Usage

Learn how to use REST Client Next to send HTTP requests and view responses.

Basic Usage

Sending a Request

Demo: Sending a request and viewing response

1. Create or open a file with .http or .rest extension (or any file and set language mode to HTTP) in Visual Studio Code
2. Type your HTTP request
3. Use one of these methods to send:
   • Click Send Request link above the request
   • Press Ctrl+Alt+R (Cmd+Alt+R on macOS)
   • Right-click in the editor and select Send Request
   • Press F1 and type Rest Client: Send Request

The response will appear in a separate preview panel.

Request Structure

Request Line

The first non-empty line is the Request Line. Examples:

GET https://example.com/comments/1 HTTP/1.1

GET https://example.com/comments/1

https://example.com/comments/1

If the method is omitted, GET is assumed.

Query Strings

You can include query parameters in the request line:

GET https://example.com/comments?page=2&pageSize=10

For better readability, you can spread parameters across multiple lines:

GET https://example.com/comments
    ?page=2
    &pageSize=10

Request Headers

Headers follow the request line until the first empty line, using field-name: field-value format:

User-Agent: rest-client
Accept-Language: en-GB,en-US;q=0.8,en;q=0.6,zh-CN;q=0.4
Content-Type: application/json

A default User-Agent: vscode-restclient is added if not specified. Customize via rest-client.defaultHeaders setting.

Tes CORS by setting an Origin: header.

Request Body

Add a blank line after headers, then include the body:

POST https://example.com/comments HTTP/1.1
Content-Type: application/json
Origin: https://example.com

{
    "name": "sample",
    "time": "Wed, 21 Oct 2015 18:27:50 GMT"
}

Using Files as Body

Reference a file with < followed by the path (absolute or relative):

POST https://example.com/comments HTTP/1.1
Content-Type: application/xml

< ./request.xml

For variable processing in the file, use @ before the path:

<@ ./request.xml

Override encoding:

<@latin1 ./request.xml

multipart/form-data

POST https://api.example.com/user/upload
Content-Type: multipart/form-data; boundary=----WebKitFormBoundary7MA4YWxkTrZu0gW

------WebKitFormBoundary7MA4YWxkTrZu0gW
Content-Disposition: form-data; name="text"

title
------WebKitFormBoundary7MA4YWxkTrZu0gW
Content-Disposition: form-data; name="image"; filename="1.png"
Content-Type: image/png

< ./1.png
------WebKitFormBoundary7MA4YWxkTrZu0gW--

application/x-www-form-urlencoded

POST https://api.example.com/login HTTP/1.1
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded

name=foo
&password=bar

Tip: Ctrl/Cmd + Click on a document link to open the file in a new tab.

Per-Request Settings in Code

Add special comments (metadata directives) before a request to modify its behavior. These include:

• @name - Name the request for cross-referencing
• @prompt - Prompt for user input
• @set - Extract response values to variables
• @note - Show confirmation dialog
• @no-redirect - Disable redirect following
• @no-cookie-jar - Disable cookie handling

For detailed documentation, examples, and best practices, see Metadata Directives.

###
# @name first
GET https://api.example.com/user

###
# @note This A Note
POST https://api.example.com/login HTTP/1.1
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded

name={{ first.response.body.$.name }}
&password=bar

Multiple Requests in One File

Separate requests with three or more consecutive # symbols:

GET https://example.com/comments/1 HTTP/1.1

###

GET https://example.com/topics/1 HTTP/1.1

###

POST https://example.com/comments HTTP/1.1
Content-Type: application/json

{
    "name": "sample"
}

Place your cursor within a request block and send it. You can also select specific text to send only that portion.

Making GraphQL Requests

Add header X-Request-Type: graphql and include the query and optional variables:

POST https://api.github.com/graphql
Content-Type: application/json
Authorization: Bearer xxx
X-REQUEST-TYPE: graphql

query ($name: String!, $owner: String!) {
  repository(name: $name, owner: $owner) {
    name
  }
}

{
    "name": "vscode-restclient",
    "owner": "Huachao"
}

Note: Blank line between query and variables.

Making cURL Requests

Writing a cURL request in the editor

Simply write a cURL command in the editor:

curl -X POST https://example.com/api \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"key":"value"}'

The extension will parse and execute it. Supported options: -X, -L, -H, -I, -b, -u, -d.

Request Operations

Cancel Request

• Click the spinning icon in the status bar
• Press Ctrl+Alt+K (Cmd+Alt+K on macOS)
• Use command palette: Rest Client: Cancel Request

Rerun Last Request

• Press Ctrl+Alt+L (Cmd+Alt+L on macOS)
• Command palette: Rest Client: Rerun Last Request

Select Request Text

You can select any portion of text in the editor and send it as a request. Useful for sending just part of a larger file.

Response Preview

Responses appear in a separate webview panel with:

• Syntax highlighting for body content
• Status line and headers
• Image display for image responses
• Fold/Unfold controls for large bodies

Response Preview Options

Change via rest-client.previewOption setting:

• full - Complete response (default)
• headers - Headers only
• body - Body only
• exchange - Both request and response

Saving Responses

• Save Full Response - Saves headers + body to file
• Save Response Body - Saves only body with appropriate extension

Click the respective icons in the response preview tab title bar.

Save full response or response body only

Viewing Response Details

Hover over status bar indicators:

• Duration - Breakdown: Socket, DNS, TCP, First Byte, Download
• Size - Breakdown: headers and body sizes

Request History

Viewing request history

Every sent request is automatically saved. Access via:

• Ctrl+Alt+H (Cmd+Alt+H on macOS)
• Command palette: Rest Client: Request History

View last 50 requests (most recent first). Select one to see its details in a temp file. Re-send by sending from that temp file.

Clear history with Rest Client: Clear Request History.

Code Snippets

Generating code snippets in various languages

Generate code snippets for your request in various languages:

• Ctrl+Alt+C (Cmd+Alt+C on macOS)
• Command palette: Rest Client: Generate Code Snippet
• Right-click context menu: Generate Code Snippet

Select from supported languages and libraries; generated code appears in a preview panel. Copy to clipboard with the copy icon.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Note: Shortcuts work exclusively when file language mode is HTTP or plaintext.