Yash

Yash

he/him

AI Engineer at Honeywell | MSc Computer Science & AI | Building scalable LLM solutions

Bruno

2 minute read

Published:

APIs are crucial today, but testing tools inlcuding dev testing especially between devs is a hassle. The most popular tool, Postman, has become bloated, with many features hidden behind a paywall. This led me on a search for an open-source, privacy-focused API testing tool—Bruno.

Why Bruno? 🤔

Bruno lets users store collections and API requests, traditionally kept in Postman, but with a more streamlined, Git-friendly approach. This eliminates the confusion of having API requests versioned separately from your code, making it easier to share cURL requests across teams like QA, product, and other stakeholders.

Bruno Logo

Personal Story Time! 📖

Let me tell you about the time I first tried Bruno. I was working on a hackathon project at an internal event at 1mg, and the APIs were a tangled mess. Our team struggled with complex collections and bloated workspaces. Then, I found Bruno. It felt like discovering a secret weapon. Suddenly, APIs were fun again! I could clone a repo, see real examples, and get to work immediately. No more “Where’s that JSON file?” moments. 💡

Bruno vs. Other API Tools 🔍

Key Benefits:

  • Lightweight & User-Friendly Interface: Bruno’s snappy UI is built with Electron and available on all major desktop platforms—Linux, Mac, and Windows. Unlike Postman, Bruno is entirely offline, ensuring your data stays on your machine.

  • Privacy First: Unlike Postman, which routes API requests through proprietary proxy servers, Bruno handles requests directly from your computer, keeping your data private and secure.

  • Git Integration: Bruno uses a plain text markup language called Bru, storing API requests directly in your repository. This allows seamless version control and collaboration using tools like Git.

Additional Features:

  • No Paywall: Bruno is a FOSS project with no hidden fees, unlike Postman, which locks essential features behind a paywall.
  • Unlimited Collection Runs: Postman limits collection runs, but with Bruno, you can run collections as many times as you like.
  • Secret Management: Load secrets directly from a .env file, eliminating the need to manage them separately.
  • Declarative Scripting: Write tests and update post-response variables using simple expressions, supported by Bruno’s declarative scripting features.
  • CLI Support: Run API collections with ease using Bruno’s CLI, integrating smoothly with your CI/CD workflows.

The Future of API Testing 🛠️

Bruno is revolutionizing API testing by focusing on privacy, efficiency, and user control. By co-locating API collections with your source code and enabling Git management, Bruno offers a cohesive and secure solution for developers and teams.