Postman

Postman is a desktop and web application that helps developers design, test, and document APIs in a single, organized workspace. It replaces ad-hoc scripts and browser plugins with a structured environment where requests, test data, and documentation can be stored and shared.

At its core, Postman acts as an HTTP client for working with REST, GraphQL, and other API protocols. Developers can build requests visually, inspect responses, and save everything into collections that group related endpoints for a project or service. Environments allow the same collection to run against development, staging, and production systems simply by switching variables such as base URLs or API keys.

Postman goes beyond basic request sending by integrating testing and automation. Tests can be written in JavaScript to validate status codes, response times, and payloads, turning manual checks into repeatable scenarios that can run after each request or as part of automated collections. These runs can be scheduled or hooked into CI/CD pipelines so that API quality is checked consistently during development and deployment.

The platform also focuses on collaboration. Workspaces make it possible for team members to share collections, environments, and documentation while keeping changes tracked and organized. Teams can publish API documentation directly from collections, ensuring that examples and descriptions stay close to the actual requests developers use every day.

Postman offers a generous free tier that is suitable for individual developers and small teams who need a capable API client and basic collaboration. Larger organizations can add advanced features, higher usage limits, and governance controls through paid plans, but the core tooling for sending requests, saving collections, and running tests remains available at no cost.

For anyone working regularly with APIs, Postman provides a practical, well-established tool that fits into both simple and complex workflows. The interface strikes a balance between approachability for newcomers and depth for experienced users who need detailed control over headers, authentication, pre-request scripts, and response validation.