is-a.dev

A free hosted REST API like ReqRes gives you a real HTTP endpoint you can call immediately—no signup, no local server, no database setup. You get predictable JSON responses for users, resources, login, and registration, which makes it useful for front-end demos, integration tests, learning HTTP clients, and prototyping. What it is not is a production backend for your app: the data is shared, resets periodically, and you don't control the schema. If you need persistent, private data with auth and logs, that's where an account-based backend or a commercial licence comes in.

What "free REST API for testing and prototyping" actually means

The phrase sounds vague, so it helps to separate two things people often conflate:

• A mock/sample API — a public, hosted service with fixed or semi-fixed endpoints that return realistic-looking JSON. You don't own the data. It exists so you can point code at a URL and get a response.
• A real backend you configure — a service where you define collections, schemas, authentication, and logging, and where your data persists and belongs to you.

ReqRes's landing page describes both: a free REST API for testing and prototyping with real responses and no signup, plus an option to build your own backend with collections, auth, and logs at app.reqres.in. Those are different products with different trade-offs. The free public endpoints are the "point and go" part; the account-based backend is the "own your data" part.

What you can do with the no-signup public endpoints

1. Front-end demos without a backend

If you're building a UI and need data to render, you can fetch from a public endpoint instead of hardcoding arrays. This keeps your demo code closer to real fetch logic:

async function loadUsers(page = 1) {
  const res = await fetch(`https://reqres.in/api/users?page=${page}`);
  if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`HTTP ${res.status}`);
  const { data, total, page: current } = await res.json();
  return { users: data, total, page: current };
}

You get pagination fields, a data array, and support metadata—enough to build list views, loading states, and empty states.

2. Integration and contract tests

You can assert that your HTTP layer handles status codes, headers, and JSON shapes correctly. Typical checks:

• GET /api/users/2 returns 200 with a data object.
• GET /api/users/23 returns 404 (a non-existent user).
• POST /api/login with valid credentials returns a token; with missing fields returns 400.

This is useful for testing your client wrapper, retry logic, error handling, and serialization—without spinning up your own server.

3. Learning HTTP clients and tooling

If you're new to fetch, Axios, curl, Postman, or HTTPie, a hosted API is a low-friction target. You can practice:

• Sending query parameters (?page=2, ?delay=3).
• Setting headers and reading response headers.
• Handling POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE.
• Observing status codes for success and failure.

4. Deliberate failure and latency testing

Endpoints that return 404 on purpose, or that accept a delay parameter, let you test how your app behaves when things go wrong or slow down. That's hard to do reliably against a happy-path local mock.

What the public endpoints are not good for

The key limitation: you don't own the data, and other people are hitting the same endpoints. Treat responses as illustrative, not authoritative.

When you'd move to an account-based backend

Consider app.reqres.in (collections, auth, logs) when any of these are true:

• You need your own collections and fields, not the fixed demo schema.
• You need data to persist between sessions and belong only to you.
• You need real authentication flows you can rely on in a demo or internal tool.
• You need request logs to debug what your client actually sent.
• You're working with a team and need shared, stable endpoints.

The trade-off is setup and, eventually, cost. The public endpoints require none; the backend requires an account and configuration.

Where pricing and licensing become relevant

The site signals a commercial licence and an upgrade path (with Stripe as the payment platform), but specific prices, plan tiers, and limits aren't stated here—so don't assume numbers. What you can reason about:

• Prototyping and learning → free public endpoints are usually enough.
• Internal tools, demos for clients, or anything you don't want reset → an account-based backend is the natural next step.
• Production or commercial use → check the licence terms and any paid plan, because "free for testing" and "free for commercial production" are not the same thing.

Before committing, read the current terms on the site rather than relying on secondhand summaries, since pricing and licence scope change.

A quick decision checklist

1. Do you need data that persists and is private? If yes → account-based backend.
2. Do you need a custom schema? If yes → account-based backend.
3. Are you only testing HTTP behavior, UI rendering, or learning a client? If yes → free public endpoints.
4. Will this touch real users or revenue? If yes → review the licence and any paid plan first.
5. Do you need logs and team access? If yes → account-based backend.

If you answer "no" to 1, 2, 4, and 5, the free hosted API is likely all you need. If you answer "yes" to any of them, plan for the account-based path.

Use the Check Subdomain Availability tool on the is-a.dev homepage. Enter the subdomain you want (the part before .is-a.dev), and the tool tells you whether it is available, already owned, or reserved. If it is available, the page links you to the registration instructions.

How the availability check works

The checker is a search box on the is-a.dev site. You type a single label — for example, myproject — and it queries the service for that name under .is-a.dev.

The result falls into one of four states:

The page displays the owner when a subdomain is already taken, so you can confirm it is genuinely in use rather than a temporary glitch.

Step-by-step: checking a name

1. Open the is-a.dev website.
2. Find the Check Subdomain Availability section.
3. Type the label you want — just the part before .is-a.dev, not the full domain.
4. Submit the check.
5. Read the result:
   • Available → the page shows a link explaining how to register it.
   • Owned → the page names the current owner; choose another label.
   • Reserved → the name is off-limits; choose another label.
   • Error → try again.

What to do once a name is available

Registration is not done through the checker itself. The site directs you to the is-a-dev/register repository on GitHub, where you follow the provided instructions to claim the subdomain. The same repository-based process applies to the newer .is-a.bot subdomains, which the site says have just launched.

Practical tips before you check

• Check the exact label you plan to use. Availability is per-name, so myproject and my-project are different checks.
• Have a fallback ready. Common or short names are more likely to be owned or reserved, so prepare one or two alternatives before you start.
• Re-check close to registration time. A name that shows as available can be claimed by someone else in between.
• Use the report link if needed. If you suspect a subdomain is abusing the service, the site provides a Report Abuse option.

Related resources on the site

The homepage also links to Documentation, Terms of Service, Contact Us, a GitHub repository, and a Discord server. These are the places to go for registration details, rules, and support. The project describes itself as a free service for developers and accepts donations to keep it running.

If you suspect a .is-a.dev subdomain is abusing the service, is-a.dev provides a dedicated Report Abuse link on its homepage. Use that link to submit a report; the site states that reports should be made there. You do not need to register a subdomain or log in to the site to find the link, but the page does not specify what information the report form requires, so be prepared to describe the subdomain and the suspected abuse in your own words.

Where the report link lives

The is-a.dev homepage lists Report Abuse as one of its main sections, alongside Documentation, Terms of Service, Contact Us, GitHub, and Discord Server. The page text reads:

If you suspect that a subdomain is abusing the service, please report it here.

That is the intended channel for abuse reports. The site does not publish a separate email address or a step-by-step form description in the available page content, so the link itself is the starting point.

What to include in a report

The page evidence does not list required fields, so the following is a practical checklist rather than a documented requirement:

• The exact subdomain you are reporting (for example, something.is-a.dev).
• What the subdomain is being used for that you believe violates the service's rules.
• Any supporting evidence you can share, such as URLs, screenshots, or timestamps.
• Your contact information, in case follow-up is needed.

Keeping the report factual and specific makes it easier to act on. Avoid speculation about who owns the subdomain; focus on the observed behavior.

What happens after you report

The available page content does not describe the review process, response time, or possible outcomes. What it does make clear is the purpose: abuse reports exist to help maintain the service environment for developers who use .is-a.dev subdomains legitimately. If you need to confirm the current rules before reporting, check the Terms of Service linked on the homepage, since a report is more likely to be actionable when it points to a specific rule.

Related things worth knowing

• Registration is separate from reporting. To get your own subdomain, the site directs you to the is-a-dev/register repository on GitHub and its instructions. That is not the abuse channel.
• The service is free. The homepage states the project is a free service for developers and will stay that way, with donations invited to keep it running. Free access does not mean abuse is tolerated.
• There is also a .is-a.bot option. The site notes that .is-a.bot subdomains have launched and can be claimed on GitHub, in case your interest is in registering rather than reporting.

If your concern is not abuse but a general question, the homepage also links Contact Us, GitHub, and a Discord Server, which may be better fits depending on the issue.

To register a free .is-a.dev subdomain, you check availability on the is-a.dev homepage, then go to the is-a-dev/register repository on GitHub and follow the instructions there. Registration is handled through GitHub rather than a signup form on the website, so you need a GitHub account and some familiarity with the repository workflow (typically a pull request adding your subdomain's configuration file).

What is-a.dev offers

is-a.dev is a service that gives developers free .is-a.dev subdomains. According to the site, the project "is a free service for developers and will stay that way," and it accepts donations to keep running. It has also launched .is-a.bot subdomains, which are claimed through GitHub as well.

A subdomain is useful when you want a short, recognizable hostname for a personal site, portfolio, or project without buying a domain. You point the subdomain at infrastructure you already control (for example, a GitHub Pages site or your own server) by configuring DNS records in your registration file.

Step 1: Check whether your subdomain is available

On the is-a.dev homepage there is a Check Subdomain Availability tool. Enter the subdomain you want (the part before .is-a.dev) and submit it. The tool returns one of these results:

Check availability first so you don't spend time preparing a registration for a name that is already taken or reserved.

Step 2: Register through the GitHub repository

The site's instructions are explicit: "To register your own subdomain, visit the is-a-dev/register repository on GitHub and follow the provided instructions." The exact file format, required fields, and review process are defined in that repository, so read its README and contributing guidance before submitting.

At a high level, the workflow looks like this:

1. Sign in to GitHub (create an account if you don't have one).
2. Open the is-a-dev/register repository.
3. Read the repository's instructions for adding a subdomain.
4. Add your subdomain's configuration file, following the format the repository specifies. This is where you define the DNS records that point your subdomain to your hosting.
5. Submit your change as a pull request.
6. Wait for maintainers to review and merge it. Once merged, your subdomain becomes active.

The same GitHub-based process applies to .is-a.bot subdomains.

What to prepare before you submit

• The exact subdomain name you want, already confirmed as available.
• Your DNS target. Decide where the subdomain should point — for example, a CNAME to your hosting provider's hostname, or A/AAAA records to an IP address. The repository's instructions define which record types are accepted.
• A GitHub account in good standing, since the request is made as a pull request.

Common snags

• Skipping the availability check. If the name is owned or reserved, your pull request will be rejected. Check first.
• Guessing the file format. The repository is the source of truth for the configuration schema. Copy an existing entry as a template rather than inventing fields.
• Wrong DNS values. A merged registration with incorrect records will resolve to nothing or to the wrong place. Verify your target hostname or IP before submitting.
• Expecting instant activation. Because registration goes through a pull request, there is a review step; your subdomain works only after the change is merged.

After registration

Once your subdomain is live, you manage changes (updating DNS targets, for example) through the same repository. If you ever suspect a subdomain is abusing the service, the site provides a Report Abuse link. Documentation, Terms of Service, a contact link, a GitHub link, and a Discord server are all listed under Important Links on the homepage if you need help or want to check the rules.

Yes. is-a.dev is a free service for developers, and the project states it will stay that way. If you want to support it, the site has a Donations section where you can contribute to help keep the service running.

What "free" covers

According to the is-a.dev homepage, the service exists to let developers get free .is-a.dev subdomains. The site also notes that .is-a.bot subdomains have been launched, with registration handled through GitHub.

The homepage explicitly says: "This project is a free service for developers and will stay that way."

That statement is about the service itself. It does not describe any paid tiers, premium features, or pricing plans, and the page evidence contains no pricing links or payment platforms.

How to support is-a.dev

The homepage includes a Donations section with this message:

"Please consider donating to help us keep this service running forever!"

So the supported path is straightforward:

1. Go to the is-a.dev website.
2. Find the Donations section.
3. Follow the donation link or instructions provided there.

The site also thanks "all of our current and past supporters," which indicates donations are an ongoing part of how the project is sustained.

Other ways to help beyond donating

The homepage lists several Important Links that are part of the project's ecosystem:

• Documentation
• Terms of Service
• Contact Us
• GitHub
• Discord Server

If you use the service, these links are also how you stay informed about rules and changes. For example, the Terms of Service matter because subdomains are subject to the project's policies, and the GitHub repository is where registration instructions live.

There is also a Report Abuse section: "If you suspect that a subdomain is abusing the service, please report it here." Reporting abuse is a non-financial way to help protect the service for everyone.

What is not stated

The page evidence does not mention:

• Any paid plans or pricing
• Any requirement to donate in order to register or keep a subdomain
• Any specific donation amounts or platforms

So the accurate reading is: the service is described as free, donations are requested to keep it running, and donating is optional rather than a condition of use.

Quick summary

If your goal is simply to get a subdomain, the homepage points you to the is-a-dev/register repository on GitHub and its instructions. If your goal is to support the project, the Donations section is the place the site itself directs you to.