I got tired of bloated API clients, so I built my own

Javier Fernández — Sun, 17 May 2026 13:39:47 +0000

I was working on a project for a client building a simple API.

It was supposed to be a job, just a few endpoints and some basic testing, nothing too complicated.

So I downloaded Postman to help me with this project.

To be honest I felt really overwhelmed right from the start.

There were many features like workspaces and cloud sync and team collaboration it felt like I was using software meant for a big company with a lot of employees not something a solo developer like me would use.

I thought maybe the problem was me so I tried using Insomnia

It was a little better. Still way more complicated than I needed.

That is when I realized something

A lot of the tools we use as developers are getting more and more complicated with features that are meant for teams and companies, but, a lot of us just want something simple and fast.

So I decided to build the kind of API client I wanted to use.

I wanted it to be open-source and able to run even without an internet connection and to be focused on being simple and fast.

I did not want to make people create accounts or use it in a way or having to struggle with a lot of features that're not necessary.

I just wanted to make something that's easy to use and does not get in the way.

I have been working on this project for a while now. I finally released the first version of Flamingo v0.1.0.

The project is still in its early stages but I think the main idea is already there.

Lightweight and fast
Offline-first
Open-source
Simple UI
Focused on solo developers and small teams
Designed to stay out of your way

I am not trying to replace the tools that are already out there like Postman and Insomnia because they are good for big teams or companies, I just think there is room for tools that do one thing well.

Now I am looking for feedback from other developers who feel like me, who feel overwhelmed by the tools we use.

Would you use something like Flamingo?
What features do you think are really necessary, in an API client and which ones do you think are not needed?

You can check out flamingo here: https://flamingo-client.com/

And the source code here: https://github.com/Flamingo-Client/Flamingo

DEV Community: Javier Fernández

I got tired of bloated API clients, so I built my own