HTTP Request Tester

Build, send, and inspect HTTP requests with full control over method, headers, and body.Instantly view status codes, response headers, and formatted response bodies. Ideal for API development, debugging, and learning HTTP fundamentals.

Quick presets: ? JSONPlaceholder (GET) ? httpbin (POST) ? ReqRes (PUT) ? GitHub API (GET) ?️ DELETE test
Quick Headers:
Common headers: Content-Type, Authorization, Accept, User-Agent.

No body will be sent with this request.

Request History
Your privacy matters: All requests are sent directly from your browser. We never store, log, or share your request data. No server-side interception.

What Is an HTTP Request Tester?

An HTTP Request Tester (also called an API client or REST client) is a tool that lets you craft, send, and inspect HTTP messages directly from your browser. It is an essential companion for backend developers, QA engineers, API designers, and anyone who works with web services. Instead of writing boilerplate code or using a command‑line tool like curl, you can interactively build requests, tweak headers, and instantly see the server's response — all in a visual, user‑friendly interface.

This tool supports the full suite of HTTP methods: GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, and OPTIONS. You can add arbitrary headers, choose from multiple body formats (JSON, form‑urlencoded, plain text), and optionally generate a curl command to share or reproduce your request. The response is displayed with syntax‑highlighted JSON, status codes, timing information, and response headers.

At a glance

  • Method: GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
  • Headers: Add any number of custom key‑value pairs
  • Body: JSON, form‑urlencoded, plain text, or none
  • Response: Status, time, headers, and formatted body
  • Privacy: All requests are client‑side; no data is stored

Why Use an Interactive HTTP Client?

  • Rapid API development: Prototype and test endpoints without writing code or setting up Postman.
  • Debugging & troubleshooting: Inspect exact request/response pairs to pinpoint issues in authentication, headers, or payload formatting.
  • Learning tool: Understand how HTTP methods, status codes, and headers work in practice. Great for students and junior developers.
  • CI / CD integration: Generate curl commands from your tests to embed in scripts or pipelines.
  • Lightweight & accessible: No installation, no account, no subscription. Just open and use.

How Requests Are Processed

When you click Send Request, the tool builds a fetch request using the parameters you provided. The URL is validated, the selected method is applied, and any custom headers are merged. If a body is present, it is serialized according to the chosen body type (application/json, application/x-www-form-urlencoded, or text/plain). The request is then sent asynchronously.

The response is captured and parsed: the status code and status text are displayed, the response time is measured (from request start to full response), and the response headers are normalized into a readable list. If the response is JSON, it is pretty‑printed with syntax highlighting. For non‑JSON responses (HTML, XML, plain text), the raw body is shown in a monospace box. Errors such as network failures, CORS blocks, or invalid URLs are caught and displayed with actionable messages.

All processing happens entirely in your browser. No request data is sent to our servers, stored in logs, or shared with third parties. This makes the tool safe for testing private or internal APIs.

Step‑by‑Step Usage

  1. Enter the URL – the full endpoint you want to call, including protocol (https://).
  2. Choose a method – select from the button group. The method determines the intent of your request.
  3. Add headers – click Add header to include authentication tokens, content types, or custom metadata.
  4. Set the body – choose between JSON, form‑urlencoded, or plain text. Enter your payload in the text area.
  5. Send – click the Send Request button. The response will appear below the form.
  6. Inspect – switch between the Body and Headers tabs to examine the server’s reply.
  7. Copy or share – use the Generate cURL button to get a ready‑to‑use command, or copy the response for documentation.

Real‑World Use Cases

Case Study: Testing a Payment Gateway Integration

A fintech startup integrates with a third‑party payment API. The API requires a specific X-API-Key header and a JSON payload with amount, currency, and card_token. Before writing production code, the team uses this HTTP Request Tester to manually verify the endpoint's behavior. They send a POST request with the required headers and inspect the response — including the id of the created transaction and the status field. They also test error scenarios by sending malformed payloads, observing HTTP 400 responses with descriptive error messages. This rapid feedback loop saves hours of debugging and ensures the integration is correct before it reaches the codebase.

Case Study: Debugging a RESTful API for a Mobile App

A mobile development team notices that their app occasionally fails to load user profiles. Using this tool, they replicate the app's request: a GET to https://api.example.com/users/me with an Authorization: Bearer <token> header. The response returns a 403 Forbidden with a message Token expired. They then test the refresh token flow by sending a POST to the refresh endpoint, verify the new token works, and confirm the fix. The ability to quickly isolate the issue without touching the app's code or using a heavy debugging proxy streamlines the entire process.

HTTP Reference: Methods & Status Codes

Understanding HTTP semantics is crucial for building robust APIs. Below is a quick reference to the most common methods and status codes.

HTTP Methods
Method Purpose Idempotent Safe Body allowed
GET Retrieve a resource ✓ ✓ No
POST Create a new resource ✗ ✗ Yes
PUT Replace a resource entirely ✓ ✗ Yes
PATCH Partially update a resource ✗ ✗ Yes
DELETE Remove a resource ✓ ✗ Maybe
HEAD Same as GET, but only headers ✓ ✓ No
OPTIONS Describe communication options ✓ ✓ No
Common Status Codes
Code Meaning Description
200 OK Request succeeded. The response contains the requested data.
201 Created Resource successfully created (usually after POST or PUT).
204 No Content Request succeeded, but no response body (common for DELETE).
400 Bad Request Malformed syntax or invalid parameters in the request.
401 Unauthorized Authentication missing or invalid.
403 Forbidden Authenticated but not authorized to access the resource.
404 Not Found The requested resource does not exist.
405 Method Not Allowed HTTP method not supported for this endpoint.
429 Too Many Requests Rate limiting has been exceeded.
500 Internal Server Error Server‑side error; generic catch‑all.
502 Bad Gateway Upstream server error (proxy/gateway).
503 Service Unavailable Server is temporarily unable to handle the request.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cross‑Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) is a browser security mechanism that restricts web pages from making requests to a different domain than the one that served the page. When you test an API that does not include the appropriate Access-Control-Allow-Origin header in its response, the browser blocks the request. This tool respects the browser's CORS policy. To avoid CORS issues, use an endpoint that allows your origin, or test with a server that supports CORS. Many public test APIs (like jsonplaceholder.typicode.com) are CORS‑enabled.

Yes. All requests are sent directly from your browser using the fetch API. We do not proxy, log, or store any request or response data. Your API keys, tokens, and payloads remain on your device. This tool is designed with privacy as a core principle, making it safe for testing internal or sensitive endpoints.

Absolutely. GraphQL queries are typically sent as a POST request with a JSON body containing a query field (and optionally variables). Simply set the method to POST, add a Content-Type: application/json header, and enter your GraphQL query in the JSON body. The tool will handle the request and display the response just like any other JSON API.

The tool converts your current request parameters (method, URL, headers, and body) into a standard curl command. This command can be copied and pasted into a terminal to reproduce the request outside the browser. It's useful for sharing test cases with colleagues, embedding in scripts, or debugging in a command‑line environment. The command is generated client‑side using a rule‑based builder.

This tool operates within the browser's security boundaries. It cannot bypass CORS restrictions or access resources that require client‑side certificates (mTLS). It also does not support streaming responses, WebSockets, or HTTP/2 server push. For most REST API testing and debugging scenarios, however, it provides a fast and reliable solution without the overhead of a full‑featured desktop client.
References: MDN HTTP; HTTP Working Group; RESTful API Guidelines. Built with modern web standards. Reviewed by the GetZenQuery tech team, last updated June 2026.