GitHub - VoidenHQ/voiden: Design, Test and Document APIs in plain Markdown. Compose Requests with API blocks. Reuse, Replace & Version everything just like code. Offline, Truly Git Native, No Lock-in.
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Design, Test and Document APIs in plain Markdown. Compose Requests with API blocks. Reuse, Replace & Version everything just like code. Offline, Truly Git Native, No Lock-in. - VoidenHQ/voiden

Hey there,

A few months ago we open sourced Voiden, an offline API client we originally built to replace Postman for us internally. Main inspiration was curl and Obsidian (and other plain text editors).

It now has around 11k installs so quite happy with this.

Core principles we built it on:

  • file-based, all plain executable markdown
  • API requests composable through blocks (endpoint, auth, params, body) that can be used, reused, replaced and version in Git, just like code.
  • free, local-first, Git based

Since open sourcing, almost everything that we shipped came from actual users, feedback and contributions.

A few examples was building API workflows (multiple requests in the same file, for example for CRUD flows) and scripting (JS/Python/Shell) before and after requests. Also added a “skills” layer so tools like Claude/Codex can operate directly on .void files and request blocks.

Repo: https://github.com/VoidenHQ/voiden Download: https://voiden.md/download

What I am looking/hoping for:

  • Feedback on the tool itself, especially if you design and test APIs in your work.
  • Ideas and tips from experienced folks on how to improve the visibility of the repo, especially for potential contributors that are looking for projects to contribute on: Adding good first issues, or other labels? (currently not doing that extensively so I am planning to put some structure).

thanks a million, (this is my first post about this in this sub-lemmy, if you are in other ones you might have seen this already)

cheers,

  • plc@feddit.dk
    4·
    3 days ago

    Looks cool, but there is a certain irony in calling something an “offline API client”. I suppose that is to contrast it with Postman? (I’ve never used it myself but have heard friends complain of having to log in… which rightfully seems excessive for what is essentially curl with a UI.)

    Using plain text files is a good design choice.

    • nikolasdimi@lemmy.worldOP
      4·
      3 days ago

      yes, indeed thats the idea. No need to log in or create an account on someones cloud.

      yes, plain text - markdown in particular, we have seen some devs do some great things we didnt even think of (it gives flexibility to create very weird and custom flows)