Build Postman

KINDAreplaces $9/mosaves $108/yrback to the verdict

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Saved on this device only. Tick prerequisites first, then work the phases in order · do not start one until the checks above it pass.

A file-based API client for one developer: requests as YAML in git, environments with secrets from the shell, a runner with assertions that exits non-zero for CI, chaining a token from one call into the next, history with diffs, and an importer for Postman collections. Bruno is the open-source answer; this is the 500-line version you own.

estimated effort weekendthe files for this build are in the project pack

RuntimeNode 22, a CLIStorageYAML files in git plus a SQLite history

Before step 1

Everything below is assumed from the first step. Tick each one when you actually have it, not when you plan to.

installfree
Why Everything in this build runs on it: the server, the scripts, the tests.
Get it Download the LTS installer from nodejs.org, or install with your package manager (brew install node, or nvm install 22). Restart the terminal afterwards. open ↗
Verify node --version prints v22 or higher
installfree
Why Every step below is a command you type or a file you edit.
Get it VS Code (code.visualstudio.com), Cursor or Zed. Open a folder for the project and use the editor's built-in terminal. open ↗
Verify You can open a folder and run a command in its terminal
installfree
Why History for your code, and the way most hosts deploy.
Get it Install from git-scm.com or with your package manager, then run git init in the project folder once it exists. open ↗
Verify git --version prints a version
decidefree
Why If it fits, use it and stop; it is free and file-based. This build is for wanting a version you can read in an afternoon.
Get it usebruno.com, open your collection folder. open ↗
have readyfree
Why Phase 5 imports it; every phase needs a real API to test against.
Get it Postman > Collection > Export (v2.1). Any public API or your own local server for tests.
decidefree
Why Requests reference {{env.NAME}}; values come from environment variables.
Get it Export them in your shell profile or a .env you never commit.

Data model

Create these before the first phase that stores anything. Changing a table later is the expensive kind of change.

- requests/<name>.yaml: method, url, headers, query, body, auth (bearer | basic | none), asserts (status, jsonpath equals)
- environments/<name>.yaml: key-value pairs referenced as {name} in requests
- history.sqlite: one row per run with request name, environment, status, latency, response size

Environment variables

These go in a .env file the app reads at startup. The pack's .env.example is this table as a file · copy it, never commit the filled-in version.

Variable	Needed	Example	Where the value comes from
`API_HISTORY_DB`	optional	`~/.api-cli/history.db`	Where runs are recorded.
`API_TOKEN`secret	optional	`...`	An example secret a request references as {{env.API_TOKEN}}.

The build, in order

1
Run one request
YAML in, pretty response out, secrets only from the shell.
1. requests/<name>.yaml: method, url, headers, query, body, auth, asserts. environments/<name>.yaml: key-value pairs referenced as {{name}}.
  terminal
  mkdir api-cli && cd api-cli && git init && npm init -y && npm pkg set type=module && npm install yaml@2 mkdir -p requests environments && cp .env.example .env
done when · tick each as it passes
next phase
2
Assertions
Status and JSON-path asserts with a non-zero exit.
done when · tick each as it passes
next phase
3
Collections and chaining
Run a folder in order; capture values between requests.
done when · tick each as it passes
next phase
4
History and diff
Every run recorded; diff the last two responses.
done when · tick each as it passes
next phase
5
Import
Postman collections become YAML.
done when · tick each as it passes
next phase
6
Share with a teamproduct builder
Only if others use it: publish the CLI and enforce it in CI.
done when · tick each as it passes

what this build does not replace

Team sync, mock servers, monitors, the visual editor: the seat price.
team workspaces and cloud sync
the mock server and monitoring products
the visual editor
API governance and the public API network

after v1, if you want it

A local web UI over the same files
OpenAPI import

Need the files? The project pack on the verdict page hands your agent the whole brief · more dev tools.