Top Postman Alternatives for Java Developers with Local Scratch Pad Support

This article provides insights into EchoAPl for IntelliJ IDEA, a groundbreaking new tool recently launched.

Web developers know that a significant part of our work involves handling data—reading, writing, manipulating, and displaying it in the browser.

Typically, this data is delivered via REST API endpoints. Before connecting to retrieve data, you need to test the REST API through command-line queries or use GUI tools like Postman or Insomnia.

About Postman

Postman streamline the creation, sharing, testing, and documentation of APIs for developers. It’s an excellent tool for exploring RESTful APIs developed by others or for testing your own APIs. With its intuitive user interface, Postman allows users to perform HTTP requests without needing extensive code, making it easy to assess how an API performs.

Shortcomings of Postman

Although Postman is user-friendly, it has its drawbacks. For instance, it operates independently from other excellent editing tools, requiring users to switch between different applications frequently. This can lead to wasted time and effort during the development process. To minimize the need for application switching, the EchoAPI solution is commendable.

An Alternative:EchoAPI for IntelliJ IDEA

[EchoAPI]https://www.echoapi.com) is the best alternative to Postman.One reason is that it has developed a powerful plugin called EchoAPI for IntelliJ IDEA. Similar to Postman, it stands out with its seamless integration into IntelliJ IDEA. This integration eliminates the need to constantly switch between different applications, making it exceptionally convenient to use.

Installing EchoAPI for IntelliJ IDEA

Using RapidAPI is actually quite simple. Just search for "EchoAPI for IntelliJ IDEA" in the IntelliJ IDEA plugin marketplace and install it.

During configuration, the cloud domain typically remains unchanged, while the request token can be created and used from EchoAPI's "Setting" - "openAPI" section or directly obtained within IDEA.

To use the plugin, right-click and select "Upload to EchoAPI." This action synchronizes the code's APIs and annotations to the EchoAPI platform, instantly generating an API documentation link.

Furthermore, the plugin's search capabilities allow quick access to relevant source code and interfaces, while the arrow icon facilitates navigation to the corresponding interface list.

Search corresponding source code based on API

Search API in the interface tree based on API

Use arrow icon to jump to the corresponding interface list

Conclusion

EchoAPI for IntelliJ IDEA has profoundly transformed our API development process. Its features, such as automatic API generation, one-click documentation creation, enhanced debugging, and quick search/navigation, effectively address the main challenges developers face, significantly boosting efficiency. Remarkably, this excellent plugin is available for free. Overall, its value far exceeds that of Postman, and I have completely moved on from using Postman.