Quick Start Guide

Get started with Requestly in 5 minutes. Learn how to send your first API request, organize with collections, and use variables.

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Welcome to Requestly! This guide will help you get started in just a few minutes. By the end, you’ll know how to send requests, organize them into collections, and use variables to manage different environments.

Prerequisites

You’ll need either:

• Browser Extension (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave) - Best for web API testing
• Desktop App (Download) - Best for mobile apps, local APIs, and advanced use cases

Not sure which to use? Check out our comparison guide to help you decide.

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Step 1: Send Your First API Request

Let’s start by sending a simple GET request to test the API Client.

1. Open API Client and Create a New Request

   Click the API Client link in the left sidebar of the Requestly application, then click the + New button to create a new request and select Request from the menu.

   
2. Configure Your Request

   • Name: Send API Request
   • Method: GET
   • URL: https://app.requestly.io/echo

   
3. Send the Request

   Click Save and then Send. You should see a JSON response with data in the response panel below.

   

🎉 Congratulations! You’ve sent your first API request with Requestly.

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Step 2: Understand the Interface

The API Client interface is divided into key sections:

Left Sidebar

• Collections: View all your API collections and requests
• Environments: Manage environment variables
• History: Access previously sent requests
• Runtime Variables: Manage runtime variables that can be used across workspaces

Request Panel

• URL Bar: Enter endpoint URL and select HTTP method
• Query Params: Add URL query parameters
• Headers: Configure request headers
• Body: Add request payload (for POST, PUT, PATCH)
• Authorization: Set up authentication
• Scripts: Add pre-request and post-response scripts

Response Panel

• Body: View response data (formatted or raw)
• Headers: See response headers
• Status: Check HTTP status code and response time

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Step 3: Create Your First Collection

Collections help you organize related API requests. Let’s create one for a sample project.

1. Create a Collection

   Click + New → Collection

   Name it User Management APIs and press Enter.

   
2. Add Requests to Collection

   Drag your previously created request into the collection, or create a new request directly inside the collection by clicking the + icon next to the collection name.

3. Organize with Folders

   For larger projects, create sub-folders within collections:

   • Click the folder icon next to your collection name
   • Name it (e.g., Auth APIs, User APIs)

   

Collections can have their own variables and authorization settings that apply to all requests inside them. Learn more about collections →

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Step 4: Set Up Environment Variables

Variables allow you to switch between different API environments (dev, staging, production) without changing your requests.

1. Create an Environment

   Click + New → Environment

   Name it Development and press Enter.

   
2. Add Variables

   Add these variables to your environment:

   Key: base_url
   Value: https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com
   
   Key: api_token
   Value: your_dev_token_here
   

   Click Save.

   
3. Use Variables in Requests

   Update your request URL to use the variable:

   {{base_url}}/users/1
   

   Variables are referenced using double curly braces: {{variable_name}}

   
4. Switch Environments

   Use the environment dropdown in the top-right corner to switch between different environments.

Master Variables

Learn about different variable types: Global, Environment, Collection, and Runtime variables

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Step 5: Try Advanced Features

Now that you know the basics, explore these powerful features:

Add Authorization

Protect your APIs with built-in auth support:

1. Open Authorization Tab

   Click the Authorization tab in your request

2. Select Auth Type

   Choose from:

   • API Key
   • Bearer Token
   • Basic Auth

   
3. Enter Credentials

   Fill in your authentication details (can use variables for security)

   

Full Authorization Guide →

Write Scripts

Automate your workflow with JavaScript:

// Pre-request Script: Add timestamp
rq.environment.set("timestamp", new Date().getTime());

// Post-response Script: Save token
const response = rq.response.json();
rq.environment.set("auth_token", response.token);

Learn about Scripts →

Add Tests

Validate API responses automatically:

// Test if response is 200 OK
rq.test("Status is 200", () => {
  rq.response.to.have.status(200);
});

// Test if response contains expected data
rq.test("User exists", () => {
  rq.response.to.have.jsonBody("user.name", "John");
});

Testing Documentation →

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Import Existing APIs

Already using another API client? Import your work instantly:

From cURL

Paste cURL commands

From Postman

Import Postman collections

OpenAPI/Swagger

Import API specifications

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Next Steps

You’re now ready to use Requestly effectively! Here’s what to explore next:

API Collections Deep Dive

Master collection organization and management

Variables & Environments

Learn about all variable types and scoping

Pre/Post Scripts

Automate your API testing workflow

Generate Client Code

Export requests as code snippets

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Need Help?

Having issues? Check out our troubleshooting guides or reach out to our support team.