Guides & notes on .http files.
Practical writing on API workflows with plain-text request files — organizing them, running them, and choosing tools that don't get in the way. From the maker of Karve.
July 18, 2026
VS Code REST Client: a practical .http file guide
Install the VS Code REST Client, send requests from .http files, use variables and environments, and keep the portable parts usable outside VS Code.
Read the post →July 18, 2026
How to use .http files in Visual Studio 2022
Create, run, and organize .http request files in Visual Studio 2022, including variables, .env values, Endpoints Explorer, and the portable syntax other clients understand.
Read the post →July 18, 2026
How to migrate from Insomnia to .http files
A practical Insomnia migration: export your requests as HAR or copy them as cURL, convert to .http files with free browser tools, rebuild environments, and validate.
Read the post →July 18, 2026
A practical guide to JetBrains HTTP Client .http files
Run .http files in IntelliJ IDEA and other JetBrains IDEs, manage public and private environments, and understand which request syntax stays portable.
Read the post →July 18, 2026
Insomnia alternatives: where Windows developers actually land (2026)
An honest roundup for developers leaving Insomnia — local-first clients, file-based workflows, and editor runners that work well on Windows, with real trade-offs and migration paths.
Read the post →July 18, 2026
.http files as API documentation that can't go stale
Why runnable .http files beat wiki pages as internal API documentation — they're executable, PR-reviewed, and live beside the code — plus conventions that make a file read like docs.
Read the post →July 18, 2026
Git-friendly API clients: keeping requests in version control (2026)
A comparison of file-based API clients — Karve, VS Code REST Client, JetBrains HTTP Client, Bruno, Yaak, and Kreya — by what actually makes requests diff, review, and merge well in Git.
Read the post →July 18, 2026
How to generate .http files from an OpenAPI spec
Turn an OpenAPI or Swagger spec into runnable .http request files — get the spec JSON, convert it in the browser, fill in variables, and keep the output in Git.
Read the post →July 18, 2026
How to export an Insomnia collection
Export requests from Insomnia — as Insomnia's own JSON/YAML or as HAR — for backup, handoff, or conversion to portable .http files, and know what the export can't carry.
Read the post →July 18, 2026
A practical .http file workflow for ASP.NET Core APIs
Keep runnable REST examples beside an ASP.NET Core API: structure .http files, handle local ports and secrets, review changes in Git, and run them across compatible clients.
Read the post →July 18, 2026
API testing with .http files: a practical manual workflow
How to test a REST API with .http files — build a smoke file, exercise error paths and auth failures deliberately, keep test requests in Git, and know when to graduate to automation.
Read the post →July 10, 2026
How to store API requests in Git
Keep REST requests beside your code as reviewable .http files. Use a predictable folder structure, safe environment files, and a simple pull-request workflow.
Read the post →July 10, 2026
Postman collections vs .http files
Compare Postman collections with plain .http request files: storage, Git diffs, environments, scripts, collaboration, portability, and which workflow fits.
Read the post →July 10, 2026
How to migrate from Postman to .http files
A practical Postman migration: inventory scripts and environments, export Collection v2.1 JSON, convert requests to .http, validate, and move safely.
Read the post →July 10, 2026
How to export a Postman collection as JSON
Export a Postman Collection v2.1 JSON file for backup, review, or conversion to .http — and know which environment values, scripts, and files need separate attention.
Read the post →July 5, 2026
10 Postman alternatives for Windows developers (2026)
An honest roundup of Postman alternatives that run well on Windows — native apps, editor extensions, and open-source clients — with pricing models and real trade-offs.
Read the post →July 5, 2026
How to organize .http files across multiple repos
Practical conventions for keeping .http request files organized when they spread across microservices: folder structure, naming, environments, and three ways to work across repos.
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