DEV Community: Herve Kom

Terminal-Based API Testing Tools: 5 Options I’ve Tried

Herve Kom — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 09:09:00 +0000

As more of my development workflow moved into CI/CD, I started spending less time testing APIs through GUI clients and more time working from the terminal.

That made me look for a good terminal-based API testing tool that could work both locally and in automated pipelines.

Here are five tools I've tried.

Apidog CLI

This is the one I've been using most recently.

What I like about Apidog CLI is that I can run API test scenarios from the terminal and reuse the same workflow in CI/CD.

For example:

apidog login
apidog run

It fits particularly well when API testing needs to become part of the development and deployment process rather than remaining a manual task.

curl

It's difficult to beat curl for simple API requests.

It's available almost everywhere and is excellent for quick debugging, but more complex testing workflows usually require additional scripting.

HTTPie

HTTPie provides a cleaner syntax than curl and is great for manually exploring APIs from the terminal.

Hurl

Hurl takes a different approach by defining HTTP requests and expected responses in plain-text files.

That makes it interesting for repeatable API tests in CI environments.

Newman

If your team already has Postman collections, Newman is a convenient way to execute them from the command line.

Which One Should You Use?

It really depends on your workflow.

For quick requests, curl is hard to beat.

For readable command-line requests, HTTPie is worth considering.

For file-based HTTP tests, Hurl is interesting.

If you're already invested in Postman collections, Newman makes sense.

For a more structured API testing workflow that can be reused across local development and CI/CD, Apidog CLI has been the most convenient option for me.

The important part isn't necessarily which tool you choose. It's being able to run the same API validation consistently during development and deployment.

What's your preferred terminal-based API testing tool?

Top 10 CLI Tools Every Developer Should Try in 2026

Herve Kom — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 09:35:40 +0000

Graphical tools are great, but most of my daily development now happens in the terminal. A good CLI tool saves time, integrates with automation, and keeps my workflow consistent across local development and CI/CD.

Here are the 10 CLI tools I use the most.

Apidog CLI

If you're working with APIs, this is the tool I've found myself using the most. I use it to run API test scenarios, manage environments, and reuse the same tests in GitHub Actions instead of maintaining separate GUI workflows.

Still the foundation of every development workflow.

Docker CLI

The fastest way to spin up local services and reproduce production environments.

GitHub CLI

Creating pull requests, reviewing issues, and managing repositories without leaving the terminal is a huge productivity boost.

HTTPie

Perfect for quick API requests when debugging or exploring endpoints.

If you work with JSON every day, jq is almost indispensable.

ripgrep (rg)

Lightning-fast code searching. Once you start using it, it's hard to go back.

A simpler and faster replacement for the traditional find command.

kubectl

Essential for anyone deploying applications to Kubernetes.

just

A lightweight task runner that helps automate repetitive development commands.

Final Thoughts

The biggest improvement to my workflow has been moving repetitive tasks into the terminal. API testing, deployments, version control, and automation all become easier when everything is scriptable.

Among these tools, Apidog CLI has had the biggest impact because it lets me keep API testing in the same terminal-first workflow that I already use for development and CI/CD.

What CLI tool couldn't you live without?

DEV Community: Herve Kom

Top 10 Mintlify Alternatives for API Documentation in 2026

Terminal-Based API Testing Tools: 5 Options I’ve Tried

Top 10 CLI Tools Every Developer Should Try in 2026