--- title: Test web APIs with the HTTP REPL author: scottaddie description: Learn how to use the HTTP REPL .NET Core Global Tool to browse and test an ASP.NET Core web API. monikerRange: '>= aspnetcore-2.1' ms.author: scaddie ms.custom: mvc ms.date: 10/07/2019 uid: web-api/http-repl --- # Test web APIs with the HTTP REPL By [Scott Addie](https://twitter.com/Scott_Addie) The HTTP Read-Eval-Print Loop (REPL) is: * A lightweight, cross-platform command-line tool that's supported everywhere .NET Core is supported. * Used for making HTTP requests to test ASP.NET Core web APIs (and non-ASP.NET Core web APIs) and view their results. * Capable of testing web APIs hosted in any environment, including localhost and Azure App Service. The following [HTTP verbs](https://github.com/microsoft/api-guidelines/blob/vNext/Guidelines.md#74-supported-methods) are supported: * [DELETE](#test-http-delete-requests) * [GET](#test-http-get-requests) * [HEAD](#test-http-head-requests) * [OPTIONS](#test-http-options-requests) * [PATCH](#test-http-patch-requests) * [POST](#test-http-post-requests) * [PUT](#test-http-put-requests) To follow along, [view or download the sample ASP.NET Core web API](https://github.com/aspnet/AspNetCore.Docs/tree/master/aspnetcore/web-api/http-repl/samples) ([how to download](xref:index#how-to-download-a-sample)). ## Prerequisites * [!INCLUDE [2.1-SDK](~/includes/2.1-SDK.md)] ## Installation To install the HTTP REPL, run the following command: ```dotnetcli dotnet tool install -g Microsoft.dotnet-httprepl ``` A [.NET Core Global Tool](/dotnet/core/tools/global-tools#install-a-global-tool) is installed from the [Microsoft.dotnet-httprepl](https://www.nuget.org/packages/Microsoft.dotnet-httprepl) NuGet package. ## Usage After successful installation of the tool, run the following command to start the HTTP REPL: ```console httprepl ``` To view the available HTTP REPL commands, run one of the following commands: ```console httprepl -h ``` ```console httprepl --help ``` The following output is displayed: ```console Usage: httprepl [] [options] Arguments: - The initial base address for the REPL. Options: -h|--help - Show help information. Once the REPL starts, these commands are valid: Setup Commands: Use these commands to configure the tool for your API server connect Configures the directory structure and base address of the api server set header Sets or clears a header for all requests. e.g. `set header content-type application/json` HTTP Commands: Use these commands to execute requests against your application. GET get - Issues a GET request POST post - Issues a POST request PUT put - Issues a PUT request DELETE delete - Issues a DELETE request PATCH patch - Issues a PATCH request HEAD head - Issues a HEAD request OPTIONS options - Issues a OPTIONS request Navigation Commands: The REPL allows you to navigate your URL space and focus on specific APIs that you are working on. set base Set the base URI. e.g. `set base http://locahost:5000` ls Show all endpoints for the current path cd Append the given directory to the currently selected path, or move up a path when using `cd ..` Shell Commands: Use these commands to interact with the REPL shell. clear Removes all text from the shell echo [on/off] Turns request echoing on or off, show the request that was made when using request commands exit Exit the shell REPL Customization Commands: Use these commands to customize the REPL behavior. pref [get/set] Allows viewing or changing preferences, e.g. 'pref set editor.command.default 'C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft VS Code\\Code.exe'` run Runs the script at the given path. A script is a set of commands that can be typed with one command per line ui Displays the Swagger UI page, if available, in the default browser Use `help ` for more detail on an individual command. e.g. `help get`. For detailed tool info, see https://aka.ms/http-repl-doc. ``` The HTTP REPL offers command completion. Pressing the Tab key iterates through the list of commands that complete the characters or API endpoint that you typed. The following sections outline the available CLI commands. ## Connect to the web API Connect to a web API by running the following command: ```console httprepl ``` `` is the base URI for the web API. For example: ```console httprepl https://localhost:5001 ``` Alternatively, run the following command at any time while the HTTP REPL is running: ```console connect ``` For example: ```console (Disconnected)~ connect https://localhost:5001 ``` ## Manually point to the Swagger document for the web API The connect command above will attempt to find the Swagger document automatically. If for some reason it is unable to do so, you can specify the URI of the Swagger document for the web API by using the `--swagger` option: ```console connect --swagger ``` For example: ```console (Disconnected)~ connect https://localhost:5001 --swagger /swagger/v1/swagger.json ``` ## Navigate the web API ### View available endpoints To list the different endpoints (controllers) at the current path of the web API address, run the `ls` or `dir` command: ```console https://localhot:5001/~ ls ``` The following output format is displayed: ```console . [] Fruits [get|post] People [get|post] https://localhost:5001/~ ``` The preceding output indicates that there are two controllers available: `Fruits` and `People`. Both controllers support parameterless HTTP GET and POST operations. Navigating into a specific controller reveals more detail. For example, the following command's output shows the `Fruits` controller also supports HTTP GET, PUT, and DELETE operations. Each of these operations expects an `id` parameter in the route: ```console https://localhost:5001/fruits~ ls . [get|post] .. [] {id} [get|put|delete] https://localhost:5001/fruits~ ``` Alternatively, run the `ui` command to open the web API's Swagger UI page in a browser. For example: ```console https://localhost:5001/~ ui ``` ### Navigate to an endpoint To navigate to a different endpoint on the web API, run the `cd` command: ```console https://localhost:5001/~ cd people ``` The path following the `cd` command is case insensitive. The following output format is displayed: ```console /people [get|post] https://localhost:5001/people~ ``` ## Customize the HTTP REPL The HTTP REPL's default [colors](#set-color-preferences) can be customized. Additionally, a [default text editor](#set-the-default-text-editor) can be defined. The HTTP REPL preferences are persisted across the current session and are honored in future sessions. Once modified, the preferences are stored in the following file: # [Linux](#tab/linux) *%HOME%/.httpreplprefs* # [macOS](#tab/macos) *%HOME%/.httpreplprefs* # [Windows](#tab/windows) *%USERPROFILE%\\.httpreplprefs* --- The *.httpreplprefs* file is loaded on startup and not monitored for changes at runtime. Manual modifications to the file take effect only after restarting the tool. ### View the settings To view the available settings, run the `pref get` command. For example: ```console https://localhost:5001/~ pref get ``` The preceding command displays the available key-value pairs: ```console colors.json=Green colors.json.arrayBrace=BoldCyan colors.json.comma=BoldYellow colors.json.name=BoldMagenta colors.json.nameSeparator=BoldWhite colors.json.objectBrace=Cyan colors.protocol=BoldGreen colors.status=BoldYellow ``` ### Set color preferences Response colorization is currently supported for JSON only. To customize the default HTTP REPL tool coloring, locate the key corresponding to the color to be changed. For instructions on how to find the keys, see the [View the settings](#view-the-settings) section. For example, change the `colors.json` key value from `Green` to `White` as follows: ```console https://localhost:5001/people~ pref set colors.json White ``` Only the [allowed colors](https://github.com/aspnet/HttpRepl/blob/01d5c3c3373e98fe566ff5ef8a17c571de880293/src/Microsoft.Repl/ConsoleHandling/AllowedColors.cs) may be used. Subsequent HTTP requests display output with the new coloring. When specific color keys aren't set, more generic keys are considered. To demonstrate this fallback behavior, consider the following example: * If `colors.json.name` doesn't have a value, `colors.json.string` is used. * If `colors.json.string` doesn't have a value, `colors.json.literal` is used. * If `colors.json.literal` doesn't have a value, `colors.json` is used. * If `colors.json` doesn't have a value, the command shell's default text color (`AllowedColors.None`) is used. ### Set indentation size Response indentation size customization is currently supported for JSON only. The default size is two spaces. For example: ```json [ { "id": 1, "name": "Apple" }, { "id": 2, "name": "Orange" }, { "id": 3, "name": "Strawberry" } ] ``` To change the default size, set the `formatting.json.indentSize` key. For example, to always use four spaces: ```console pref set formatting.json.indentSize 4 ``` Subsequent responses honor the setting of four spaces: ```json [ { "id": 1, "name": "Apple" }, { "id": 2, "name": "Orange" }, { "id": 3, "name": "Strawberry" } ] ``` ### Set the default text editor By default, the HTTP REPL has no text editor configured for use. To test web API methods requiring an HTTP request body, a default text editor must be set. The HTTP REPL tool launches the configured text editor for the sole purpose of composing the request body. Run the following command to set your preferred text editor as the default: ```console pref set editor.command.default "" ``` In the preceding command, `` is the full path to the text editor's executable file. For example, run the following command to set Visual Studio Code as the default text editor: # [Linux](#tab/linux) ```console pref set editor.command.default "/usr/bin/code" ``` # [macOS](#tab/macos) ```console pref set editor.command.default "/Applications/Visual Studio Code.app/Contents/Resources/app/bin/code" ``` # [Windows](#tab/windows) ```console pref set editor.command.default "C:\Program Files\Microsoft VS Code\Code.exe" ``` --- To launch the default text editor with specific CLI arguments, set the `editor.command.default.arguments` key. For example, assume Visual Studio Code is the default text editor and that you always want the HTTP REPL to open Visual Studio Code in a new session with extensions disabled. Run the following command: ```console pref set editor.command.default.arguments "--disable-extensions --new-window" ``` ### Set the Swagger search paths By default, the HTTP REPL has a set of relative paths that it uses to find the Swagger document when executing the `connect` command without the `--swagger` option. These relative paths are combined with the root and base paths specified in the `connect` command. The default relative paths are: - *swagger.json* - *swagger/v1/swagger.json* - */swagger.json* - */swagger/v1/swagger.json* To use a different set of search paths in your environment, set the `swagger.searchPaths` preference. The value must be a pipe-delimited list of relative paths. For example: ```console pref set swagger.searchPaths "swagger/v2/swagger.json|swagger/v3/swagger.json" ``` ## Test HTTP GET requests ### Synopsis ```console get [-F|--no-formatting] [-h|--header] [--response] [--response:body] [--response:headers] [-s|--streaming] ``` ### Arguments `PARAMETER` The route parameter, if any, expected by the associated controller action method. ### Options The following options are available for the `get` command: [!INCLUDE [standard CLI options](~/includes/http-repl/standard-options.md)] ### Example To issue an HTTP GET request: 1. Run the `get` command on an endpoint that supports it: ```console https://localhost:5001/people~ get ``` The preceding command displays the following output format: ```console HTTP/1.1 200 OK Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8 Date: Fri, 21 Jun 2019 03:38:45 GMT Server: Kestrel Transfer-Encoding: chunked [ { "id": 1, "name": "Scott Hunter" }, { "id": 2, "name": "Scott Hanselman" }, { "id": 3, "name": "Scott Guthrie" } ] https://localhost:5001/people~ ``` 1. Retrieve a specific record by passing a parameter to the `get` command: ```console https://localhost:5001/people~ get 2 ``` The preceding command displays the following output format: ```console HTTP/1.1 200 OK Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8 Date: Fri, 21 Jun 2019 06:17:57 GMT Server: Kestrel Transfer-Encoding: chunked [ { "id": 2, "name": "Scott Hanselman" } ] https://localhost:5001/people~ ``` ## Test HTTP POST requests ### Synopsis ```console post [-c|--content] [-f|--file] [-h|--header] [--no-body] [-F|--no-formatting] [--response] [--response:body] [--response:headers] [-s|--streaming] ``` ### Arguments `PARAMETER` The route parameter, if any, expected by the associated controller action method. ### Options [!INCLUDE [standard CLI options](~/includes/http-repl/standard-options.md)] [!INCLUDE [HTTP request body CLI options](~/includes/http-repl/requires-body-options.md)] ### Example To issue an HTTP POST request: 1. Run the `post` command on an endpoint that supports it: ```console https://localhost:5001/people~ post -h Content-Type=application/json ``` In the preceding command, the `Content-Type` HTTP request header is set to indicate a request body media type of JSON. The default text editor opens a *.tmp* file with a JSON template representing the HTTP request body. For example: ```json { "id": 0, "name": "" } ``` > [!TIP] > To set the default text editor, see the [Set the default text editor](#set-the-default-text-editor) section. 1. Modify the JSON template to satisfy model validation requirements: ```json { "id": 0, "name": "Scott Addie" } ``` 1. Save the *.tmp* file, and close the text editor. The following output appears in the command shell: ```console HTTP/1.1 201 Created Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8 Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2019 21:24:18 GMT Location: https://localhost:5001/people/4 Server: Kestrel Transfer-Encoding: chunked { "id": 4, "name": "Scott Addie" } https://localhost:5001/people~ ``` ## Test HTTP PUT requests ### Synopsis ```console put [-c|--content] [-f|--file] [-h|--header] [--no-body] [-F|--no-formatting] [--response] [--response:body] [--response:headers] [-s|--streaming] ``` ### Arguments `PARAMETER` The route parameter, if any, expected by the associated controller action method. ### Options [!INCLUDE [standard CLI options](~/includes/http-repl/standard-options.md)] [!INCLUDE [HTTP request body CLI options](~/includes/http-repl/requires-body-options.md)] ### Example To issue an HTTP PUT request: 1. *Optional*: Run the `get` command to view the data before modifying it: ```console https://localhost:5001/fruits~ get HTTP/1.1 200 OK Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8 Date: Sat, 22 Jun 2019 00:07:32 GMT Server: Kestrel Transfer-Encoding: chunked [ { "id": 1, "data": "Apple" }, { "id": 2, "data": "Orange" }, { "id": 3, "data": "Strawberry" } ] 1. Run the `put` command on an endpoint that supports it: ```console https://localhost:5001/fruits~ put 2 -h Content-Type=application/json ``` In the preceding command, the `Content-Type` HTTP request header is set to indicate a request body media type of JSON. The default text editor opens a *.tmp* file with a JSON template representing the HTTP request body. For example: ```json { "id": 0, "name": "" } ``` > [!TIP] > To set the default text editor, see the [Set the default text editor](#set-the-default-text-editor) section. 1. Modify the JSON template to satisfy model validation requirements: ```json { "id": 2, "name": "Cherry" } ``` 1. Save the *.tmp* file, and close the text editor. The following output appears in the command shell: ```console [main 2019-06-28T17:27:01.805Z] update#setState idle HTTP/1.1 204 No Content Date: Fri, 28 Jun 2019 17:28:21 GMT Server: Kestrel ``` 1. *Optional*: Issue a `get` command to see the modifications. For example, if you typed "Cherry" in the text editor, a `get` returns the following: ```console https://localhost:5001/fruits~ get HTTP/1.1 200 OK Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8 Date: Sat, 22 Jun 2019 00:08:20 GMT Server: Kestrel Transfer-Encoding: chunked [ { "id": 1, "data": "Apple" }, { "id": 2, "data": "Cherry" }, { "id": 3, "data": "Strawberry" } ] https://localhost:5001/fruits~ ``` ## Test HTTP DELETE requests ### Synopsis ```console delete [-F|--no-formatting] [-h|--header] [--response] [--response:body] [--response:headers] [-s|--streaming] ``` ### Arguments `PARAMETER` The route parameter, if any, expected by the associated controller action method. ### Options [!INCLUDE [standard CLI options](~/includes/http-repl/standard-options.md)] ### Example To issue an HTTP DELETE request: 1. *Optional*: Run the `get` command to view the data before modifying it: ```console https://localhost:5001/fruits~ get HTTP/1.1 200 OK Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8 Date: Sat, 22 Jun 2019 00:07:32 GMT Server: Kestrel Transfer-Encoding: chunked [ { "id": 1, "data": "Apple" }, { "id": 2, "data": "Orange" }, { "id": 3, "data": "Strawberry" } ] 1. Run the `delete` command on an endpoint that supports it: ```console https://localhost:5001/fruits~ delete 2 ``` The preceding command displays the following output format: ```console HTTP/1.1 204 No Content Date: Fri, 28 Jun 2019 17:36:42 GMT Server: Kestrel ``` 1. *Optional*: Issue a `get` command to see the modifications. In this example, a `get` returns the following: ```console https://localhost:5001/fruits~ get HTTP/1.1 200 OK Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8 Date: Sat, 22 Jun 2019 00:16:30 GMT Server: Kestrel Transfer-Encoding: chunked [ { "id": 1, "data": "Apple" }, { "id": 3, "data": "Strawberry" } ] https://localhost:5001/fruits~ ``` ## Test HTTP PATCH requests ### Synopsis ```console patch [-c|--content] [-f|--file] [-h|--header] [--no-body] [-F|--no-formatting] [--response] [--response:body] [--response:headers] [-s|--streaming] ``` ### Arguments `PARAMETER` The route parameter, if any, expected by the associated controller action method. ### Options [!INCLUDE [standard CLI options](~/includes/http-repl/standard-options.md)] [!INCLUDE [HTTP request body CLI options](~/includes/http-repl/requires-body-options.md)] ## Test HTTP HEAD requests ### Synopsis ```console head [-F|--no-formatting] [-h|--header] [--response] [--response:body] [--response:headers] [-s|--streaming] ``` ### Arguments `PARAMETER` The route parameter, if any, expected by the associated controller action method. ### Options [!INCLUDE [standard CLI options](~/includes/http-repl/standard-options.md)] ## Test HTTP OPTIONS requests ### Synopsis ```console options [-F|--no-formatting] [-h|--header] [--response] [--response:body] [--response:headers] [-s|--streaming] ``` ### Arguments `PARAMETER` The route parameter, if any, expected by the associated controller action method. ### Options [!INCLUDE [standard CLI options](~/includes/http-repl/standard-options.md)] ## Set HTTP request headers To set an HTTP request header, use one of the following approaches: * Set inline with the HTTP request. For example: ```console https://localhost:5001/people~ post -h Content-Type=application/json ``` With the preceding approach, each distinct HTTP request header requires its own `-h` option. * Set before sending the HTTP request. For example: ```console https://localhost:5001/people~ set header Content-Type application/json ``` When setting the header before sending a request, the header remains set for the duration of the command shell session. To clear the header, provide an empty value. For example: ```console https://localhost:5001/people~ set header Content-Type ``` ## Test secured endpoints The HTTP REPL supports the testing of secured endpoints through the use of HTTP request headers. Examples of supported authentication and authorization schemes include basic authentication, JWT bearer tokens, and digest authentication. For example, you can send a bearer token to an endpoint with the following command: ```console set header Authorization "bearer " ``` To access an Azure-hosted endpoint or to use the [Azure REST API](/rest/api/azure/), you need a bearer token. Use the following steps to obtain a bearer token for your Azure subscription via the [Azure CLI](/cli/azure/). The HTTP REPL sets the bearer token in an HTTP request header and retrieves a list of Azure App Service Web Apps. 1. Log in to Azure: ```azcli az login ``` 1. Get your subscription ID with the following command: ```azcli az account show --query id ``` 1. Copy your subscription ID and run the following command: ```azcli az account set --subscription "" ``` 1. Get your bearer token with the following command: ```azcli az account get-access-token --query accessToken ``` 1. Connect to the Azure REST API via the HTTP REPL: ```console httprepl https://management.azure.com ``` 1. Set the `Authorization` HTTP request header: ```console https://management.azure.com/> set header Authorization "bearer " ``` 1. Navigate to the subscription: ```console https://management.azure.com/> cd subscriptions/ ``` 1. Get a list of your subscription's Azure App Service Web Apps: ```console https://management.azure.com/subscriptions/{SUBSCRIPTION ID}> get providers/Microsoft.Web/sites?api-version=2016-08-01 ``` The following response is displayed: ```console HTTP/1.1 200 OK Cache-Control: no-cache Content-Length: 35948 Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8 Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2019 23:04:03 GMT Expires: -1 Pragma: no-cache Strict-Transport-Security: max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains X-Content-Type-Options: nosniff x-ms-correlation-request-id: xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx x-ms-original-request-ids: xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx;xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx x-ms-ratelimit-remaining-subscription-reads: 11999 x-ms-request-id: xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx x-ms-routing-request-id: WESTUS:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxx { "value": [ ] } ``` ## Toggle HTTP request display By default, display of the HTTP request being sent is suppressed. It's possible to change the corresponding setting for the duration of the command shell session. ### Enable request display View the HTTP request being sent by running the `echo on` command. For example: ```console https://localhost:5001/people~ echo on Request echoing is on ``` Subsequent HTTP requests in the current session display the request headers. For example: ```console https://localhost:5001/people~ post [main 2019-06-28T18:50:11.930Z] update#setState idle Request to https://localhost:5001... POST /people HTTP/1.1 Content-Length: 41 Content-Type: application/json User-Agent: HTTP-REPL { "id": 0, "name": "Scott Addie" } Response from https://localhost:5001... HTTP/1.1 201 Created Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8 Date: Fri, 28 Jun 2019 18:50:21 GMT Location: https://localhost:5001/people/4 Server: Kestrel Transfer-Encoding: chunked { "id": 4, "name": "Scott Addie" } https://localhost:5001/people~ ``` ### Disable request display Suppress display of the HTTP request being sent by running the `echo off` command. For example: ```console https://localhost:5001/people~ echo off Request echoing is off ``` ## Run a script If you frequently execute the same set of HTTP REPL commands, consider storing them in a text file. Commands in the file take the same form as those executed manually on the command line. The commands can be executed in a batched fashion using the `run` command. For example: 1. Create a text file containing a set of newline-delimited commands. To illustrate, consider a *people-script.txt* file containing the following commands: ```text set base https://localhost:5001 ls cd People ls get 1 ``` 1. Execute the `run` command, passing in the text file's path. For example: ```console https://localhost:5001/~ run C:\http-repl-scripts\people-script.txt ``` The following output appears: ```console https://localhost:5001/~ set base https://localhost:5001 Using swagger metadata from https://localhost:5001/swagger/v1/swagger.json https://localhost:5001/~ ls . [] Fruits [get|post] People [get|post] https://localhost:5001/~ cd People /People [get|post] https://localhost:5001/People~ ls . [get|post] .. [] {id} [get|put|delete] https://localhost:5001/People~ get 1 HTTP/1.1 200 OK Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8 Date: Fri, 12 Jul 2019 19:20:10 GMT Server: Kestrel Transfer-Encoding: chunked { "id": 1, "name": "Scott Hunter" } https://localhost:5001/People~ ``` ## Clear the output To remove all output written to the command shell by the HTTP REPL tool, run the `clear` or `cls` command. To illustrate, imagine the command shell contains the following output: ```console httprepl https://localhost:5001 (Disconnected)~ set base "https://localhost:5001" Using swagger metadata from https://localhost:5001/swagger/v1/swagger.json https://localhost:5001/~ ls . [] Fruits [get|post] People [get|post] https://localhost:5001/~ ``` Run the following command to clear the output: ```console https://localhost:5001/~ clear ``` After running the preceding command, the command shell contains only the following output: ```console https://localhost:5001/~ ``` ## Additional resources * [REST API requests](https://github.com/microsoft/api-guidelines/blob/vNext/Guidelines.md#74-supported-methods) * [HTTP REPL GitHub repository](https://github.com/aspnet/HttpRepl)