Glossary
Key terms and concepts used throughout the mockpoint documentation.
OCPP
Open Charge Point Protocol — An open standard for communication between EV charging stations and a central management system. Maintained by the Open Charge Alliance (OCA).
OCPP 1.6J
Version 1.6 of the OCPP specification using JSON over WebSocket as the transport layer. The "J" suffix indicates JSON format (as opposed to SOAP). This is the version mockpoint implements.
CSMS
Charging Station Management System — The backend software that manages EV charging infrastructure. Receives connections from charge points, handles authorization, monitors sessions, and collects meter data. Also known as "Central System" in OCPP 1.6 terminology.
Charge Point
The physical or virtual device that provides charging service to electric vehicles. In OCPP, the charge point initiates a WebSocket connection to the CSMS and exchanges messages according to the protocol. mockpoint simulates one or more charge points.
Connector
A single charging outlet on a charge point. A charge point may have multiple connectors (e.g., Connector 1, Connector 2). In OCPP, connector ID 0 refers to the charge point itself, while IDs 1+ refer to individual physical connectors.
Transaction
A charging session in OCPP. Starts with StartTransaction and ends with StopTransaction. The CSMS assigns a transaction ID that is used to track meter values and billing.
IdTag
An identifier used to authorize a user for charging. Typically represents an RFID card, mobile app token, or other authentication credential. The CSMS validates IdTags via theAuthorize message.
BootNotification
The first message a charge point sends after connecting to the CSMS. Contains information about the charge point vendor, model, and firmware version. The CSMS responds with the heartbeat interval and registration status.
Heartbeat
A periodic message sent by the charge point to indicate it is still connected and operational. The interval is specified by the CSMS in the BootNotification response.
MeterValues
Periodic energy consumption data sent during a transaction. Includes measurements like energy delivered (Wh), current (A), voltage (V), and power (W). Used for billing and monitoring.
Deterministic
A property where the same input always produces the same output. In mockpoint, deterministic execution means scenarios run identically every time, enabling reliable regression testing and CI/CD integration.
Scenario
A YAML file that defines a test flow for mockpoint. Contains the target CSMS URL, charger configuration, and a sequence of steps (OCPP messages) to execute.
CI/CD
Continuous Integration / Continuous Deployment — Automated software development practices where code changes trigger automated builds, tests, and deployments. mockpoint's deterministic execution and exit codes make it suitable for CI pipelines.
StatusNotification
An OCPP message sent by the charge point to report connector status changes. Status values include Available,Preparing,Charging,Finishing, andFaulted.
RemoteStartTransaction
A CSMS-initiated message instructing a charge point to start a charging session. Allows operators to remotely authorize and begin charging without a physical IdTag present at the station.
RemoteStopTransaction
A CSMS-initiated message instructing a charge point to stop an ongoing charging session. Used for remote session management, emergency stops, or when a user ends charging via a mobile app.
WebSocket
A communication protocol providing full-duplex channels over a single TCP connection. OCPP 1.6J uses WebSocket (ws:// or wss://) as its transport layer, allowing both the charge point and CSMS to initiate messages.
TLS / mTLS
Transport Layer Security — Cryptographic protocol for secure communication.mTLS (mutual TLS) requires both client and server to present certificates, providing stronger authentication for charge point connections.
Authorize
An OCPP message sent by the charge point to validate an IdTag before starting a transaction. The CSMS responds with an authorization status:Accepted,Blocked,Expired, orInvalid.
Reset
A CSMS-initiated message to restart the charge point. Can beSoft (restart software) orHard (full reboot). Used for applying configuration changes or recovering from errors.
Configuration Keys
Settings stored on the charge point that control its behavior. The CSMS can read and write configuration using GetConfiguration andChangeConfiguration messages.
Fault Injection
A testing technique where errors are deliberately introduced to verify system resilience. In mockpoint, fault injection simulates network failures, timeouts, and protocol errors to test CSMS error handling.