Concepts
Inboxes belong to the workspace you are signed into. Teammates in that workspace can open the same Inboxes from the app; people outside cannot manage them. The catch URL itself stays callable without signing in — that is how webhooks work.
Workspace boundary
Building blocks
| Term | Meaning | Typical home in the app |
|---|---|---|
| Inbox | A named session that collects inbound HTTP requests | Capture (/capture/:inboxId) |
| Catch URL | Public inbound address (/i/{inbox-id}) partners call |
Context bar · Help |
| Request | One captured HTTP call (method, URL, headers, body, timing) | Sidebar list → request detail |
| Mock response | Default status, headers, body, and optional delay Spanline returns to callers | Console → Response tab |
| Replay | Re-send a captured request from your browser (optionally edited) | Request detail → Replay |
| Project (optional) | Durable product identity when creating an Inbox | New Inbox modal in the product |
Catch URL vs the Capture page
| What | Purpose |
|---|---|
Catch URL (/i/{inbox-id}) |
Where partners send webhooks / HTTP calls |
Capture page (/capture/{inbox-id}) |
Where your team inspects and manages those requests |
They are different addresses on purpose. Share only the catch URL with external systems.
What Spanline stores for each request
- Method, URL, headers, and body from the caller
- Approximate client IP when the network provides it
- The response Spanline returned (status, headers, body, and how long it took — including any delay you configured)
You can also set a default mock response for the Inbox so callers always get a predictable reply while you debug.
Override the response status in the URL
Append a status segment to the catch path for a one-off response:
https://api.spanline.dev/i/<your-inbox-id>/404 → respond with HTTP 404
Useful when a partner needs to test error handling. The context bar may offer a quick 404 toggle for the same effect.
Live updates
New requests show up in the Inbox as they arrive — you usually do not need to refresh the page. Spanline subscribes over a live channel while the Inbox is open.
Console tabs (in-page)
Capture does not use product-area scene tabs (Overview, Scenarios, …). Inside an Inbox you work across:
| Tab / area | Role |
|---|---|
| Inspect | Request list context, empty listen hero, or request inspector |
| Response | Default mock response editor and presets |
| Request inspector | Body · Headers · Query · Cookies · Auth · Meta |
Roles (workspace)
| Role | Typical access |
|---|---|
| Viewer | Open Capture and inspect requests |
| Member | Create Inboxes, edit mock responses, replay, delete requests |
| Admin / owner | Same as member; manage workspace membership |
Exact labels follow your workspace membership. If a control is disabled, ask an admin — it is usually a role or plan limit, not a product bug.
Limits
Your deployment may cap stored requests per Inbox or maximum body size. Limits appear in Help when configured. Clear older requests or delete the Inbox when you hit storage caps.