dot-http for VS Code

An extension that behaves like a REST client. When you create a .http or .rest file, you can send HTTP requests and view the responses directly within the editor.

This project includes two components:

• VSCode extension — run .http files directly inside VS Code (this)
• CLI tool (dot-http) — run .http files from the terminal (see dot-http)

Features

• Send HTTP Requests: Execute requests defined in .http or .rest files.
• Variables: Support for file variables (@variableName = value) and environment variables (via .env files).
• Request Chaining: Use the response from one request as input for another.
• Multipart Form Data: Send files and form data easily.

Usage Examples

Basic Request

GET https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts/1

Variables

You can define variables at the top of your file and use them in your requests:

@baseUrl = https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com
@postId = 1

GET {{baseUrl}}/posts/{{postId}}

Variables can also come from a .env file in your workspace, or system environment variables:

GET {{baseUrl}}/posts?user={{$env USERNAME}}

Request Chaining

You can name requests and use their responses in subsequent requests.

### Get a post
# @name = getPost
GET https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts/1

### Use the post's userId to create a new post
# @requires = getPost
POST https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts
Content-Type: application/json

{
    "title": "New Post",
    "body": "This is a new post",
    "userId": {{getPost.body.userId}}
}

Importing Other Files

Split requests across files using @import. Imported files make their named requests and variables available to the current file.

@import = auth.http
@import = helpers/users.http

###
# @requires = login
GET https://api.example.com/profile
Authorization: Bearer {{login.body.token}}

Where auth.http contains:

# @name = login
POST https://api.example.com/auth
Content-Type: application/json

{"username": "user", "password": "pass"}

• Paths are relative to the importing file's directory
• Multiple @import directives are supported
• Imports are recursive (imported files can import other files)
• Cyclic imports are detected and safely skipped

Sending Files (Multipart/Form-Data)

You can upload files by using the < operator to include file contents.

POST https://httpbin.org/post
Content-Type: multipart/form-data; boundary=myBoundary

--myBoundary
Content-Disposition: form-data; name="file1"; filename="README.md"
Content-Type: text/markdown

< ./README.md
--myBoundary
Content-Disposition: form-data; name="file2"; filename="AGENTS.md"
Content-Type: text/markdown

< ./AGENTS.md
--myBoundary--

Extension Settings

This extension contributes the following settings:

• dot-http.responseViewMode: Configure where to display the response.
  • reuseTab (Default): Updates a single tab with the response content.
  • newTab: Opens a new tab for every response.
  • output: Displays response in the "Http Client" Output Channel.

Release Notes

1.0.0

Initial release with variable handling, request chaining, and settings.