Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

VS Code VS HTTPie

Compare VS Code VS HTTPie and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

VS Code logo VS Code

Build and debug modern web and cloud applications, by Microsoft

HTTPie logo HTTPie

CLI HTTP that will make you smile. JSON support, syntax highlighting, wget-like downloads, extensions, and more.
  • VS Code Landing page
    Landing page //
    2024-10-09
  • HTTPie Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-28

VS Code features and specs

  • Cross-platform
    VS Code works on Windows, macOS, and Linux, providing a consistent development experience across different operating systems.
  • Extensibility
    A vast library of extensions allows users to add functionalities like debuggers, linters, and themes, making it highly customizable.
  • Integrated Git
    Built-in Git integration makes it easy to manage version control tasks directly within the editor.
  • Performance
    Lightweight compared to full-fledged IDEs, ensuring good performance even on systems with limited resources.
  • IntelliSense
    Advanced code completion and refactoring tools help improve coding efficiency and reduce errors.
  • Community Support
    A strong and active community provides extensive support, tutorials, and third-party extensions.
  • Debugging
    Robust debugging tools for various languages and frameworks are available out of the box.
  • Free and Open-Source
    VS Code is completely free to use and open-source, which is beneficial for both individual developers and organizations.

Possible disadvantages of VS Code

  • Limited IDE Features
    While extensible, it may lack some advanced features found in dedicated IDEs out of the box.
  • Extension Management
    Managing and configuring a large number of extensions can become cumbersome and sometimes lead to performance issues.
  • Learning Curve
    Although user-friendly, it has a steeper learning curve for beginners due to its numerous features and customization options.
  • Memory Usage
    Despite being lightweight, it can consume a significant amount of memory when multiple extensions are installed.
  • Update Frequency
    Frequent updates may sometimes introduce bugs or require users to adapt to new changes quickly.
  • Internet Dependency
    Some features and extensions may require an internet connection to function optimally.
  • Telemetry
    By default, VS Code collects usage data, which might be a concern for users sensitive about data privacy. However, this can be disabled.

HTTPie features and specs

  • User-Friendly Syntax
    HTTPie offers a simplified and intuitive syntax for making HTTP requests compared to tools like curl. This makes it easier to use, especially for beginners.
  • JSON Support
    HTTPie automatically handles JSON data, making it simple to send and receive JSON payloads. It formats JSON responses in a readable way.
  • Cross-Platform
    HTTPie can be used on multiple operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Linux, ensuring broad compatibility.
  • Plugin Support
    HTTPie supports extensions and plugins that can extend its functionality, offering users the ability to customize their experience.
  • Automatic Headers
    Certain headers are automatically generated by HTTPie, reducing the need to manually specify common headers like Content-Type.
  • Color-coded Output
    The tool offers color-coded and formatted output, making it easier to read and debug HTTP responses.

Possible disadvantages of HTTPie

  • Performance
    HTTPie's performance may be slower compared to more stripped-down tools like curl due to its additional features and user-friendly design.
  • Dependency on Python
    HTTPie is a Python-based tool, requiring users to have Python installed. This may add complexity for users who do not already have a Python environment set up.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While basic usage is straightforward, getting the most out of HTTPie's advanced features may require additional learning.
  • Not Pre-Installed
    Unlike curl, HTTPie is not pre-installed on most Unix-based systems, requiring an extra step for installation.
  • Limited Raw Socket Options
    HTTPie lacks some low-level networking capabilities and raw socket options available in other tools, limiting its functionality for some advanced use cases.

Analysis of VS Code

Overall verdict

  • Yes, VS Code is generally considered a good choice for developers due to its flexibility, efficiency, and strong community support. It is lightweight, fast, and user-friendly, catering to both novice and experienced developers.

Why this product is good

  • VS Code, developed by Microsoft, is a widely popular and versatile code editor. It offers a robust extension ecosystem, which allows developers to customize their workflow and coding environment extensively. Additionally, VS Code supports numerous programming languages right out of the box and provides features like IntelliSense, debugging, Git integration, and a built-in terminal, making it a powerful tool for developers.

Recommended for

  • Web developers looking for a comprehensive yet lightweight coding environment.
  • Software developers who need an editor with extensive language support and customization options.
  • Beginner programmers who would benefit from a feature-rich editor that can grow with their skills.
  • Developers interested in an open-source tool with continuous updates and community-driven enhancements.

Analysis of HTTPie

Overall verdict

  • HTTPie is highly regarded by developers for its ease of use and powerful capabilities when dealing with APIs and web services. Its design focuses on making the command-line experience as seamless and productive as possible, making it a good choice for both beginners and experienced developers.

Why this product is good

  • HTTPie is popular due to its user-friendly command-line interface which simplifies making HTTP requests. It provides a more readable output compared to traditional tools like curl, highlighting syntax and formatting JSON responses nicely. It also supports plugins, which extend its functionality, and includes features like HTTPS by default, persistent sessions, and intuitive URL parsing.

Recommended for

  • Developers who frequently interact with RESTful APIs and require an efficient tool for testing and debugging.
  • Users who prefer a clean and human-friendly command-line interface.
  • Those who need a flexible tool that can be extended with plugins to suit specific needs.
  • Anyone looking for an alternative to curl with an emphasis on simplicity and readability.

VS Code videos

My New Favorite Text Editor - Visual Studio Code

More videos:

  • Review - 7 reasons why I switched to Visual Studio Code from Sublime Text

HTTPie videos

Testing REST APIs con HTTPie y Postman

More videos:

  • Review - Testing REST APIs con HTTPie y Postman - Parte 3

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to VS Code and HTTPie)
Text Editors
100 100%
0% 0
API Tools
0 0%
100% 100
IDE
100 100%
0% 0
CLI
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using VS Code and HTTPie. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare VS Code and HTTPie

VS Code Reviews

  1. dksinden
    · Working at SpeechKit ·

Boost Your Productivity with These Top Text Editors and IDEs
Visual Studio Code, commonly known as VS Code, is a powerful and extensible code editor developed by Microsoft. With its rich ecosystem of extensions and features like IntelliSense, debugging, and Git integration, VS Code enhances your coding productivity.
Source: convesio.com
13 Best Text Editors to Speed up Your Workflow
Finally, the Visual Studio Code website has numerous tabs for you to learn about the software. The documentation page walks you through steps like the setup and working with different languages. You’re also able to check out some tips and tricks and learn all of the Visual Studio Code keyboard shortcuts. Along with a blog, updates page, extensions library and API...
Source: kinsta.com
Jupyter Notebook & 10 Alternatives: Data Notebook Review [2023]
Previously, VS Code was more suited to developers or engineers due to its lack of data analysis capabilities, but since 2020, the VS Code team has collaborated with the Jupyter team to create an integrated notebook within VS Code. The end result is a fantastic IDE workbook for data analysis.
Source: lakefs.io
The Best IDEs for Java Development: A Comparative Analysis
Overview: Although not a traditional IDE, VS Code has gained popularity as a lightweight code editor.
Source: dev.to
20 Best Diff Tools to Compare File Contents on Linux
Visual studio code is a code editor made by Microsoft. It supports several development operations like debugging, task running, and version control. It works on Linux, macOS and Windows operating systems.
Source: linuxopsys.com

HTTPie Reviews

Top 20 Open Source & Cloud Free Postman Alternatives (2024 Updated)
With the growing demand for effective API testing tools, numerous alternatives to Postman have emerged, each offering unique features tailored to different needs. From comprehensive platforms like APIDog to lightweight solutions like HTTPie and Milkman, there is an option for every developer.
Source: medium.com
Postman Alternatives for API Testing and Monitoring
HTTPie is a command-line HTTP client, widely appreciated for its user-friendly and human-readable syntax. It's designed as a modern alternative to curl and wget, offering a more intuitive way to interact with HTTP servers, web services, and RESTful APIs.
Top 10 HTTP Client and Web Debugging Proxy Tools (2023)
Aside from that, since HTTPie has a simple syntax, it can be used for testing, sending requests, and most specifically, debugging. Its combability goes with the three major OS, Windows, macOS, and Linux, and majorly for web and desktop. When it comes to API testing, many developers hope for it because it is open-source with enhanced UI, best for anything HTTP.
12 HTTP Client and Web Debugging Proxy Tools
The ultimate aim of HTTPie is to make CLI interaction with web services user interface friendly. This tool provides an HTTP command for sending requests, all with the use of a natural syntax.
Source: geekflare.com
Best Postman Alternatives: Fastest API Testing Tools
You can easily use its interactive features for easy testing, debugging, and various other interactions with HTTP servers. If we talk about the price, HTTPie is completely free to use.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, VS Code seems to be a lot more popular than HTTPie. While we know about 1149 links to VS Code, we've tracked only 52 mentions of HTTPie. 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.

VS Code mentions (1149)

  • 6 Reasons CLI Coding Agents Are the Future of Software Development
    A text-based shell interface is extremely lightweight compared to modern IDEs. Because it runs in the terminal, even a feature-rich agent has very low overhead. According to Forgecode “Low Resource Usage: minimal impact on system performance”. In contrast, a full IDE can consume hundreds of megabytes of RAM or more, even when idle. In one user benchmark, Neovim (a terminal editor) used only about 10 MB of RAM,... - Source: dev.to / about 6 hours ago
  • 7 Ways AI Code Review Can Save Hours of Developers' Effort
    Put simply, by automating routine checks, AI reviewers help engineers avoid tens of hours of minor fixes and rewrites. As per my experience, AI code review exemplify this shift: catching issues on the spot in VS Code, they keep developers focused on building features rather than waiting for post-hoc feedback. Against this backdrop, let’s explore the main advantages of AI-powered code review for enterprise teams. - Source: dev.to / 6 days ago
  • Build and Deploy a Real Time ML System
    VSCode to open the repository, or any other IDE that supports devcontainers. - Source: dev.to / 7 days ago
  • What Are the Best Code Editors for Collaborative Coding?
    Visual Studio Code is a highly popular, lightweight, and versatile code editor. Its Live Share extension transforms it into a powerful collaborative tool. With Live Share, developers can co-edit and co-debug codes in real-time, making it easier to handle complex projects together. It offers:. - Source: dev.to / 24 days ago
  • Before the Code: Why I Chose Web Development and How I Got Started
    Built-in terminal (you’ll love this later) Download it here. - Source: dev.to / 26 days ago
View more

HTTPie mentions (52)

  • 6 Game-Changing Postman Alternatives That Will Revolutionize Your API Development in 2025
    For developers who prefer terminal-based workflows, HTTPie offers a more user-friendly alternative to curl while maintaining the efficiency of command-line tools. Its intuitive syntax and colorized output make API testing from the terminal more accessible and productive. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • How to connect and query multiple databases with a single REST API
    Let's see how querying the table employee from our DB2 looks like after we inserted the record previously. Instead of curl, let's use httpie:. - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • Ask HN: What's the Best Postman Alternative?
    I've been using HTTPie[1] for over a year and it's been great. Super light and does the job really well. [1]: https://httpie.io/. - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago
  • cURL vs Postman
    HTTPie: This command-line tool is designed to be user-friendly compared to cURL. It provides a more readable output format and supports JSON natively, making it easier for developers to work with APIs directly from the terminal. - Source: dev.to / 9 months ago
  • Automating DNS with Confidence: Terraform + DNScontrol
    Use curl or https://httpie.io/ to validate the DNS entries. - Source: dev.to / 9 months ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing VS Code and HTTPie, you can also consider the following products

Sublime Text - Sublime Text is a sophisticated text editor for code, html and prose - any kind of text file. You'll love the slick user interface and extraordinary features. Fully customizable with macros, and syntax highlighting for most major languages.

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.

Vim - Highly configurable text editor built to enable efficient text editing

cURL - cURL is a computer software project providing a library and command-line tool for transferring data...

Notepad++ - A free source code editor which supports several programming languages running under the MS Windows environment.

Postman - The Collaboration Platform for API Development