I Built ShellReq - A Native API Client for VS Code & Terminal

Mahesh Shinde — Mon, 25 May 2026 15:47:52 +0000

ShellReq - Native API Client for VS Code & Terminal

A lightweight, native API testing ecosystem designed directly around developer workflow and productivity. No context switching, no bloated UI, just fast API testing exactly where you code.

Quick Links

VS Code Marketplace: maheshshinde9100.shellreq-api-client
GitHub Repository: maheshshinde9100/ShellReq
NPM Package: shellreq

Preview

Why I Built ShellReq

As a backend developer, I found myself constantly switching between my code editor and external, heavy API tools. This fragmented workflow became a massive bottleneck.

Most modern API testing tools are bloated, resource-heavy, and completely disconnected from the actual coding environment. I built ShellReq to be the exact opposite: lightweight, terminal-friendly, developer-focused, and seamlessly embedded into your existing workflow.

Key Components

VS Code Extension: A native, sidebar-driven REST client.
CLI / Terminal UI (TUI): A lightweight terminal client for keyboard-driven efficiency.
Zero-Bloat Engine: Ultra-fast REST testing with minimal overhead.

VS Code Extension Features

Native Sidebar API Client: A complete REST client living directly inside your VS Code Activity Bar.
Full HTTP Method Support: Handles GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, and HEAD requests.
Rich Request Customization: Built-in support for query parameters, headers, and an interactive JSON body editor.
Smart Collections & History: Save requests permanently into collections and access an automated history log of your last 50 requests.
Deep Response Inspector: Detailed breakdowns of status codes, headers, formatted JSON bodies, request timing, and payload size.
Dynamic Workspace Layout: Draggable, resizable side panels that adapt perfectly to your monitor setup.
Persistent State: Your requests, active headers, parameters, and UI layouts survive workspace restarts.
Zero Runtime Dependencies: Built purely on top of Node.js native http/https modules. No Axios, no unnecessary dependency chains.

ShellReq CLI / Terminal UI

For terminal-first developers, ShellReq is available as a global npm package.

Quick Run (No Installation)

npx shellreq ui

Global Installation

npm install -g shellreq

CLI Features

Interactive TUI: A full Terminal User Interface built for speed.
Fast CLI Requests: Fire off single API calls directly from your terminal prompt.
Shared Ecosystem: Full access to your collections, request history, and environment variables.

Tech Stack

Language: TypeScript
Runtime: Node.js (Native networking modules)
Editor API: VS Code Extension API
Terminal UI: Ink (React for CLI) & Commander.js

Open Source & Feedback

ShellReq is 100% open-source and actively maintained. Community feedback is vital to improving the ecosystem.

To support the project, please consider taking the following actions:

Install & Test: Run it against your current development APIs.
Provide Feedback: Report bugs or suggest feature ideas via GitHub Issues.
Show Support: Leave a review on the VS Code Marketplace or drop a star on GitHub.

Every install, contribution, and review genuinely helps this tool evolve. Thanks for checking out ShellReq.

opensource #vscode #npm #typescript #webdev

DEV Community: Mahesh Shinde