettes/localhost.yml" should not exist.

### Examples

| configuration          | http\_lib              |
| ---------------------- | ---------------------- |
| c.hook\_into :webmock  | net/http               |
| c.hook\_into :typhoeus | typhoeus               |
| c.hook\_into :excon    | excon                  |
| c.hook\_into :faraday  | faraday (w/ net\_http) |