Bruno: The Lightweight Open-Source Tool That’s Redefining API Testing

What is it?

Bruno is a fast, open-source API client and testing tool that allows developers to test REST and GraphQL APIs using a Git-friendly, local-first approach. With Bruno, your API collections are stored as plain text files (.bru) in your file system, making them easy to version, share, and manage in collaborative environments.

Key Features

• Local-First Storage: All requests, configurations, and environments are saved directly to your local file system—no sign-in or cloud dependency required.

• Git Integration: Bruno stores collections in text format (.bru files), making them easy to commit to Git and collaborate on with version control.

• Cross-Platform Support: Works on macOS, Windows, and Linux with installation support through official downloads and package managers.

• REST and GraphQL Support: Bruno supports a wide range of API types and endpoints, meeting diverse testing needs.

• Automated Testing and CI/CD Integration: Use the built-in CLI to run API requests in automation pipelines and generate reports.

• Environment Variable Management: Supports .env files to safely manage secrets and configuration values.

• Customizability and Extensibility: Open to plugin development and community contributions to extend core functionalities.

Technical Foundation

• Bru Markup Language: Bruno uses its own intuitive .bru language—a plain-text format for defining API requests that is human-readable and version-control-friendly.

• Local File System Storage: All Bruno data lives in your project folder, ensuring privacy and enabling offline use.

• CLI Utility: A powerful command-line tool allows users to execute API collections and integrate with continuous testing workflows.

• MIT License: Released under the MIT license, Bruno welcomes community use, fork, and modification.

Project Links

• Official Website: https://www.usebruno.com/

• GitHub Repository: https://github.com/usebruno/bruno

Use Cases: Where Bruno Excels

• Development & QA Teams: Easily test APIs, manage environment configurations, and automate request workflows.

• Collaborative Engineering Teams: Share API collections over Git, maintain consistency in testing, and streamline documentation efforts.

• CI/CD Pipelines: Integrate API testing into build and deploy pipelines with Bruno CLI.

• Education & Training: A great learning tool for students and developers new to API testing, offering full transparency and a hands-on approach.