How to Send an HTTP Request with REST test test

Updated

REST test test (resttesttest.com) is a browser-based tool for poking around at an API: you pick an HTTP method, enter an endpoint URL, optionally add parameters, headers, authentication, or a file, and click Ajax Request to send it. Method and Endpoint are required; everything else is optional. The page itself notes it requires a browser with HTML5 support, so use a current browser.

What you can configure

The form exposes the pieces of a request that matter for most quick API checks:

Field Purpose
Method GET, POST, OPTIONS, PUT, DELETE, or HEAD
Endpoint The URL you want to hit (required)
Authentication Username and password
Header A header name plus its value
Parameter A parameter name plus its value
File A file to include with the request

You can add more than one header or parameter — the page provides an "Add header" / "Add parameter" control, and the same pattern applies to adding additional parameters generally.

Steps

  1. Choose the method. Select GET, POST, OPTIONS, PUT, DELETE, or HEAD from the Method control. Match the method to what the endpoint expects — a GET to a read endpoint, a POST to one that creates, and so on.
  2. Enter the endpoint. Paste the full URL into the Endpoint field. This is required; the page will not submit without it.
  3. Add authentication if the API needs it. Fill in Username and Password. Use this when the API expects basic-style credentials rather than a token.
  4. Add headers if needed. Give a Header Name and Header Value — for example a content type or an API key header. Add as many as the request requires.
  5. Add parameters if needed. Give a Parameter Name and Parameter Value for each query or body parameter you want to send.
  6. Attach a file if the request uploads one. Use the Add file control to include a file with the request.
  7. Click Ajax Request. The request is sent from the page, and the response comes back in the same view.

Common snags

  • Nothing happens on submit. Check that both Method and Endpoint are filled in — the page states these are required.
  • The page misbehaves or the request never fires. Confirm you are on a browser with HTML5 support, as the tool requires it.
  • Authentication fails. The built-in auth fields cover username/password. If your API expects a bearer token or a custom scheme, put it in a header instead (Header Name / Header Value).
  • Wrong result for a POST or PUT. Parameters may need to go in the body rather than the URL; add them as parameters and check what the endpoint expects.
  • Cross-origin errors. Because the request is sent from the browser, an API that does not allow cross-origin requests may block the response even though the request left the page.

When to use it

Reach for REST test test when you want a zero-setup way to confirm an endpoint responds, inspect what a method returns, or try a request with a specific header or credential before wiring it into code. For anything involving saved collections, environments, or repeatable test suites, a fuller API client will serve you better.