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Insomnia REST VS SSH of Windows' Linux subsystem

Compare Insomnia REST VS SSH of Windows' Linux subsystem and see what are their differences

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Insomnia REST logo Insomnia REST

Design, debug, test, and mock APIs locally, on Git, or cloud. Build better APIs collaboratively for the most popular protocols with a dev‑friendly UI, built-in automation, and an extensible plugin ecosystem.

SSH of Windows' Linux subsystem logo SSH of Windows' Linux subsystem

Installation instructions for the Windows Subsystem for Linux on Windows 10.
  • Insomnia REST Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-05
  • SSH of Windows' Linux subsystem Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-26

Insomnia REST features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Insomnia REST features a clean and intuitive user interface that makes it easy to create, send, and manage API requests without a steep learning curve.
  • Support for Multiple Protocols
    In addition to REST, Insomnia supports GraphQL and gRPC, making it versatile for developers working with different API protocols.
  • Environment Management
    Insomnia allows you to create and manage multiple environments, making it easier to switch between staging, development, and production settings.
  • Custom Plugins and Themes
    Insomnia supports custom plugins and themes, allowing users to extend its functionality and personalize the interface to suit their workflow.
  • Collaboration Features
    With Insomnia Teams, users can collaborate and share API requests, environments, and other resources, enhancing team productivity.
  • Cross-Platform Availability
    Insomnia is available on multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux, providing flexibility for users on different operating systems.

Possible disadvantages of Insomnia REST

  • Resource Heavy
    Some users have reported that Insomnia can be resource-intensive, leading to potential performance issues on lower-end machines.
  • Limited Free Features
    While Insomnia offers a free tier, some of the more advanced features, such as team collaboration and sync capabilities, require a paid subscription.
  • Steeper Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    Although the basic functionalities are user-friendly, mastering the more advanced features might require a steeper learning curve.
  • Dependency on Electron
    Since Insomnia is built on Electron, it might consume more memory and disk space compared to native applications.
  • Complex Plugin System
    While the plugin system is powerful, it can be complex and challenging for users who are not familiar with JavaScript and Node.js.

SSH of Windows' Linux subsystem features and specs

  • Native Integration
    WSL provides a seamless native integration of Linux environments within Windows, allowing users to run Linux tools directly from the Windows command line without the overhead of a virtual machine.
  • Resource Efficiency
    WSL is more resource-efficient compared to running a full Linux virtual machine, as it does not require dedicated RAM or CPU allocation, making it ideal for development tasks.
  • Access to Linux Tools
    Users can access a vast array of Linux tools and utilities, including SSH, directly from their Windows machines, which can be valuable for development, scripting, and system administration.
  • Improved Workflow
    Developers can streamline their workflows by working within a unified environment, leveraging both Windows and Linux tools without switching contexts or setting up separate environments.
  • Fast Operations
    Operations such as file access and command execution in WSL are faster than using a virtual machine, due to the tighter integration with the Windows kernel.
  • Ease of Use
    WSL is easy to set up and use, with straightforward installation and configuration processes that simplify the adoption of Linux tools on Windows.

Possible disadvantages of SSH of Windows' Linux subsystem

  • Compatibility Issues
    Not all Linux applications are fully compatible with WSL, which can cause certain programs to fail or behave unpredictably compared to a native Linux environment.
  • Performance Overhead
    Despite being more efficient than a virtual machine, WSL can still introduce some performance overhead, especially for I/O-intensive applications.
  • Limited Kernel Support
    WSL does not support every aspect of the Linux kernel, which can limit functionalities, particularly for tasks that require deep kernel integration or specific kernel modules.
  • Network Configuration
    Network configurations can be tricky, especially when setting up complex networking scenarios like port forwarding or using certain networking tools that rely on Linux-based network stacks.
  • Security Considerations
    There are potential security implications of running Linux with root privileges under a Windows environment, which might not be suitable for all use cases, particularly in sensitive or high-security contexts.
  • Lack of Full GUI Support
    WSL is primarily command-line oriented, and while there are ways to run graphical applications, it does not offer full native GUI support, which can be a limitation for users needing a complete graphical Linux desktop experience.

Analysis of Insomnia REST

Overall verdict

  • Insomnia REST is an excellent choice for developers who need a robust and intuitive tool for API development and testing. Its comprehensive features and ease of use make it a competitive option alongside other popular API clients.

Why this product is good

  • Insomnia REST is widely regarded as a powerful tool due to its user-friendly interface, extensive plugin ecosystem, and support for multiple authentication protocols. It allows users to easily build, debug, and test RESTful APIs with features like environment variables, code generation, and response validation. Moreover, its compatibility with GraphQL and gRPC makes it versatile for modern development needs.

Recommended for

  • API Developers
  • Software Testers
  • Backend Engineers
  • Technical Leads
  • Anyone involved in RESTful API development and testing

Analysis of SSH of Windows' Linux subsystem

Overall verdict

  • Using SSH within the Windows' Linux Subsystem is highly effective and efficient for most users. It provides a native-like Linux experience, making it ideal for users who regularly use both Windows and Linux or those transitioning between the two. The subsystem ensures good performance, security, and compatibility, making it a strong choice for developers and IT professionals.

Why this product is good

  • The SSH functionality within Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is considered good because it allows users to leverage a native Linux environment directly on a Windows machine. This integration enables seamless SSH access to remote servers and systems, utilizing familiar Linux commands and tools without the need for third-party software. WSL's core design prioritizes performance and compatibility with Linux distributions, providing a robust platform for development and system administration tasks that require secure, encrypted communication.

Recommended for

  • Developers working in cross-platform environments
  • System administrators managing remote Linux servers from a Windows machine
  • Users transitioning from Linux to Windows or vice versa
  • Those requiring a secure method to connect to servers without installing additional software

Insomnia REST videos

3 Reasons to use Insomnia REST Client in your Exploratory API Testing

More videos:

  • Tutorial - Insomnia REST Client Tutorial

SSH of Windows' Linux subsystem videos

No SSH of Windows' Linux subsystem videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Insomnia REST and SSH of Windows' Linux subsystem

Insomnia REST Reviews

Top 20 Open Source & Cloud Free Postman Alternatives (2024 Updated)
Product Introduction: Insomnia is a powerful open-source API client designed for simplicity and efficiency and works great as a postman alternative. It supports REST, GraphQL, and gRPC, making it versatile for various API types.
Source: medium.com
Best Postman Alternatives To Consider in 2025
It is a free, open-source platform that boasts a user-friendly interface and robust features like environment and collection management, code snippets, and test automation. Compared to Postman, Insomnia offers a lighter footprint and a more customizable workspace.
Postman Alternatives for API Testing and Monitoring
Insomnia is a user-friendly tool for API development and testing. Insomnia allows creating and sending HTTP and REST requests, like GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, and more. Users can view API responses, including status codes, headers, and body. This enables understanding how the application handles different response scenarios, for efficient debugging.
Top 10 HTTP Client and Web Debugging Proxy Tools (2023)
Insomnia REST is the best alternative for Postman. It has more than 350 open-source plugins, plus GraphQL built-in with multiple protocol support. Since GraphQL is an added value, you can fully automate the entire lifecycle of APIs, build and debug them efficiently and with ease.
15 Best Postman Alternatives for Automated API Testing [2022 Updated]
Insomnia by Kong enables you to deliver high-quality APIs through collaboration. This postman alternative also includes testing suites, which allow you to create functional tests and centralize APIs. With this platform’s streamlined API client, sending GraphQL, REST, and SOAP requests are simple. Defining variables such as authentication credentials allows you to manage...
Source: testsigma.com

SSH of Windows' Linux subsystem Reviews

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, SSH of Windows' Linux subsystem should be more popular than Insomnia REST. It has been mentiond 207 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.

Insomnia REST mentions (129)

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SSH of Windows' Linux subsystem mentions (207)

  • My Docker Adventure: A Journey to Containerization
    📄 Microsoft's official documentation on installing WSL 2 — essential for getting Docker Desktop to work smoothly on Windows. - Source: dev.to / about 11 hours ago
  • BattleShip — Sink Enemy Ships — Game Rebuilt by Amazon Q CLI
    To install Amazon Q CLI in Windows, you must enable WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux). - Source: dev.to / 6 days ago
  • Setting up WSL Ubuntu on your Windows Machine (Laptops| PCs)
    Upgrade to WSL2: Checkout the official documentation https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install .... I observed from several installation that install WSL1 then upgrading to WSL2 saves one the stress of unnecessary troubleshooting but if install WSL2 works out for you at first trail....fine. - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • Configuring LazyVim and Python on Windows with WSL
    Reference: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Bash vs. Zsh: Key differences and when to use each
    Bash is the default on most Linux distros and can also be used on MacOS and Windows via the Windows Subsystem for Linux(WSL). - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Insomnia REST and SSH of Windows' Linux subsystem, you can also consider the following products

Postman - The Collaboration Platform for API Development

VS Code - Build and debug modern web and cloud applications, by Microsoft

Hoppscotch - Open source API development ecosystem

Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) - Learn more about how the Windows Subsystem for Linux works.

RapidAPI for Mac - Paw is a REST client for Mac.

Homebrew - The missing package manager for macOS