REST Lab

A modern REST API client for Visual Studio Code. Test, debug, and manage your APIs with a beautiful, intuitive interface.

✨ Features

🚀 Full HTTP Method Support

Test your APIs with all standard HTTP methods including GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, and OPTIONS.

📁 Organize with Collections & Folders

Create folders to organize your API requests. Keep your workspace clean and structured with unlimited collections.

⚙️ Folder-Level Configuration

Set base URLs and default headers at the folder level. All requests within a folder automatically inherit these settings, reducing repetitive configuration.

📝 Modern Request Editor

Clean, intuitive interface for crafting requests with editable names, organized tabs, and easy-to-use editors.

🎯 Multiple Content Types

Support for all common content types:

• JSON (with syntax highlighting)
• XML
• Form URL Encoded
• Multipart Form Data
• Plain Text
• HTML

📤 File Upload Support

Easily upload files using multipart form data with built-in file picker.

💡 Smart Header Autocomplete

Intelligent autocomplete for common HTTP headers makes request configuration faster and error-free.

📊 Beautiful Response Viewer

View formatted responses with:

• Syntax-highlighted JSON/XML
• Response headers display
• Status code indicators
• Response time tracking
• Response size metrics

📥 Export/Import Collections

Export/Import your existing collections from:

• REST Lab native format
• Postman (v2.1 format)
• Thunder Client

Share your API collections with team members or backup your work.

🔧 Copy as cURL

Generate cURL commands from any request with a single click. Perfect for sharing API calls or debugging in terminal.

🎨 Drag & Drop Organization

Reorder your requests and folders with intuitive drag-and-drop functionality.

💾 Persistent Storage

All your requests, folders, and configurations are automatically saved and persist across VS Code sessions.

📋 Response Actions

• Copy response data to clipboard
• Download response as file
• Beautify JSON/XML responses
• View raw response data

🚀 Getting Started

Installation

1. Open VS Code
2. Go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X)
3. Search for "REST Lab"
4. Click Install

Quick Start

1. Open REST Lab: Click the REST Lab icon in the Activity Bar (left sidebar)
2. Create a Folder: Click the folder icon (📁) to create your first collection
3. Configure Folder (Optional): Click the ⚙️ icon to set base URL and default headers
4. Add Request: Click the ➕ icon to create a new request
5. Send Request: Configure your request and click the Send button!

💡 Usage Tips

• Organize by Project: Create separate folders for different APIs or projects
• Use Base URLs: Set base URLs at the folder level to avoid repetition
• Default Headers: Configure common headers (like Authorization) at folder level
• Quick Testing: Press Send button or use keyboard shortcuts for faster testing
• Import Existing: Migrate from Postman or Thunder Client using the import feature

📋 Requirements

• Visual Studio Code 1.85.0 or later

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Feel free to submit issues and pull requests.

📄 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE.md file for details.