Record Modes

Record modes control when grpcvcr records new interactions versus playing back existing ones.

Available Modes

NONE

Playback only. Never records new interactions.

from grpcvcr import Cassette, RecordMode

cassette = Cassette("test.yaml", record_mode=RecordMode.NONE)

• If a matching interaction exists: returns recorded response
• If no match: raises RecordingDisabledError
• If cassette doesn't exist: raises CassetteNotFoundError

Use case: CI/CD pipelines where you want to ensure all interactions are pre-recorded.

NEW_EPISODES

Records new interactions, replays existing ones. This is the default mode.

from grpcvcr import Cassette, RecordMode

cassette = Cassette("test.yaml", record_mode=RecordMode.NEW_EPISODES)

• If a matching interaction exists: returns recorded response
• If no match: makes real call, records it, returns response

Use case: Normal development workflow.

ALL

Always records, never replays.

from grpcvcr import Cassette, RecordMode

cassette = Cassette("test.yaml", record_mode=RecordMode.ALL)

• Always makes real calls
• Always overwrites cassette with new recordings

Use case: Updating cassettes after API changes.

ONCE

Records once if cassette is empty, then playback only.

from grpcvcr import Cassette, RecordMode

cassette = Cassette("test.yaml", record_mode=RecordMode.ONCE)

• If cassette is empty: records interactions
• If cassette has content: playback only (like NONE)

Use case: Initial test setup.

CLI Override

Override record mode for all tests:

# Force re-record everything
pytest --grpcvcr-record=all

# Playback only (fail if missing)
pytest --grpcvcr-record=none

Comparison Table

Mode	Cassette Empty	Match Found	No Match
NONE	Error	Playback	Error
NEW_EPISODES	Record	Playback	Record
ALL	Record	Record	Record
ONCE	Record	Playback	Error