Keploy vs Starterly
Keploy generates integration tests from real API traffic using eBPF without any code changes, while Starterly uses AI to generate unit tests from code analysis. Keploy captures actual production behavior with auto-generated mocks, whereas Starterly focuses on AI-driven unit test creation for individual functions and methods.
How They Work Differently
Architectural differences that affect your team's workflow, cost, and velocity.
KeployKeploy captures real API traffic using eBPF and converts it into replayable integration tests with auto-generated mocks and stubs. No code changes or test writing is needed. Time-freezing and normalization handle non-deterministic data automatically.
StarterlyStarterly uses AI to analyze source code and generate unit tests for functions and methods. It focuses on increasing code coverage through automated test creation. The platform generates tests based on code structure analysis rather than runtime behavior.
How They Compare
Click any row to see real-world KPI impact across industries.
KeployOpen Source · 17K+ Stars
StarterlyWhen to Use Each Tool
Specific scenarios where each tool delivers the most value for your engineering team.
Keploy is the better fit when you need to...
- You need integration tests generated from real production traffic patterns
- Your team wants zero-code-change test generation with eBPF capture
- You need auto-generated mocks for databases and external dependencies
- You prefer open-source self-hosted testing with Apache 2.0 licensing
- You want to test actual API behavior rather than code-level unit logic
Starterly is the better fit when you need to...
- Your primary need is unit test generation for individual functions
- You want AI to write tests based on code analysis and structure
- Your team needs quick unit test coverage for new codebases
- You prefer a managed platform focused specifically on unit testing
- You want test generation without needing a traffic capture environment
Real-World Scenarios
How each tool handles the challenges your team actually faces.
Greenfield Test Coverage
Keploy captures API traffic from running the application and generates integration tests instantly. Even new projects get real-behavior tests from day one without writing test code.
Starterly analyzes the codebase and generates unit tests using AI. It can quickly create test files for functions that have no existing tests, boosting coverage metrics rapidly.
Legacy Application Testing
Keploy records real traffic to legacy APIs and creates test suites without modifying legacy code. Auto-generated mocks ensure tests run independently of external systems.
Starterly can analyze legacy code and generate unit tests for existing functions. It helps add test coverage to codebases that were developed without tests originally.
Pre-Deployment Validation
Keploy replays recorded API interactions against new builds in CI to detect behavioral regressions. Response diffs highlight exactly what changed between versions.
Starterly generates unit tests that run in CI to validate individual function behavior. It catches unit-level regressions but does not validate end-to-end API behavior.
FAQs
Keploy generates tests from real API traffic captured via eBPF, producing integration tests based on actual user behavior. Starterly uses AI to analyze source code and generate unit tests. Keploy tests real system behavior while Starterly tests individual code units.
Keploy is purpose-built for API testing, capturing real requests and responses with auto-generated dependency mocks. Starterly focuses on unit test generation. For comprehensive API testing with realistic scenarios, Keploy is the stronger choice.
Yes. Keploy's Test Agent product uses AI to generate unit tests on PR diffs, similar to Starterly. Additionally, Keploy generates integration tests from traffic capture, giving you both unit and integration test coverage.
Yes. Unit tests validate individual functions while integration tests verify that services work together correctly. Keploy covers integration testing automatically, and its Test Agent handles unit tests. Using both levels of testing provides the most comprehensive coverage.
Keploy tests are based on recorded traffic and update easily by re-recording. Its normalization handles non-deterministic data, reducing flaky tests. AI-generated unit tests may need manual updates when function signatures or logic change significantly.
Looking for a Starterly Alternative?
Engineering teams evaluating Starterly alternatives often compare it with Keploy for API testing and regression coverage. Keploy captures real production traffic via eBPF and auto-generates tests with dependency mocks — requiring zero code changes. If you're considering switching from Starterly or comparing Starterly and Keploy side by side, the key differences come down to how tests are generated (traffic-based vs manual), how dependencies are mocked (automatic vs configured), and what infrastructure changes are needed (none vs SDK/sidecar/containers).
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