The Collaborative API Development Platform - Insomnia
Leading Open Source API Development Platform for HTTP, REST, GraphQL, gRPC, SOAP, and WebSockets
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Insomnia is an open-source, cross-platform API client for developers to design, test, debug, and collaborate on APIs using REST, GraphQL, gRPC, WebSockets, SSE, and more.
🚀 Overview
Insomnia is a powerful API development platform that streamlines the process of building, testing, and designing APIs. It addresses key pain points in API workflows, such as fragmented tools for different protocols, lack of seamless collaboration, and dependency on proprietary software like Postman.
This project is built for individual developers, API teams, and enterprises who need a reliable, local-first tool with optional cloud collaboration. Originally created in 2016 by Gregory Schier as a simple, beautiful REST client, it was acquired by Kong in 2019 to serve as the foundation for advanced API tools, evolving into a full-featured platform sustained by a freemium model.
Kong invests in Insomnia to empower developers in an API-first world, adding AI-powered features like mock servers and commits, while keeping the core open-source and free.
✨ Key Features
- Multi-protocol support for REST/HTTP, GraphQL, gRPC, WebSockets, SSE, Socket.IO, and MCP clients (what it does: unified debugging; why: saves switching tools)
- Native OpenAPI editor with linting, live preview, and design tools (enables API spec creation and validation)
- Advanced testing with collection runner, test suites, scripting, and CLI for CI/CD integration
- Mock servers (AI-generated, cloud/self-hosted), plugins ecosystem, and environments/variables
- Flexible sync: Local Vault (no account), Git Sync, Cloud with real-time collaboration and E2EE (optional upcoming: more AI enhancements)
🛠 Tech Stack
- Frontend: Electron, React, TypeScript, JavaScript, CSS
- Backend: Node.js
- Database: Local storage (IndexedDB/SQLite-like)
- Auth: Custom account system (social SSO, SAML/OIDC for enterprise)
- Hosting: Desktop downloads (Mac/Windows/Linux), Kong Cloud for sync
👥 Who Is This For?
This project is useful for:
- Developers who want to test and debug APIs locally without accounts
- Teams looking for collaborative workflows with Git/Cloud sync and RBAC
- Indie makers building microservices or full API platforms with CLI/CI/CD
📸 Screenshots / Demo
- Live demo: https://insomnia.rest/download
- GitHub: https://github.com/Kong/insomnia
🔥 Project Status
- 🟢 Actively building
Last updated: 2026-03-24
❓ FAQ
Is this project free?
Freemium / Open Source (Core API client and local features free forever; Pro/Teams/Enterprise at $45/user/month for collaboration, orgs, SSO, unlimited mocks.)
Is the source code available?
Yes — https://github.com/Kong/insomnia (Apache-2.0 license)
Can I contribute?
Yes — Read CONTRIBUTING.md and CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md, open issues/PRs on GitHub, join Slack at https://chat.insomnia.rest for discussions and feedback.
📬 Contact & Links
- Website: https://insomnia.rest
- GitHub: https://github.com/Kong/insomnia
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/GetInsomnia
- Email: support@insomnia.rest
Built with ❤️ and kept warm on WarmIndex.
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