Best Git-Friendly Postman Alternatives (Desktop, CLI, and IDE)

Postman is the most popular desktop API client by a long shot, but it forces you to store all API requests and secrets in a proprietary cloud. Fortunately, there are local-first alternatives that allow you to back up and share requests via Git, Dropbox, or other file-based solutions.

This article will compare the best Git-friendly Postman alternatives, ranging from desktop apps to IDE and CLI-based workflows.

🦬 Yaak (Desktop)

Yaak is an open-source and Git-friendly Postman alternative that runs on Mac, Windows, and Linux desktop environments.

Yaak defaults to internal local storage, but file sync can be enabled for any workspace. From there, use any file-based tool (Git, Dropbox, etc.) or the built-in Git interface to commit and track changes to requests.

As a bonus, Yaak supports built-in encryption, so you can safely commit even secrets to Git without compromising security.

• 📦 Type: Desktop app (macOS, Windows, Linux)
• 🟢 Pros: Fast startup, local-first, Git-friendly, supports REST, gRPC, GraphQL, and WebSockets.
• 🟠 Cons: Newer project compared to Postman and Insomnia.
• ⭐ Best for: Devs who want a polished, Git-integrated API client without bloat.

🐶 Bruno (Desktop)

Bruno a cross-platform desktop app, loved for its human-editable file format. It gained popularity in 2023 after Insomnia forced users to have a cloud account —precisely the same reason people are shying away from Postman.

Bruno is the most popular open-source Postman alternative for those wanting a Postman-like workflow without cloud lock-in.

• 📦 Type: Desktop app (macOS, Windows, Linux)
• 🟢 Pros: Open source, simple file structure that commits well.
• 🟠 Cons: No built-in encryption. Can be slow at times.
• ⭐ Best for: Teams that want a Postman-like experience but with file-based storage.

↔️ Hurl (Command Line)

Hurl provides a command-line-first approach that lets you define requests in a git-friendly text format and execute them using the hurl CLI. If you’re already familiar with other command line tools like Curl, Hurl is likely a great fit for you.

• 📦 Type: CLI + text files
• 🟢 Pros: Lightweight, testable, easily versioned with Git.
• 🟠 Cons: No GUI — you’ll live in the terminal.
• ⭐ Best for: Developers who prefer scripting and automation over UI-driven API clients.

📦 JetBrains HTTP Client (IDE-based)

If you use IntelliJ IDEA, WebStorm, or other JetBrains IDEs, you already have a built-in HTTP client. Simply create a .http file to get started, then commit to Git.

• 📦 Type: IDE-integrated (file-based)
• 🟢 Pros: Always at your fingertips, Git-friendly, no extra app needed.
• 🟠 Cons: Tied to JetBrains IDEs, lacks rich API testing features.
• ⭐ Best for: JetBrains users who want lightweight request testing without leaving their editor.

💻 VSCode Rest Client (IDE-based)

VS Code users can install the REST Client extension. Like the JetBrains approach, .http files can be used to create executable API requests.

• 📦 Type: Editor extension (file-based)
• 🟢 Pros: Git-friendly, minimal setup, inline results.
• 🟠 Cons: Lacks advanced features (GraphQL, gRPC, environments).
• ⭐ Best for: VS Code users who want a lightweight Git-integrated workflow.

↔️ Postman alternative comparison

Tool	Type	Git-Friendly	Open Source	GUI/UX
Yaak	Desktop app	✅ With UI	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Bruno	Desktop app	✅ With UI	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Hurl	CLI	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No
JetBrains HTTP	IDE	✅ Yes	❌ No	⚠️ Minimal
VS Code REST	IDE	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	⚠️ Minimal

💁🏼‍♂️ What’s the best Postman alternative for you?

If your team already relies on Git for code, these tools are the best Postman alternatives to consider:

• Yaak and Bruno if you want desktop apps that feel closer to Postman but are Git-native
• Hurl if you value CLI tools and easy automated testing
• JetBrains HTTP and VS Code REST Client if you prefer editor integration