Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

httpbin(1) VS Charles Proxy

Compare httpbin(1) VS Charles Proxy and see what are their differences

httpbin(1) logo httpbin(1)

HTTP request and response service

Charles Proxy logo Charles Proxy

HTTP proxy / HTTP monitor / Reverse Proxy
  • httpbin(1) Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-05
  • Charles Proxy Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-20

httpbin(1) features and specs

  • Simple Testing
    httpbin provides a straightforward way to test HTTP requests, allowing developers to send requests and see responses without setting up a server.
  • Variety of Endpoints
    It offers a variety of endpoints like /get, /post, /put, /delete, and more, which are useful for testing different types of HTTP methods.
  • Request Inspection
    The service allows users to inspect various parts of the HTTP request, including headers, data, and status codes, which is invaluable for debugging.
  • Free and Open Source
    httpbin is free to use and is open-source, which makes it accessible for all developers and allows for community contributions.
  • Ease of Use
    With a clean, minimalistic interface, it is easy for developers to understand and start utilizing immediately without a steep learning curve.

Possible disadvantages of httpbin(1)

  • Not for Production Use
    httpbin is designed for testing and demonstration purposes only and is not suitable for live production environments as it lacks security features.
  • Limited to HTTP
    The service is limited to HTTP protocol testing and does not support more advanced use cases or protocols beyond simple HTTP methods.
  • Public Environment
    Since httpbin is publicly accessible, it’s not suitable for testing private or sensitive data, as requests might be logged or visible to others.
  • Potential Rate Limiting
    As a public service, there may be rate limiting or performance bottlenecks during peak usage times, which could affect testing workflows.
  • Lack of Customization
    Users cannot customize the httpbin endpoints to fit specialized use cases or requirements due to its general-purpose design.

Charles Proxy features and specs

  • Comprehensive HTTP/HTTPS Debugging
    Charles Proxy offers robust capabilities to inspect HTTP and HTTPS traffic, making it easier for developers to debug and optimize network requests.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The tool has an intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface, which makes it accessible for both novice and experienced users.
  • Support for Various Platforms
    Charles Proxy is available on multiple operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Linux, enhancing its accessibility to a wide range of users.
  • Throttling Feature
    It allows users to simulate different internet speeds, latency, and bandwidth conditions, which is useful for testing applications under various network scenarios.
  • SSL Proxying
    Charles can decrypt SSL traffic, which is crucial for developers to inspect secure web traffic in development and testing phases.
  • Session Recording and Exporting
    It allows users to record network sessions and export them to share or analyze later, facilitating team collaboration and troubleshooting.

Possible disadvantages of Charles Proxy

  • Cost
    Charles Proxy is a paid tool. While it offers a trial version, a license must be purchased for continued use, which could be a limitation for some users or small teams with restricted budgets.
  • Steep Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    Although the interface is user-friendly, some advanced functionalities have a steep learning curve, especially for users who are not familiar with network debugging.
  • Resource Intensive
    Running Charles Proxy can be resource-intensive on your system, potentially slowing down performance, especially when monitoring large amounts of traffic.
  • Manual Configuration
    Users need to manually configure their devices or browsers to route through Charles Proxy, which can be cumbersome and time-consuming.
  • Limited Automation Capabilities
    Charles Proxy has limited support for automation compared to other modern debugging tools, which may affect its suitability for automated testing workflows.
  • Compatibility Issues
    There may be compatibility issues with certain applications or devices, particularly those with strict security measures against proxying, which can impede testing efforts.

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to httpbin(1) and Charles Proxy)
Developer Tools
36 36%
64% 64
Proxy
31 31%
69% 69
API Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Security
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare httpbin(1) and Charles Proxy

httpbin(1) Reviews

We have no reviews of httpbin(1) yet.
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Charles Proxy Reviews

Top 10 HTTP Client and Web Debugging Proxy Tools (2023)
Charles Proxy is another tool that has a good popularity. It is a web proxy i.e., HTTP proxy or HTTP monitor that runs on your computer. Compared to Paw which works on only macOS, Charles proxy if configured or run correctly is agreeable with all OS, web browsers, any smart devices, personal computers, and internet applications.
12 HTTP Client and Web Debugging Proxy Tools
As the name says, Charles proxy is an HTTP and reverse proxy. It works by routing local traffic through it.
Source: geekflare.com
Comparing Charles Proxy, Fiddler, Wireshark, and Requestly
Although thousands of developers around the globe use Wireshark and Charles Proxy, they fail to occupy the top side in the design aspect. Wireshark’s interface is robust and detailed but can be intimidating for beginners. While Charles Proxy has a more approachable interface compared to Wireshark, it might seem cluttered to some users. Fiddler’s UI is information-rich and...
Source: dev.to

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, httpbin(1) seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 59 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

httpbin(1) mentions (59)

  • WebAssembly on Kubernetes
    The use case should be more advanced than Hello World to highlight the capabilities of WebAssembly. I've implemented an HTTP server mimicking a single endpoint of the excellent httpbin API testing utility. The code itself is not essential as the post is not about Rust, but in case you're interested, you can find it on GitHub. I add a field to the response to explicitly return the underlying approach, respectively... - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Using cURL Inside a Docker Container
    For example, If we want to test sending HTTP requests, we can use the service httpbin. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • Create your K3S lab on Google Cloud
    Create a Dockerfile for your app, we will use the HttpBin API which allows to test all the request we can make to a Rest API :. - Source: dev.to / 7 months ago
  • Host a Reverse Proxy in Seconds
    Curl --request POST -d '{"message":"hello"}' \ Https://matts-org-a0696.blackbird-relay.a8r.io/proxy/post { "args": {}, "data": "{\"message\":\"hello\"}", "files": {}, "form": {}, "headers": { "Accept": "*/*", "Content-Length": "19", "Content-Type": "application/json", "Host": "httpbin.org", "User-Agent": "curl/8.6.0" }, "json": { "message": "hello" }, "url":... - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • Metrics Can Fool You: Measuring Execution Time in Connection-Pooled Environments
    To simulate delays in the external service, we will use the httpbin Docker image. Httpbin provides an easy-to-use HTTP request and response service, which we can use to create artificial delays in our requests. - Source: dev.to / 9 months ago
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Charles Proxy mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Charles Proxy yet. Tracking of Charles Proxy recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing httpbin(1) and Charles Proxy, you can also consider the following products

HTTPDump - A simple, beautiful Webhook debugging tool.

Fiddler - Fiddler is a debugging program for websites.

Endpoints - View and respond to requests on an HTTP endpoint

Proxyman.io - Proxyman is a high-performance macOS app, which enables developers to view HTTP/HTTPS requests from apps and domains.

Proxy Manager for Google Chrome - Oxy Proxy Extension for Google Chrome: add and switch between multiple proxies, simple, one-click connection, works with any proxy provider of your choice.

HTTP Toolkit - Beautiful, cross-platform & open-source tools to debug, test & build with HTTP(S). One-click setup for browsers, servers, Android, CLI tools, scripts and more.