Need to test your API? Here are my top 5 REST Client Plugins for Chrome

REST extensions for Chrome can reduce the time you spend on manually testing your web apps, but which are the best to use?

App testing takes a fair bit of the developers' time, especially since a lot of testing is done manually, which is very time-consuming. Luckily, various tools are available to help reduce the time spent on manually testing APIs, leaving you more time to spend on other areas of your app development.

Although there are many Chrome REST plugins available, knowing which ones are the best will save you a lot of time and effort that could be spent on testing the API of the apps you are developing.

Extensions Recommended for Chrome REST Plugin

This is our list of the best Chrome extension REST clients:

• Postman Interceptor: Newest extension from the REST testing legend
• Talend API Tester - Free Edition: Allows interaction with REST, SOAP and other HTTP APIs
• Yet Another REST Client: Easy to use REST API that lets you develop, test and debug
• vREST - REST API Testing Tool: Automated REST API testing tool
• Boomerang - SOAP and REST Client: Test both REST and SOAP services

List of the Top 5 REST Client Chrome Extensions

Now that I've introduced the top five REST Chrome extensions, let's take a look at each one in more detail. This way, you'll get a better idea if it will work for you.

Postman Interceptor

Postman Interceptor main features & specifications summary

• Rating: 3/5
• Browser compatibility: Chrome and other Chromium browsers
• Pricing: Free to use, and there are paid packages as well
• Feature: Postman Interceptor replaced the very popular Postman REST API tester for Chrome

Postman Interceptor pros & cons

Pros

• Offline mode available
• It can be used as early as when development starts
• Automation features available

Cons

• The reliability of the extension is an issue
• You need to install Interceptor Bridge as well

The Postman Interceptor Chrome API tester is the latest version from the REST testing plugin giants that brought out Postman. Postman has long been one of the best REST API testers available for Chrome. However, this latest version does have some ways to go to be at the level of its predecessor.

Postman Interceptor lets you test your apps from the moment you start developing, thus saving you valuable time. The app also contains many useful features such as automation and sending headers without having to use a proxy - which is critical for API testing.

I was very excited to test this latest version from one of the best REST app testers for Chrome. Although the extension worked and did what it was supposed to, I was a little disappointed as it wasn't as easy to use as I thought it would be. The UI was quite complex. Also, I didn't particularly appreciate having to install another app to use this one.

Upon checking the reviews from other users, it was also apparent that the extension was quite unreliable, sometimes refusing to connect at all. Other reviews also commented that the new extension is much more challenging to use than the original. Similarly, a few of the users also commented that they did not like installing another app just to start using this plugin.

You can download the Postman Interceptor extension for Chrome here.

Talend API Tester - Free Edition

Talend API Tester - Free Edition main features & specifications summary

• Rating: 4.5/5
• Browser compatibility: Chrome and Chromium browsers
• Pricing: Free
• Feature: This extension supports importing data from Postman Collections, Swagger, OAS, Open API, and HAR

Talend API Tester - Free Edition pros & cons

Pros

• Free
• Supports importing from other platforms
• Records call history locally or to the cloud
• Can collaborate with team members

Cons

• Sign in prompt can be annoying

Talend API Tester is fast becoming one of the best REST API clients for Chrome. This app is very easy to use, and the UI has been optimized to provide a lot of features while still being a free extension to use.

This REST API Chrome extension can record the call history of your testing project to a local storage device as well as the cloud. You can also create many different dynamic requests such as custom variables, security, and authorization. You can review the response and compare it to previous tests and results.

I found the Talend API Tester to be easy to use while not lacking any features needed to test REST APIs. I especially enjoyed the collaboration feature, which allowed me and my team to test the same API and compare our results. All in all, this is probably the best Chrome extension for API testing that I've come across.

I also looked at some of the reviews from other users. For the most part, the reviews were excellent. In a few cases, the users would ask for certain features, such as the ability to run multiple instances of the extension in different tabs or the ability to save to the cloud. All of these were answered by the developers and are now featured in the extension. It means a lot when the developers listen to their users and continue to improve their apps.

You can download Talend API Tester - Free Edition for Chrome browsers here.

Yet Another REST Client

Yet Another REST Client main features & specifications summary

• Rating: 4/5
• Browser compatibility: Chrome and Chromium browsers
• Pricing: Free
• Feature: Very easy to use with accurate results

Yet Another REST Client pros & cons

Pros

• Well designed UI
• Easy to use
• 100% free
• Responsive design
• Save favorite requests and sync these to Google Drive

Cons

• Some supported features are a little limited

Yet Another REST Client (YARC) is a straightforward Chrome REST console that easily lets you test various APIs. You can use YARC to develop, test and even debug RESTful APIs. With YARC, you can easily save your favorites, which you can then import/export to new devices. These favorites are also synced automatically to your Google Drive.

The YARC Chrome plugin also keeps a history of your previous requests and responses so that you can use them for quick comparisons or rerun them. You are also able to choose from a range of headers or customize your own.

I enjoyed testing out the YARC Chrome extension. I found it to be a nice simple app with a very clean design. It did what I wanted it to do when testing some basic APIs. I only used JSON during my testing, so I cannot comment on how accurate the other syntax are. However, the app does say that they also support XML, HTML, and CSS.

I also looked through the user reviews, and while most users loved the simplicity of this extension, a few commented that it might not be helpful for large-scale testing. Also, a few comments said the support for syntax other than JSON is not available.

You can download the Yet Another REST Client extension for Chrome here.

vREST - REST API Testing Tool

vREST - REST API Testing Tool main features & specifications summary

• Rating: 4/5
• Browser compatibility: Chrome and Chromium browsers
• Pricing: Free
• Feature: vRest is a powerful, automated REST API testing tool

vREST - REST API Testing Tool pros & cons

Pros

• Simple and intuitive tool
• Features a mock server to decouple frontend and backend development
• Free
• Reliable

Cons

• Works as part of the hosted application of vREST

You can download vREST - REST API Testing Tool is fast becoming one of the most popular extensions to test REST API in Chrome because of its intuitive design and simplicity. Even beginners will be able to use this extension to test their REST API effectively.

This extension is also an automated REST API testing tool that records HTTP requests and responses. These recordings and their specific parameters, headers and responses are also stored as test cases so you can quickly reproduce them when you need to.

I enjoyed testing out vREST for its simple design. It was also easy and straightforward to use. I did have some issues with one of the responses I was receiving, but their helpful support quickly solved the issue for me. I also like that the development team is continuously working on improving the app, and there seem to be frequent releases of updates.

Upon looking at the reviews, I also saw many other users who were very happy about the support offered by the vREST team. From the other user reviews, it also became clear that many users enjoyed the simplified design. I also noted quite a few comments mentioned that the development team was quick in adding requested features. This is all great news for the relatively new extension.

If you want to give vREST - REST API Testing Tool a try, you can download it here.

Boomerang - SOAP and REST Client

Boomerang - SOAP and REST Client main features & specifications summary

• Rating: 4/5
• Browser compatibility: Chrome
• Pricing: Free
• Feature: This extension integrates both SOAP and REST API testing

Boomerang - SOAP and REST Client pros & cons

Pros

• Free
• Fast results
• An easy extension to use
• Integrates both SOAP and REST API testing to save you more time

Cons

• Newer extension, so there are a few minor bugs

Boomerang is one of the newer Chrome REST API extensions developed for testing and improving web applications. Despite the extension's youth, it is already gathering popularity among web developers as a reliable app to test REST APIs.

One of the benefits of this extension is that it integrates both SOAP and REST APIs, meaning that you can test both from one single application. You can also export and import data, and the extension keeps a history of your sent requests so that you can easily refer back.

I enjoyed the simplicity and the speed when using Boomerang. The REST API plugin for Chrome was easy to use, and I enjoyed being able to set custom request headers. Although I didn't use the SOAP client feature of the app as I was testing the REST client, it is nice to have this available in a single extension for developers who use both.

I also looked at other user reviews, and overall the response to the extension was positive. A few users mentioned bugs, which are to be expected in newer apps, but these appear to have been addressed as I did not experience the same issues. Also, most other users were pleased with the simple design and how easy it was to use.

You can download the Boomerang - SOAP and REST Client from Chrome browsers here.

Frequently Asked Questions About REST Chrome Extensions

How Do I Know If an API Is Working?

The only way that you will know if your API is working is by testing it thoroughly. Here are a few things to bear in mind while testing:

• Test for typical errors and expected results first
• Test how well the system handles stress by adding a series of load tests
• Test for failures
• Conduct group tests by test category
• Prioritize the API functionality calls to speed up testing

How Do I Test REST API in Chrome?

One of the easiest ways to start testing REST APIs in Chrome is by installing a REST client such as Talend or vREST. These plugins can help you to test the REST APIs you are working on. Once you have the extension you prefer, you can start sending requests and receiving responses that help you test the REST API. The extensions we recommended are all simple enough to use, even for beginners.

Why Is REST API Used?

One of the reasons that REST API are so popular is because they offer so much flexibility. Since the data is not tied to resources or methods, REST can handle multiple calls, return different calls, and even make structural changes.

What Is the Advantage of REST API Over SOAP?

REST is becoming more popular than its older counterpart, SOAP. There are a few reasons for this, the most important of which is that REST allows a greater variety of data formats, whereas SOAP only uses XML. Also, since REST is coupled with JSON, it is faster and easier to use the SOAP.

Are REST API and RESTful API the Same?

Yes, they are the same. REST API, also known as RESTful API, is an application programming interface that follows the REST architectural style and allows interaction with RESTful web services.

Bottom line

So much goes into developing new web apps. The testing alone can take days, sometimes even weeks. Google Chrome has a few good browser extensions available for you to test REST APIs in Chrome easily and conveniently to save yourself valuable hours.

Which one to use will depend greatly on your needs as a developer. You may gravitate towards the tried and tested heroes of REST API testing, such as Postman REST Client and Advanced REST Client. However, be aware that both have undergone some significant changes and no longer work in the same way they did.

Fear not, as there are still a few great plugins available, some even rival these older legends. If you require clients in both SOAP and REST, then Boomerang - SOAP and REST Client may be the ideal fit for you. If you require an extension that allows collaboration and also has a very responsive support team, then Talend is the way to go. And if you just need a simple, lightweight extension you can use for some basic API testing; then I can recommend vREST.

Have you tried REST Client plugins for your Chrome browser? Which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comments which is your favorite REST Client extension for Chrome.

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