Protocols

Several implementations extend the .http format beyond standard HTTP requests.

WebSocket

JetBrains

WEBSOCKET ws://localhost:8080/ws

{"message": "Hello"}
===
{"message": "World"}
=== wait-for-server

httpyac

WS ws://localhost:8080/ws

{{@streaming
  async function writeMessage() {
    await sleep(1000);
    ws.send('Hello');
  }
  writeMessage();
}}

JetBrains uses the WEBSOCKET keyword:

WEBSOCKET ws://localhost:8080/ws

{"message": "Hello"}
===
{"message": "World"}
=== wait-for-server
{"message": "After server response"}

The === separator delimits multiple messages. === wait-for-server pauses until a server message is received.

httpyac uses the WS or WSS keyword with {{@streaming}} script blocks for programmatic message sending. # @keepStreaming keeps connections alive.

kulala.nvim supports WebSocket via WEBSOCKET or WS keywords.

VS Code REST Client does not support WebSocket.

gRPC

JetBrains uses the GRPC keyword. Requires Protocol Buffers plugin:

GRPC localhost:8080/com.example.UserService/GetUser

{"id": "123"}

httpyac uses GRPC with proto file loading (proto < ./service.proto) or gRPC reflection (# @grpc-reflection). Supports all four RPC types (unary, server streaming, client streaming, bidirectional).

kulala.nvim supports gRPC with # @grpc-... configuration flags.

Server-Sent Events

httpyac

SSE https://example.com/events

Uses SSE or EVENTSOURCE keyword. JetBrains handles SSE through stream response processing in scripts (partial support).

MQTT

httpyac

MQTT tcp://broker.hivemq.com
Topic: httpyac

Hello, World

Supports publish, subscribe, QoS, retain, and authentication headers.

AMQP/RabbitMQ

httpyac

AMQP amqp://guest:guest@localhost
amqp_method: publish
amqp_exchange: my_exchange

{"event": "test"}

Supports publish, consume, ack, nack, cancel, purge, declare, bind, unbind, delete operations.

Feature	VS Code	JetBrains	httpyac	VS 2022	kulala
GraphQL via X-REQUEST-TYPE header	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗
GraphQL via GRAPHQL keyword	✗	✓	✗	✗	✓
GraphQL auto-detection	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗
WebSocket JetBrains: WEBSOCKET keyword. httpyac: WS/WSS keyword.	✗	✓	✓	✗	✓
gRPC httpyac supports all four RPC types.	✗	✓	✓	✗	✓
Server-Sent Events JetBrains: via script processing. httpyac: SSE/EVENTSOURCE keyword.	✗	◐	✓	✗	✗
MQTT Unique to httpyac.	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗
AMQP/RabbitMQ Unique to httpyac.	✗	✗	✓	✗	✗