API requests and collections

4 minute read · API Client

Try the request behind your app’s screen. For Small Stories, reading the article endpoint lets you check the data before the page renders it.

• Read your app's article endpoint
• Build a request with the right body
• Keep a repeatable debugging loop
• Turn an investigation into a collection
• Request editor controls

Read your app's article endpoint#

Create a cluster named Small Stories and a folder for Articles. Add a GET request using the actual address shown by your running local app. The website demo's sunday.example response is a prepared browser example; it is not a public API service to call from your own project.

Add Accept: application/json when the endpoint returns JSON, then Send. Inspect the status and response body together. Confirm the article IDs and titles rather than stopping at 200. Save the request so you can repeat the same check after a change.

Build a request with the right body#

The editor supports query/path variables, enabled or disabled header rows, and none, form-data, URL-encoded, raw or binary bodies. Raw formats include JSON, XML, text, HTML, JavaScript and GraphQL text. Choose the method and body expected by the target API rather than adding a body to every request.

For an authorized local article create, a JSON body might be:

{"title":"A quieter morning","introduction":"A fictional example for development."}

Use the app's actual required fields and endpoint. Sending POST, PUT, PATCH or DELETE can change data. A new request tab is a working view; it does not create another billable API cluster.

Keep a repeatable debugging loop#

Save a known-good request, change one input at a time and compare responses. A 4xx or 5xx is an HTTP response from the service; a connection failure means no usable response arrived. Cancel tracked requests through the UI when necessary, then inspect their final state.

Folders, names and descriptions help another person or agent understand the collection. Configure reusable variables and authorization through environments and auth, then add response checks.

Turn an investigation into a collection#

Create a cluster for the application, then group requests into folders such as Articles and Account. Save a read request before adding writes. Give it a name such as “List articles”, set GET and use the selected environment's base URL. Send it, inspect the status and actual JSON, then save the request so the next investigation starts from the same configuration.

Add a separate POST request for creating a fictional article. Choose the body type your API expects: raw JSON, form data, URL-encoded or binary. Enabled header and parameter rows are sent; disabled rows remain useful notes. For a file upload, confirm which local file is attached before sending.

After a successful write, use a saved GET to read the created record again. Keep a failed response visible while you inspect it: a 400/500 response is different from a network error. Cancel tracked work when needed, but inspect the service before repeating a write that may have completed. Extra request tabs are working views of the same saved collection. Use scripts and results to make the checks repeatable.

Related guides: environments and auth, response checks.

Request editor controls#

The screenshot uses prepared browser-demo data: 1 marks Send; 2 marks the request/response working area. No live API endpoint is contacted by this demo example.

Use Save after a successful read, close its tab and reopen the saved request to verify the URL, method and required headers persisted. See environments and authentication.