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.http files

Your First .http File

1. Create a file

Section titled “1. Create a file”

Create a new file called requests.http in your project (or anywhere):

### Hello world
GET https://httpbin.org/get
Accept: application/json

2. Open it in your editor

Section titled “2. Open it in your editor”

If you're using VS Code with the REST Client extension, any JetBrains IDE, Visual Studio 2022, or Neovim with kulala.nvim or rest.nvim — the file will be recognized automatically.

Look for a "Send Request" link or button above the GET line.

3. Send the request

Section titled “3. Send the request”

Click "Send Request" (or use the keyboard shortcut — typically Ctrl+Alt+R in VS Code, Ctrl+Enter in JetBrains). The response appears in a side panel.

Adding variables

Section titled “Adding variables”
@host = httpbin.org
@accept = application/json


### Get request with variables
GET https://{{host}}/get
Accept: {{accept}}


### Post request
POST https://{{host}}/post
Content-Type: application/json


{
  "message": "Hello from a .http file",
  "timestamp": "{{$timestamp}}"
}
Universal Supported identically by all major implementations.

Variable definition with @var = value and substitution with {{var}} work in all clients.

Using environments

Section titled “Using environments”

For switching between dev and production, create an http-client.env.json file alongside your .http file:

{
  "development": {
    "host": "localhost:3000",
    "token": "dev-token-123"
  },
  "production": {
    "host": "api.example.com",
    "token": "prod-token-456"
  }
}

Then reference the variables in your requests:

GET https://{{host}}/api/users
Authorization: Bearer {{token}}
Widely Supported Supported by 3+ implementations, possibly with syntax variations.

The http-client.env.json format is supported by JetBrains, httpyac, Visual Studio 2022, and kulala.nvim. VS Code REST Client uses settings.json instead.

Next steps

Section titled “Next steps”