Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

RESTClient VS restclient.el

Compare RESTClient VS restclient.el and see what are their differences

RESTClient logo RESTClient

RESTClient can be used to test variety of HTTP communications and RESTful webservices.

restclient.el logo restclient.el

HTTP REST client tool for emacs
  • RESTClient Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-13
  • restclient.el Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-23

RESTClient features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    RESTClient offers a straightforward and intuitive interface that makes it easy for developers to craft HTTP requests and read responses without unnecessary complexity.
  • Support for Multiple HTTP Methods
    The tool supports a wide range of HTTP methods such as GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, and more, making it versatile for testing various API endpoints.
  • Customizable Headers and Body
    Users can customize HTTP headers and request bodies, allowing for detailed and precise API testing.
  • Open Source
    Being open-source, RESTClient is free to use and can be modified to suit specific user needs. It also benefits from community improvements and updates.
  • Support for Authentication
    The tool includes support for various authentication methods, including Basic and OAuth, which is essential for testing secured APIs.

Possible disadvantages of RESTClient

  • Limited Advanced Features
    Compared to some other HTTP clients, RESTClient may lack certain advanced features like scripting or automated testing capabilities.
  • GUI Dependent
    As it's primarily a GUI-based tool, it's less suitable for users looking for a command-line interface (CLI) solution for automated testing or integration into CI/CD pipelines.
  • Platform Specific
    Being a Java-based application, it requires a Java Runtime Environment, which might not be ideal for every user or scenario.
  • Limited Community Support
    Compared to more popular tools, RESTClient might have less community support, which can lead to delays in getting help or updates.

restclient.el features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    restclient.el allows users to interact with RESTful services from within Emacs, leveraging familiar keybindings and UI, which simplifies the learning curve for Emacs users.
  • Integration with Emacs
    As an Emacs package, it integrates seamlessly with other Emacs features and workflows, such as Org mode for documentation or Magit for version control.
  • Lightweight
    Being an Emacs package, it is relatively lightweight compared to full-fledged GUI REST clients, offering quick installation and minimal resource consumption.
  • Scripting Capabilities
    Users can script and automate their HTTP requests, leveraging Emacs Lisp, which can be more powerful than traditional GUI-based REST clients.

Possible disadvantages of restclient.el

  • Emacs Dependency
    Since it runs within Emacs, users who are not familiar with Emacs might find the setup and usage more challenging compared to standalone applications.
  • Limited Features Compared to GUI Tools
    Compared to dedicated GUI tools like Postman, restclient.el lacks advanced features such as a comprehensive GUI, response visualization, and environment management.
  • Steeper Learning Curve for Non-Emacs Users
    For users not already familiar with Emacs, the need to learn Emacs conventions and keybindings can pose an additional barrier.
  • Less Intuitive for Large API Testing
    Organizing and managing large sets of API endpoints and tests might be less intuitive without a graphical interface or built-in management features.

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to RESTClient and restclient.el)
API Tools
34 34%
66% 66
Developer Tools
36 36%
64% 64
APIs
52 52%
48% 48
API
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 RESTClient and restclient.el

RESTClient Reviews

5 Open Source API / REST Development Tools – Postman Alternatives
RESTClient can be used to test variety of HTTP communications and RESTful webservices. Friendly GUI, rich functionalities. RESTClient supports all HTTP methods RFC2616 (HTTP/1.1) and RFC2518 (WebDAV). You can construct custom HTTP request (custom method with resources URI and HTTP request Body) to directly test requests against a server.

restclient.el Reviews

We have no reviews of restclient.el yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, restclient.el seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 7 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.

RESTClient mentions (0)

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

restclient.el mentions (7)

  • Just Use Curl
    Emacs had something like this long ago (of course it did). https://github.com/pashky/restclient.el I also like httpie but they seem to have gone commercial. - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
  • Emacs Advent Calendar 9: devdocs, code-cells, dREPL, etc.
    Plz-see: Interactive HTTP client, similar to restclient and verb, but using Elisp instead of a special text-based syntax. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Hurl 4.0.0
    Emacs enthusiasts have https://github.com/pashky/restclient.el I see some parallels to Hurl, but having everything inside Emacs is hard to beat, just thinking about using M-x jq-interactivly for json responses ... - Source: Hacker News / about 3 years ago
  • Hurl, run and test HTTP requests with plain text
    I recently switch from custom Bash wrappers around curl to restclient.el [1]. It has similar features. Especially nice is the integration with jq for fetching specific data (or inspection of results with jq-mode). And, whoever is inclined to appreciate it, the fact that I can stay within Emacs. No need to get familiar with a new UI/UX. [1]: https://github.com/pashky/restclient.el. - Source: Hacker News / almost 4 years ago
  • Show HN: Restfox – A web based HTTP client inspired by Insomnia and Postman
    Although I mainly stick with curl or requests due to muscle memory, there's also restclient.el https://github.com/pashky/restclient.el. I imagine having builtin org support is super convenient, thanks for sharing. - Source: Hacker News / almost 4 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing RESTClient and restclient.el, you can also consider the following products

Postman - The Collaboration Platform for API Development

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.

Hurl.dev - Hurl is a command line tool that runs HTTP requests defined in a simple plain text format.

HTTPie - CLI HTTP that will make you smile. JSON support, syntax highlighting, wget-like downloads, extensions, and more.

Productivity Power Tools - Extension for Visual Studio - A set of extensions to Visual Studio 2012 Professional (and above) which improves developer productivity.

soapUI - SoapUI Pro is one of the most prominent API testing platforms around, allowing developers to quickly prototype the functions of their apps and get them to market with little hassle.