# REST API Client

> Test REST, SOAP, SSE, and other HTTP-based APIs.

REST API Client is a signed-out HTTP client for building and sending requests.

Also: online http client, postman http playground, send http request online, cloud api client, rest api playground.

## What it does

Enter a URL, and configure headers, authorization and request body to send a request and inspect the response.

## When to use it

- You want to send a quick HTTP request.
- You want to quickly try a public endpoint and see the response it sends back.
- You need to inspect response bodies, headers, cookies, status, timing, and size.

## What you give it

| Input | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| Request URL and method | The endpoint to call and the HTTP method to use for the request. |
| Request configuration | Optional query parameters, authorization, headers, body, and supported request settings. |

## What you get back

| Output | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| HTTP response | The response body with an appropriate text, structured-data, media, or event-stream viewer. |
| Response metadata | The status code, elapsed time, response size, headers, and cookies returned by the endpoint. |
| Dry-run request details | System-generated headers and query parameters, with secret values masked in the editor. |

## Key terms

- **Cloud Agent** — Postman infrastructure that executes requests for this signed-out browser workbench.
- **Dry run** — a request preparation pass that reveals generated request data such as headers without sending the request to its destination.

## Questions

### Does REST API Client use the Desktop Agent?

No. This standalone workbench executes requests only through Postman Cloud Agent and needs no installations.

### Can I save a request without an account?

You can build and send the request while signed out; To save your requests to a collecton and collaborate with teammates, sign in or create a free Postman account.

### Does the playground resolve workspace variables?

No. Workspace state, variable resolution, history, and agent selection are available post signing up.


## Privacy

Request data is sent to Postman Cloud Agent for execution. The playground does not load or persist workspace, collection, history, or account data while the user is signed out.

## Links

- [Use the tool](https://www.postman.com/tools/rest-api-client) — the interactive version of this page.
- [Postman Tools](https://www.postman.com/tools) — every free tool in this set.
- [Guide to sending requests](https://learning.postman.com/docs/sending-requests/requests/) — Postman documentation.