> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://nicolasiensen.gitbook.io/vcr/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://nicolasiensen.gitbook.io/vcr/cassettes/exclusive.md).

# Exclusive Cassette

VCR allows cassettes to be nested. This is particularly useful in a context like cucumber, where you may be using a cassette for an entire scenario, and also using a cassette within a particular step definition.

By default, both the inner and outer cassettes are active. On each request, VCR will look for a matching HTTP interaction in the inner cassette, and it will use the outer cassette as a fall back if none can be found.

If you do not want the HTTP interactions of the outer cassette considered, you can pass the `:exclusive` option, so that the inner cassette is used exclusively.

## Background ()

*Given* a previously recorded cassette file "cassettes/outer.yml" with:

```
--- 
http_interactions: 
- request: 
    method: get
    uri: http://localhost/outer
    body: 
      encoding: UTF-8
      string: ""
    headers: {}
  response: 
    status: 
      code: 200
      message: OK
    headers: 
      Content-Length: 
      - "18"
    body: 
      encoding: UTF-8
      string: Old outer response
    http_version: "1.1"
  recorded_at: Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:58:44 GMT
recorded_with: VCR 2.0.0
```

*And* a previously recorded cassette file "cassettes/inner.yml" with:

```
--- 
http_interactions: 
- request: 
    method: get
    uri: http://localhost/inner
    body: 
      encoding: UTF-8
      string: ""
    headers: {}
  response: 
    status: 
      code: 200
      message: OK
    headers: 
      Content-Length: 
      - "18"
    body: 
      encoding: UTF-8
      string: Old inner response
    http_version: "1.1"
  recorded_at: Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:58:44 GMT
recorded_with: VCR 2.0.0
```

*And* a file named "setup.rb" with:

```
include_http_adapter_for("net/http")

$server = start_sinatra_app do
  get('/:path') { "New #{params[:path]} response" }
end

require 'vcr'

VCR.configure do |c|
  c.hook_into :webmock
  c.cassette_library_dir = 'cassettes'
  c.default_cassette_options = {
    :record => :new_episodes,
    :match_requests_on => [:method, :host, :path]
  }
end
```

## Cassettes are not exclusive by default

*Given* a file named "not\_exclusive.rb" with:

```
require 'setup'

VCR.use_cassette('outer') do
  VCR.use_cassette('inner') do
    puts response_body_for(:get, "http://localhost:#{$server.port}/outer")
    puts response_body_for(:get, "http://localhost:#{$server.port}/inner")
  end
end
```

*When* I run `ruby not_exclusive.rb`

*Then* it should pass with:

```
Old outer response
Old inner response
```

## Use an exclusive cassette

*Given* a file named "exclusive.rb" with:

```
require 'setup'

VCR.use_cassette('outer') do
  VCR.use_cassette('inner', :exclusive => true) do
    puts response_body_for(:get, "http://localhost:#{$server.port}/outer")
    puts response_body_for(:get, "http://localhost:#{$server.port}/inner")
  end
end
```

*When* I run `ruby exclusive.rb`

*Then* it should pass with:

```
New outer response
Old inner response
```

*And* the file "cassettes/inner.yml" should contain "New outer response".


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