Hoppscotch

A fast, open-source API development platform that runs entirely in the browser. Test REST, GraphQL, WebSocket, SSE, and real-time APIs — no desktop install required. Automate collection runs in CI/CD with the hopp CLI.

What is Hoppscotch?

Hoppscotch (formerly Postwoman) is an open-source API development ecosystem. What started as a browser-based alternative to Postman has grown into a comprehensive platform supporting REST, GraphQL, WebSocket, Server-Sent Events, Socket.IO, and MQTT — all from a single interface at hoppscotch.io.

Because it runs in the browser, there is nothing to install for basic use. Collections and workspaces are stored locally via IndexedDB or synced to an account. For teams requiring data sovereignty, a Docker Compose deployment puts all data in your own PostgreSQL instance. The @hoppscotch/cli package extends the platform into automated pipeline testing.

Key Features

• Multi-protocol support — REST, GraphQL, WebSocket, SSE, Socket.IO, and MQTT in one unified interface
• Collections and workspaces — organize requests into nested folders; share with teammates via team workspaces
• Environment variables — define named environments (dev/staging/prod) and switch with one click; supports secret masking
• Pre-request and test scripts — JavaScript scripting using the pw API for lifecycle automation and response assertions
• GraphQL schema browser — introspection-based explorer with autocomplete, variable panels, and subscription support
• Hoppscotch CLI (hopp) — run collection files from the terminal with environment injection and JUnit XML reporting
• Self-hosting — Docker Compose setup with PostgreSQL, OAuth SSO, and an admin dashboard
• History and shareable links — persistent request history and one-click URL sharing for individual requests

CLI Installation and Usage

# Install the Hoppscotch CLI globally
npm install -g @hoppscotch/cli

# Verify installation
hopp --version

# Run a collection against a staging environment
hopp test collections/api-tests.json --env environments/staging.json

# Output JUnit XML for CI reporting
hopp test collections/api-tests.json --reporter-junit results/junit.xml

Environment Variables

Define variables in the web app or via a JSON file, then reference them using the <<VARIABLE_NAME>> syntax in any request field — URL, headers, body, or authorization.

// hoppscotch-env.json
{
  "name": "Staging",
  "variables": [
    { "key": "BASE_URL", "value": "https://api.staging.example.com", "secret": false },
    { "key": "API_KEY",  "value": "sk-staging-abc123",               "secret": true  },
    { "key": "USER_ID",  "value": "42",                              "secret": false }
  ]
}

// Reference variables using <> in any request field
// GET <>/users/<>
// Authorization: Bearer <>

Test Scripts

The pw scripting object is available in pre-request and post-response panels. Use pw.test(), pw.expect(), and pw.env.set() for dynamic behavior and assertions.

// Pre-request script — set a dynamic timestamp
pw.env.set("TIMESTAMP", new Date().toISOString());

// Post-response test script
pw.test("Status is 200", () => {
  pw.expect(pw.response.status).toBe(200);
});

pw.test("Response has user id", () => {
  const body = pw.response.body;
  pw.expect(body).toHaveProperty("id");
  pw.expect(body.id).toBeGreaterThan(0);
});

pw.test("Content-Type is JSON", () => {
  pw.expect(pw.response.headers["content-type"]).toContain("application/json");
});

GraphQL Support

The GraphQL tab auto-fetches your schema via introspection. Build queries with the schema explorer, provide variables in a JSON panel, and open live subscription connections over WebSocket — all in the browser.

# GraphQL query in Hoppscotch GraphQL tab
query GetUser($id: ID!) {
  user(id: $id) {
    id
    name
    email
    createdAt
  }
}

# Variables panel (JSON)
{
  "id": "42"
}

# Subscription example
subscription OnMessageAdded($roomId: ID!) {
  messageAdded(roomId: $roomId) {
    id
    content
    author { name }
  }
}

Hoppscotch vs Postman

Pros and Cons