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Maksym
Maksym

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Bruno: The Git-Friendly API Client and How to Push Your Collection to Codeberg

#testing #api #git

In the crowded landscape of API development tools, Bruno has emerged as a refreshing, developer-centric alternative to traditional clients like Postman or Insomnia. If you’re tired of bloated interfaces, cloud-only dependencies, and subscription paywalls, Bruno is designed specifically for you.

What is Bruno?

At its core, Bruno is an open-source, offline-first API client. Unlike many competitors that store your collection data in proprietary clouds or require accounts just to test endpoints, Bruno operates entirely on your local machine.

It stores API collections as a folder of standard text files (.bru files) directly in your project’s file system. This design means your API documentation and test collections live alongside your code, not in a siloed ecosystem.

Why Choose Bruno?

  • Offline-first privacy: Runs locally, giving you full control with no forced sync or accounts.
  • Git-friendly collaboration: Track changes, review pull requests, and view diffs with Git.
  • Minimalist performance: Fast, clean interface without heavy browser overhead.
  • Open format freedom: Human-readable .bru files make migration and parsing simple.

Step-by-Step: Push Your Bruno Collection to Codeberg

Because Bruno stores collections as files, versioning them with Git and hosting on Codeberg is straightforward.

Step 1: Create and Locate Your Collection

  1. Open Bruno → Create Collection.
  2. Choose a name and folder location.
  3. To find an existing collection, right-click → Reveal in Finder (macOS) or Open in File Manager (Linux/Windows).

Step 2: Configure .gitignore

Before initializing Git, exclude sensitive data.

cd /path/to/your/bruno-collection
touch .gitignore
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Add:

# Ignore Bruno local environment overrides and secrets
environments/*.bru

# Ignore local preferences and cache
.bruno/
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Step 3: Initialize Git and Commit Locally 

git init
git add .
git commit -m "feat: initial bruno collection setup"
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Step 4: Create an Empty Repository on Codeberg

  1. Log into Codeberg.
  2. Click + → New Repository.
  3. Name it (match your collection ideally).
  4. Leave “Initialize Repository” unchecked.
  5. Click Create Repository.

Step 5: Link and Push to Codeberg 

git remote add origin https://codeberg.org/your-username/your-repo-name.git
git branch -M main
git push -u origin main
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Best Practices for Bruno & Git

  • Keep secrets out: Never push .bru files with production credentials.
  • Commit frequently: Update API docs alongside development.
  • Use pull requests: Handle reviews and merges with Git workflows.

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