> For clean Markdown of any page, append .md to the page URL.
> For a complete documentation index, see https://docs.prolific.com/llms.txt.
> For AI client integration (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.), connect to the MCP server at https://docs.prolific.com/_mcp/server.

# Testing study set up

From the Prolific user interface, you can Preview how a participant will see your task. Look at the video tutorial [here](https://researcher-help.prolific.com/en/articles/445131-previewing-your-study).

For a more end-to-end participant experience, we now have a 'Test study as participant' feature. [Click here](https://researcher-help.prolific.com/en/articles/445134-test-study-as-a-participant) for a detailed breakdown of this feature, including tips on how to use it.

The 'Test study as a participant' feature is currently in a **limited beta release**. To be notified when this feature becomes more widely available, you can [register your interest](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeFnReCu0H0qf5HKTZCBkgHkXsuOfSiLm4qmckZ2xv1N-dmkQ/viewform?usp=pp_url\&entry.155367885=Test+study+as+a+participant\&entry.811324050=Test+study+as+a+participant) here.

## Test study as participant via API

To 'Test study as participant' via the API, follow these steps:

Create a test participant against a researcher account

### Request

POST [https://api.prolific.com/api/v1/researchers/participants/](https://api.prolific.com/api/v1/researchers/participants/)

```curl
curl -X POST https://api.prolific.com/api/v1/researchers/participants/ \
     -H "Authorization: Token <token>" \
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     -d '{
  "email": "test.participant2024@prolific.co"
}'
```

```python
import requests

url = "https://api.prolific.com/api/v1/researchers/participants/"

payload = { "email": "test.participant2024@prolific.co" }
headers = {
    "Authorization": "Token <token>",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

response = requests.post(url, json=payload, headers=headers)

print(response.json())
```

```javascript
const url = 'https://api.prolific.com/api/v1/researchers/participants/';
const options = {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {Authorization: 'Token <token>', 'Content-Type': 'application/json'},
  body: '{"email":"test.participant2024@prolific.co"}'
};

try {
  const response = await fetch(url, options);
  const data = await response.json();
  console.log(data);
} catch (error) {
  console.error(error);
}
```

```go
package main

import (
	"fmt"
	"strings"
	"net/http"
	"io"
)

func main() {

	url := "https://api.prolific.com/api/v1/researchers/participants/"

	payload := strings.NewReader("{\n  \"email\": \"test.participant2024@prolific.co\"\n}")

	req, _ := http.NewRequest("POST", url, payload)

	req.Header.Add("Authorization", "Token <token>")
	req.Header.Add("Content-Type", "application/json")

	res, _ := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)

	defer res.Body.Close()
	body, _ := io.ReadAll(res.Body)

	fmt.Println(res)
	fmt.Println(string(body))

}
```

```ruby
require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

url = URI("https://api.prolific.com/api/v1/researchers/participants/")

http = Net::HTTP.new(url.host, url.port)
http.use_ssl = true

request = Net::HTTP::Post.new(url)
request["Authorization"] = 'Token <token>'
request["Content-Type"] = 'application/json'
request.body = "{\n  \"email\": \"test.participant2024@prolific.co\"\n}"

response = http.request(request)
puts response.read_body
```

```java
import com.mashape.unirest.http.HttpResponse;
import com.mashape.unirest.http.Unirest;

HttpResponse<String> response = Unirest.post("https://api.prolific.com/api/v1/researchers/participants/")
  .header("Authorization", "Token <token>")
  .header("Content-Type", "application/json")
  .body("{\n  \"email\": \"test.participant2024@prolific.co\"\n}")
  .asString();
```

```php
<?php
require_once('vendor/autoload.php');

$client = new \GuzzleHttp\Client();

$response = $client->request('POST', 'https://api.prolific.com/api/v1/researchers/participants/', [
  'body' => '{
  "email": "test.participant2024@prolific.co"
}',
  'headers' => [
    'Authorization' => 'Token <token>',
    'Content-Type' => 'application/json',
  ],
]);

echo $response->getBody();
```

```csharp
using RestSharp;

var client = new RestClient("https://api.prolific.com/api/v1/researchers/participants/");
var request = new RestRequest(Method.POST);
request.AddHeader("Authorization", "Token <token>");
request.AddHeader("Content-Type", "application/json");
request.AddParameter("application/json", "{\n  \"email\": \"test.participant2024@prolific.co\"\n}", ParameterType.RequestBody);
IRestResponse response = client.Execute(request);
```

```swift
import Foundation

let headers = [
  "Authorization": "Token <token>",
  "Content-Type": "application/json"
]
let parameters = ["email": "test.participant2024@prolific.co"] as [String : Any]

let postData = JSONSerialization.data(withJSONObject: parameters, options: [])

let request = NSMutableURLRequest(url: NSURL(string: "https://api.prolific.com/api/v1/researchers/participants/")! as URL,
                                        cachePolicy: .useProtocolCachePolicy,
                                    timeoutInterval: 10.0)
request.httpMethod = "POST"
request.allHTTPHeaderFields = headers
request.httpBody = postData as Data

let session = URLSession.shared
let dataTask = session.dataTask(with: request as URLRequest, completionHandler: { (data, response, error) -> Void in
  if (error != nil) {
    print(error as Any)
  } else {
    let httpResponse = response as? HTTPURLResponse
    print(httpResponse)
  }
})

dataTask.resume()
```

The email address supplied should not already have an associated Prolific account. Most email providers allow you to
create an alias associated with your inbox, for example `name+prolificparticipant@example.com`.

Reset the password on the participant account

When the account is created, a randomly generated password is assigned to the participant account. Use [the password
reset page](https://auth.prolific.com/u/reset-password/request/Username-Password-Authentication) to reset your
password.

Draft the study

Create the study that you want to test before publishing.

Create the test study

### Request

POST [https://api.prolific.com/api/v1/studies/\{id}/test-study](https://api.prolific.com/api/v1/studies/\{id}/test-study)

```curl
curl -X POST https://api.prolific.com/api/v1/studies/id/test-study \
     -H "Authorization: Token <token>" \
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     -d '{}'
```

```python
import requests

url = "https://api.prolific.com/api/v1/studies/id/test-study"

payload = {}
headers = {
    "Authorization": "Token <token>",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

response = requests.post(url, json=payload, headers=headers)

print(response.json())
```

```javascript
const url = 'https://api.prolific.com/api/v1/studies/id/test-study';
const options = {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {Authorization: 'Token <token>', 'Content-Type': 'application/json'},
  body: '{}'
};

try {
  const response = await fetch(url, options);
  const data = await response.json();
  console.log(data);
} catch (error) {
  console.error(error);
}
```

```go
package main

import (
	"fmt"
	"strings"
	"net/http"
	"io"
)

func main() {

	url := "https://api.prolific.com/api/v1/studies/id/test-study"

	payload := strings.NewReader("{}")

	req, _ := http.NewRequest("POST", url, payload)

	req.Header.Add("Authorization", "Token <token>")
	req.Header.Add("Content-Type", "application/json")

	res, _ := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)

	defer res.Body.Close()
	body, _ := io.ReadAll(res.Body)

	fmt.Println(res)
	fmt.Println(string(body))

}
```

```ruby
require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

url = URI("https://api.prolific.com/api/v1/studies/id/test-study")

http = Net::HTTP.new(url.host, url.port)
http.use_ssl = true

request = Net::HTTP::Post.new(url)
request["Authorization"] = 'Token <token>'
request["Content-Type"] = 'application/json'
request.body = "{}"

response = http.request(request)
puts response.read_body
```

```java
import com.mashape.unirest.http.HttpResponse;
import com.mashape.unirest.http.Unirest;

HttpResponse<String> response = Unirest.post("https://api.prolific.com/api/v1/studies/id/test-study")
  .header("Authorization", "Token <token>")
  .header("Content-Type", "application/json")
  .body("{}")
  .asString();
```

```php
<?php
require_once('vendor/autoload.php');

$client = new \GuzzleHttp\Client();

$response = $client->request('POST', 'https://api.prolific.com/api/v1/studies/id/test-study', [
  'body' => '{}',
  'headers' => [
    'Authorization' => 'Token <token>',
    'Content-Type' => 'application/json',
  ],
]);

echo $response->getBody();
```

```csharp
using RestSharp;

var client = new RestClient("https://api.prolific.com/api/v1/studies/id/test-study");
var request = new RestRequest(Method.POST);
request.AddHeader("Authorization", "Token <token>");
request.AddHeader("Content-Type", "application/json");
request.AddParameter("application/json", "{}", ParameterType.RequestBody);
IRestResponse response = client.Execute(request);
```

```swift
import Foundation

let headers = [
  "Authorization": "Token <token>",
  "Content-Type": "application/json"
]
let parameters = [] as [String : Any]

let postData = JSONSerialization.data(withJSONObject: parameters, options: [])

let request = NSMutableURLRequest(url: NSURL(string: "https://api.prolific.com/api/v1/studies/id/test-study")! as URL,
                                        cachePolicy: .useProtocolCachePolicy,
                                    timeoutInterval: 10.0)
request.httpMethod = "POST"
request.allHTTPHeaderFields = headers
request.httpBody = postData as Data

let session = URLSession.shared
let dataTask = session.dataTask(with: request as URLRequest, completionHandler: { (data, response, error) -> Void in
  if (error != nil) {
    print(error as Any)
  } else {
    let httpResponse = response as? HTTPURLResponse
    print(httpResponse)
  }
})

dataTask.resume()
```

Login with the participant account created in steps 1 & 2

Take the test study as a participant

To fix issues, update the draft study and repeat steps 4-6

Once you're happy with all the study settings, publish the draft study

#### Note

The 'Test study as participant' feature is in beta. Read the [help
guide](https://researcher-help.prolific.com/en/articles/445134-test-study-as-a-participant) here to understand participant
restrictions & how payments work with this feature.