# Getting started with Kong Insomnia

Hey folks 👋🏼

For the past week, I had the chance to explore a tool called [Insomnia](https://insomnia.rest/) by [Kong](https://github.com/Kong/insomnia) and thought I'd share my learnings through this blog. So here we go.

Imagine you're a developer, sitting at your desk late at night, surrounded by coffee cups and lines of code. You've been tasked with integrating a new API, but every time you test it, something goes wrong. The errors are vague, the debugging process is tedious, and you start feeling that familiar frustration creep in - you wonder, *Isn’t there an easier way to do this?💭*

Enter **Insomnia** – but don’t let the name fool you! This isn’t the kind of insomnia that keeps you awake at night; in fact, it’s here to save you from sleepless nights. 🤪

You quickly realize that Insomnia isn't just another API client – it’s a **one-stop shop**. You can **Design, Debug, and Test** APIs all in one go.

No more jumping between different tools to authenticate, debug, and test your requests. With Insomnia’s built-in **authentication helpers**, you can set up OAuth, Basic Auth, or any token-based security in just a few clicks.

You can set up **environment variables** for different stages – from development to production – keeping your workspace organized and neat. No more fumbling around changing URLs manually.

But wait, there’s more: your API isn't live yet, and you need to simulate responses. Not a problem! You use Insomnia to **mock APIs** and simulate server behaviour, allowing you to test without ever having to spin up a backend. With the **real-time collaboration** feature, your entire team can jump in, test, and debug right alongside you.

As you watch your API deliver a smooth "200 OK" ✅ and your tests succeed one after another, you feel a sense of relief and accomplishment. Insomnia isn’t just a tool, it’s your secret weapon against the chaos of API development.

And there's even more! Here are the **storage options** you can use for your projects, collections, specs, and other files:

* **Local Vault**: Store your collections, design specs, and other resources locally.
    
* **Cloud Sync**: Collaborate in the cloud with end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for free.
    
* **Git Sync**: Use any third-party Git repository to store all your files.
    

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724931278190/e24616fb-48e0-4931-8ee5-1fae8b3c1b23.png align="center")

So, how do you get started?

Getting started is easy! Insomnia is available for **Mac, Windows, and Linux**, so no matter what platform you’re on, you’re covered. You can download it from their website: [https://insomnia.rest/download](https://insomnia.rest/download)

We'll be trying Insomnia together 🌱

Now, let's send our first request! 🎊

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724933193730/9dea1687-3ba8-4a16-99b5-59271df062e5.png align="center")

Make a new collection by clicking the + icon in the sub-menu named **Collections** and name it **Demo**.

You'll see something like this. Now, let's create a new HTTP request. I've already made an API you can use to test it out :D (but feel free to use any API you like! 😉)

Here's the [Github repo](https://github.com/priyaaakansha/insomnia_demo)

I've made a basic API that handles signup and login. Here's how it works:

1. **\[GET\]** Request to check if the server is running or not.
    
2. **\[POST\]** Sign up a new user with a **username** and **password**.
    
3. **\[POST\]** Log in with the same credentials, and you'll get an access token. This means the user is authenticated.
    
4. **\[GET\]** Use the access token to access the protected route.
    

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724933502472/8a0965a2-8a2b-406a-83ba-8d7a41bd5377.png align="center")

**📌** Click on **New HTTP Request**

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724933631525/d7221754-8088-4753-8d3d-fd1f625402da.png align="center")

Let's try the **GET request** and check out the preview. Use this API path: [`https://insomnia-demo.vercel.app/`](https://insomnia-demo.vercel.app/) and hit **SEND.** <mark>This is the API which I developed</mark>

**Note:** It's an **open route.**

This means that anyone with the URL of the API can send requests to it and receive a response, without needing credentials like an API key, token, or login.

YAY 🎉, the server is up and running!

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724933775503/2b77e3ab-a260-4188-bb8f-8657e3f321c0.png align="center")

**What else do we see? 👀**

1. **Status 200 OK**: Right away, you can see if your request worked.
    
2. **Execution Time**: Check how long your request took – super handy for performance insights.
    
3. **Headers**: Get a detailed look at request and response headers, which is great for debugging and understanding how the API works.
    
4. **Response Size**: See the size of the response, whether it’s 24B or 24MB – every byte counts!
    
5. **Mock Servers**: No real server to test with? No worries. You can mock API responses and simulate server behavior for testing.
    
6. **Cookies**: Keep an eye on cookies (if any) that get sent or received during the request, making session management a breeze.
    

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724933889160/43480416-0a0c-4940-9a73-8c904e916d52.png align="center")

Let's test the other APIs that we mentioned before and see if they work.

Create a **new request**. For the quick tutorial, we'll be doing **HTTP requests**, but you have so many options. You can also organize your interface using folders to keep your APIs tidy📂

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724934411864/9cf90ce8-487b-4f47-a138-491774c8732b.png align="center")

We'll be signing up the user now. Use this API path `https://insomnia-demo.vercel.app/signup`

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724934506580/c864a8d8-58c0-4795-adbf-f1b684d9e810.png align="center")

Okay, so I made this **POST** request. Did you notice something? The domain [`https://insomnia-demo.vercel.app`](https://insomnia-demo.vercel.app/) is used everywhere.

You can set up **environment variables** to reuse values across multiple requests. Common examples include base URLs, authentication tokens, and resource IDs. This approach helps keep your requests organized and avoids repetitive configuration, making your API testing more efficient. Let's set one up.

Head over to the **Base Environment** option and click the **pencil ✏️**

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724934616356/a8daa5c6-6186-4f76-b0a5-1904d4a4f77c.png align="center")

Put this in the body for our tutorial  
*Note: the variable name can be anything as you would like*

```json
     {
       "host": "insomnia-demo.vercel.app"
     }
```

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724934704287/53f22f9c-9f15-4519-83c5-df0872d49c1e.png align="center")

And that's it, you're done 👍

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724934751366/074bcce9-dd1b-43e3-ae10-f0be555ea3de.png align="center")

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724934782231/2d10ed42-2191-446d-a4b6-771f022ff87e.png align="center")

Add the **BODY**. There are a ton of options to choose from, but I'm going with **JSON**.

```json
{
	"username": "Joey",
	"password": "danse123"
}
```

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724934874219/4a9c40c0-592a-46bd-a05e-73228a78811a.png align="center")

User is registered successfully ✅

Now let's **Log in** the user. Use this API Path: `https://insomnia-demo.vercel.app/login`

Use the same login credentials which you did for Sign up. YAY, we got the access token!

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724935135030/104ce478-1ef7-403d-a53e-8a9cf1bdfa2d.png align="center")

Here are the header details

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724935156206/d0100094-f63e-46e9-b60e-de7262537063.png align="center")

**📌 Final step**, let's access the **protected route** and see if it works.

A **protected route** in an API is an endpoint that requires authentication and/or authorization to access.

Use this API Path: `https://insomnia-demo.vercel.app/protected`

We have a few Auth options, but for this example, we're going with the **Bearer token**.

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724935498118/fabc7284-e519-43d8-a786-32dcfafada9c.png align="center")

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724935569350/7966e4a0-432a-44c0-b026-6f419086cc7b.png align="center")

Voila! Using the access token, we got access to the protected route!

Now, let's check out some quick scenarios we forgot to test 🧪

**📌 Scenario 1:** What if the route path isn't correct?

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724935739217/79ffee5a-f827-47bd-9fad-a780523b7c49.png align="center")

**📌 Scenario 2:** What if the password is wrong?

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724935971683/50e4efaf-212c-41e9-a6eb-8e23afdb9b17.png align="center")

**📌 Scenario 3**: What if we try to log in but the user doesn't exist?

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724936007515/2cf971c4-4c85-4875-8866-bade422dff56.png align="center")

**📌 Scenario 4:** What if the access token has expired or is wrong?

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724936050581/2e1321c8-bb05-4650-8896-65fa870d3cf2.png align="center")

All the scenarios work just like we expected, and the preview tool gives the right status codes! It was super easy and user-friendly to use.

Oh, and there's another awesome feature I want to mention: **Import/Export 👾**

From the Document or Collection name dropdown menu, select **Import/Export**.

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724936232249/e6088d27-08f8-4969-92d4-86697527c3de.png align="center")

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724936248780/bed2f229-7e7a-4310-9c7f-3f43bdcf3249.png align="center")

Here's the complete **YAML file** of the environment we set up in Insomnia.

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724936308040/8a926fb1-c422-4576-a4d3-832cbe200ace.png align="center")

Also, if you want to work with others in the environment, you can just invite them.

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724936391243/6a0675d6-62f3-433a-9773-7234f849512d.png align="center")

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1724936412404/f8564fd5-1d47-48a5-9e0b-8616f03e9c72.png align="center")

Which will look something like this. Pretty cool, right?

And there you have it, we explored **Insomnia** together 🦸🏻‍♀️

If you haven’t tried Insomnia yet, now’s the perfect time to see how it can boost your development experience. Download it, check out its features, and see how it changes your approach to API testing.

Got questions or stories to share? Drop them in the comments below – I’d love to hear how Insomnia is working for you. 😍

I'll be back with more tutorials on Insomnia, so stay tuned and see you in the next one.

Also, check out our [Twitter/X spaces](https://x.com/empathyops) that we host weekly!! 😉  
  
Wait.. have you heard about the **Kong API Summit**?

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1725976812207/691b2bfe-210e-4ba9-9b62-b1a4cc849225.png align="center")

The API Summit by Kong unites top minds in the API space to share best practices for building, running and governing APIs across any environment. Learn how to achieve zero-trust security, enhance developer productivity, reduce operational overhead and maximise ROI.  
  
Sign up for the [Kong API Summit](https://konghq.com/events/conferences/api-summit), which will be held virtually from 11-12 September! And attend talks & keynotes from some amazing speakers onboard! 😍