HTTP 206 — Partial Content
HTTP 206 answers a Range request: instead of the whole representation, the server returns just the requested slice, with a Content-Range header marking which bytes arrived.
When 206 shows up
- Video and audio streaming, where the player fetches seconds of media at a time.
- Resumable downloads that continue from the last received byte.
Mocking a 206 response
A response with this status can be faked end to end with a local mock rule — no backend changes needed. The configuration below mirrors the rule fields the ApiSimul editor uses (method, path, status, delay in milliseconds, response body):
{
"method": "GET",
"path": "/media/video.mp4",
"status": 206,
"delay": 350,
"enabled": true,
"body": null
}Dynamic placeholders such as {{random.name}}, {{string.uuid}} or {{number.int 1 100}} can appear inside the body to vary each response, which keeps client-side list rendering and retry logic honest during development.
Frequently asked questions
What does HTTP 206 mean?
The response carries only part of the resource because the client asked for a range. The Content-Range header identifies the slice; a body outside a range request would be wrong.
How can I test a 206 response without a real backend?
Define a mock rule with the method and path your client requests and set the status to 206. The example configuration above returns this response after the listed delay, so the client exercises its 206 handling exactly as it would against a live server.
Related status codes
Need the response in your own project? Spin up rules for any status with the ApiSimul mock server, or browse every status code page.