// dragonfly-vs-insomnia.md
Dragonfly vs Insomnia
Insomnia is a dedicated desktop API client with strong GraphQL and design-first workflows. Dragonfly trades the separate app for staying inside VS Code, next to the code that defines your endpoints.
#Where Dragonfly is different
- No second desktop app, everything happens in the editor you already have open.
- Scan your Express and Next.js code to build requests automatically.
- Local-first: no account, no sign in, no telemetry.
- Free and MIT licensed.
#Side by side
| Feature | Dragonfly | Insomnia |
|---|---|---|
| Runs inside VS Code | – | |
| Builds requests by scanning your code (Express & Next.js) | – | |
| Collections foldered to match your codebase | – | |
| Auth secrets kept in VS Code secure storage | – | |
| Environments with {{variables}} | ||
| 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.
#When to pick each
Pick Insomnia if
- You work heavily with GraphQL, gRPC or WebSockets.
- You design APIs spec-first and edit OpenAPI documents in the client.
- You prefer a standalone desktop app outside your editor.
Pick Dragonfly if
- You test REST endpoints while writing them, in VS Code.
- Your API is built with Express or Next.js and you want requests generated from it.
- You want to bring your Insomnia export along and keep working in the editor.