Sending Requests

The request editor supports the full HTTP workflow: method, URL, params, headers, body, scripts, tests, and response inspection.

Request editor

Select a request from the collections tree to open the editor. Tabs include:

Tab	Purpose
Request	Params, headers, and body
Authentication	Per-request auth override
Variables	Pre- and post-request variable extraction
Scripts	Pre-request and post-response JavaScript
Tests	Basic checks and advanced script assertions

Send a request

Click Send or press:

• macOS: ⌘↵
• Windows / Linux: Ctrl+Enter

Supported methods: GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE.

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Variables

The Variables tab has two sub-tabs: Pre (before send) and Post (after response). Generated and extracted values are stored as runtime variables — available across requests but not saved to disk.

Pre-request variables

Generate dynamic values before each send. Supported types:

Type	Example use
UUID	Unique request id
Timestamp (Unix Seconds)	date field
Random Number (0–100000)	Query param ?v=
Random Email (test.com)	Test user addresses
Random String (Length: N)	Arbitrary text
Static Value	Fixed strings

Reference variables anywhere with — in the URL, headers, query params, or body.

Post-request extraction

After a response arrives, extract values from the body or headers into runtime variables for the next request:

Click + Extract Variable to add a mapping. Each extraction can be enabled or disabled independently.

See Runtime Variables for the full lifecycle — viewing values in the Environments tab, resolution order, and promoting to environment variables.

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Scripts

The Scripts tab runs JavaScript before or after the request.

Pre-request scripts

Run before send to compute values, chain requests, or call the env API:

Post-request scripts

Run after the response is received. Access response.json(), response.status, and env.set():

Open Documentation in the script panel for the full APIScope script API reference.

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Response tests

The Tests tab validates responses with no-code checks and optional JavaScript.

Basic checks

Built-in assertions — no scripting required:

• Status Code — equals expected value (e.g. 200)
• Response Time — less than threshold (e.g. < 1000 ms)
• Field exists — JSON path or header presence (e.g. email exists)

Advanced script tests

Write custom JavaScript using assert() for complex validation:

// Script test
assert(response.status === 200);

Results appear in the response panel Tests tab and as a summary badge on the status bar (e.g. ✓ 3 Passed).

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Response viewer

After sending, the response panel shows:

• Summary bar — status code, duration, payload size, test results
• Body — JSON (pretty-printed), raw text, or file preview
• Headers — response header table
• Tests — pass/fail breakdown

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File downloads

Binary responses (PDF, images, zip, blob) display in the File Downloaded viewer with metadata:

• File name, MIME type, and size
• Download — save to your machine
• Reveal in Folder — open the saved path in the file explorer

Session vs persisted downloads

Mode	Behavior
Session only (default)	Preview in the panel; file lives under .apiscope/downloads/.temp/
REC enabled	Enable REC before sending to persist the download in history and .apiscope/downloads/YYYY/MM/DD/

Try file endpoints in sample-projects/files-api-nodejs — blob, image, JSON, PDF, slow stream, text, and zip downloads.

Persisted downloads are linked from history entries. See History & Drafts.

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Errors

Network failures, DNS errors, and TLS issues display in the request error panel with actionable messages — separate from HTTP 4xx/5xx responses.

Drafts

Unsaved ad-hoc requests open as draft tabs. Drafts persist under .apiscope/drafts/draft-NNN.json until saved to a collection or discarded.

See History & Drafts for replay and draft workflows.