Features
- GUI for building, testing, and documenting APIs
- Collection runner for automated test suites
- Environment variables and workspace collaboration
- Mock servers and API monitoring
Pros
- Industry standard for API development and testing
- Excellent team collaboration and sharing features
- Comprehensive tooling from design to monitoring
Cons
- Electron app is resource-heavy
- Advanced features require paid plans
- Collections can become unwieldy in large projects
Overview
Postman is the most widely used API development platform, providing a visual interface for creating, testing, documenting, and monitoring APIs. It supports REST, GraphQL, WebSocket, and gRPC protocols, making it a versatile tool for any API workflow.
Beyond simple request building, Postman offers collection-based test automation, environment management for different deployment stages, mock servers for frontend development, and monitoring for production APIs. Its workspace model enables teams to collaborate on API development.
When to Use
Postman is the right choice when you need a comprehensive GUI for API development and testing, when collaborating across a team on API collections, or when setting up automated API testing workflows. For a lighter open-source alternative, consider Hoppscotch.
Getting Started
# Install Postman desktop app from postman.com
# Or use the web version at web.postman.co
# Create a new request:
# 1. Click "New" > "HTTP Request"
# 2. Enter URL: https://api.example.com/users
# 3. Select method: GET
# 4. Click "Send"