"request_builder":
Request builder
Method, URL, params, headers, body and auth, docked in the Activity Bar. Send and read the response next to your code.
// you already wrote these routes. stop retyping their URLs.
Dragonfly
API testing inside VS Code, without leaving your codebase
Dragonfly reads your Express and Next.js code and turns your routes into ready-to-send requests. Build, send and inspect them right next to your code. No second app, and nothing ever leaves your machine.
// tip: open the Dragonfly tab in the sidebar to try a request
New here? Read the docs to get set up in a minute.
- Free, no paid tier
- No account, no sign in
- Runs on your machine
#Other clients start empty. Dragonfly starts from your code.
Most API clients hand you a blank request and wait for a URL. Run Scan Workspace for Routes and Dragonfly reads your source, finds every Express and Next.js endpoint, and turns them into a collection you can send right away. Add a route later, scan again, and it updates.
ProblemsOutputTerminal
➜ dragonfly scan workspace for routes
GET/api/users
POST/api/users
GET/api/users/:id
PATCH/api/users/:id
✓ 4 routes found in routes/users.js, added to a collection
#A complete client, not a cut down one.
"collections":
Collections and environments
Folders, search, and one-click environment switching. {{variables}} resolve across every request.
"private_auth":
Auth that stays private
Bearer, API key and basic auth. Secrets go into VS Code secure storage, never a JSON file on disk.
"copy_as_code":
Copy as code
Export any request as cURL, Node.js, Python, Go, PHP, Java or Rust when you need it in a script.
#Bring the work you already have.
One Import command detects the format and pulls in folders, headers, params, bodies and environments intact, so {{baseUrl}} resolves right away. Live credentials are left out on purpose.
- +Postman collections
- +OpenAPI and Swagger
- +cURL commands
#How it compares.
Postman, Thunder Client and Insomnia are all good tools. Here is where Dragonfly is different, and where it overlaps.
| Feature | Dragonfly | Postman | Thunder Client | Insomnia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runs inside VS Code | – | |||
| Builds requests by scanning your code (Express & Next.js) | – | – | – | |
| Collections foldered to match your codebase structure | – | – | – | |
| Auth secrets kept in VS Code secure storage | – | – | – | |
| Import Postman, OpenAPI & cURL | ||||
| Environments with {{variables}} | ||||
| Copy any request as code (cURL, Python, Go, +) | ||||
| Request history built in | ||||
| Works with no account | – | |||
| Everything stays on your machine | – | |||
| Free, no paid tier | – | – | – |
Comparison reflects the free, out-of-the-box experience of each tool.
Full breakdowns: vs Postman · vs Thunder Client · vs Insomnia
#What Dragonfly is, and is not.
Dragonfly does one job well: read your codebase and build your requests for you, right inside the editor. Knowing where it stops is part of the pitch.
// built for
Built for this
- Testing the endpoint you are working on right now
- Turning Express & Next.js routes into a collection
- Importing Postman, OpenAPI, cURL and more
- Staying local, no account, no telemetry
// on the roadmap
On the roadmap
- Team sync for collections and environments
- More frameworks for route discovery
- Deeper OpenAPI and GraphQL support
- Driven by what people ask for
#Questions, answered plainly.
How do I test an API endpoint inside VS Code?+
Install Dragonfly and open it from the Activity Bar. Build the request in the sidebar with a method, URL, headers, body and auth, then press Send. The response opens next to your code, so there is no second app to switch to.
Can I import my Postman collection?+
Yes, and not only Postman. Import from a Postman collection, an OpenAPI or Swagger spec, or a single cURL command. Run Import Collection and the format is detected for you. Folders, headers, query params and bodies come across, and live credentials are left out on purpose.
Can it find the API routes in my project automatically?+
Yes. Run Scan Workspace for Routes and Dragonfly parses your source for Express route handlers and Next.js API routes, then builds a collection from what it finds. Run it again after you add endpoints and it picks up the changes.
Where does Dragonfly store my data?+
Everything stays on your machine. Collections, environments and history live in VS Code storage, and tokens go into VS Code secure storage rather than a JSON file. There is no account, no sign in and no server.
#Found a bug, or have an idea?
Dragonfly is in beta and built in the open. Send a bug report, a feature request, or just say hello at saurowankhade@gmail.com.
Curious how your data is handled? Read the privacy note.