huachao/vscode-restclient

★ 5,999TypeScriptAudience · developerComplexity · 2/5Setup · easy

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((REST Client))
    What it does
      Send HTTP requests
      View responses
      Replay request history
    Request types
      REST and HTTP
      GraphQL
      cURL commands
      SOAP
    Features
      Environment variables
      Authentication helpers
      Code snippet generation
    Auth methods
      Basic and Digest
      AWS Signature v4
      Azure AD

mindmap root((REST Client)) What it does Send HTTP requests View responses Replay request history Request types REST and HTTP GraphQL cURL commands SOAP Features Environment variables Authentication helpers Code snippet generation Auth methods Basic and Digest AWS Signature v4 Azure AD

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Things people build with this

USE CASE 1

Test REST API endpoints by writing requests in a .http file inside VS Code without opening Postman

USE CASE 2

Switch between local, staging, and production APIs using named environments and variable substitution

USE CASE 3

Generate a working Python or JavaScript code snippet from an HTTP request in one click

USE CASE 4

Store a collection of API calls in a single text file and replay any of them from VS Code

Tech stack

TypeScriptVS Code

Getting it running

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min

Install from the VS Code marketplace and create a .http file, no external configuration required to send your first request.

License terms not specified in the explanation, check the repository directly.

In plain English

REST Client is an extension for Visual Studio Code that lets you send HTTP requests and see the responses without leaving your editor. Instead of switching to a separate app like Postman to test an API, you write your request directly in a text file inside VS Code, click a button (or press a keyboard shortcut), and the response appears in a side panel. It works with standard HTTP, GraphQL queries, cURL commands, and SOAP requests. You can store multiple requests in a single file by separating them with three or more hash symbols. Each block is treated as its own independent request, so you can build a whole collection of API calls in one place and run whichever one you need. The extension saves your request history automatically, and you can replay any past request with one click. The extension supports a variable system that lets you avoid repeating things like base URLs or authentication tokens. You define environments (for example, one for local development and one for production), set variables in each, and switch between them as needed. There is also support for dynamic values such as random numbers, timestamps, and generated IDs that the extension fills in at the moment you send a request. Authentication options are broad. The README lists support for Basic Auth, Digest Auth, SSL client certificates, Azure Active Directory, Microsoft Identity Platform, AWS Signature v4, and AWS Cognito. You can also generate code snippets from your request in languages like Python and JavaScript, which is useful when you want to copy a working call into your own code. The extension adds a dedicated file language for .http and .rest files, with syntax highlighting, auto-completion for headers and methods, and inline links that trigger requests directly from the file. The full README is longer than what was shown.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1

Show me a sample .http file in VS Code REST Client that defines a base URL as a variable, calls a POST endpoint with a JSON body, and uses a Bearer token for auth.

Prompt 2

How do I set up two environments in VS Code REST Client, one for local development at localhost:3000 and one for production, and switch between them when sending requests?

Prompt 3

I want to generate a Python requests snippet from a REST Client .http file that has custom headers and a JSON body. Walk me through the steps to export it.

Prompt 4

How do I use VS Code REST Client to send an authenticated request using AWS Signature v4? What variables do I need to set and in which file?

Prompt 5

I have a GraphQL API. Show me how to write a GraphQL query in a .http file using VS Code REST Client, including how to pass variables.

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