Karate Netty mock server limitations for production credential isolation

Integration testing often requires isolating the test suite from production credentials and live data. Karate provides the Netty server capability to simulate API dependencies via feature files, allowing developers to map requests to static or dynamic responses without hitting a live endpoint.

While karate-config.js can switch base URLs between environments, using a local mock server introduces a gap in verifying the actual network layer and authentication handshake that occurs with production-grade identity providers.

There is uncertainty regarding the extent to which the built-in mock server can simulate complex OAuth2 flows or multi-step authentication challenges without relying on a live staging environment.

• Can the Karate Netty server be configured to simulate stateful authentication sessions across multiple requests?
• What are the constraints when simulating dynamic token expiration and refresh logic within a mock feature file?