An API client is a collection of tools and configurations that work from an application. They allow users to avoid some services when creating a web application. Managing a client API is an excellent method to speed up the development method. This post is all about the crucial difference between Postman, Insomnia, and Paw. Let’s take a look at it in more detail.
- Paw vs Insomnia vs Postman: What are the Differences?
- Automated Testing
- How do They Handle APIs?
- How to Use PDF.co API and Postman?
- Authentication and Environment comparison
- Pricing
Paw vs Insomnia vs Postman: What are the Differences?
Paw is one HTTP client that allows users to test and define the APIs they can develop or use. It has a rich inherent macOS interface to create applications, examine server acknowledgments, create client code, and export API descriptions.
Insomnia on the other hand gives an effortless and common solution. It works well with GraphQL and has an extended available range. Insomnia enables users to create APIs, design requests, examine acknowledgments, set gateways, and use API specs.
Postman is a platform for API extension. Postman’s characteristics analyze each level of building an API and collaboration so users can build more reliable APIs—faster.
Automated Testing
In Postman, the tests are automated by building test sets that can work in a loop. Postman can be applied to automate many kinds of tests such as unit tests, practical tests, union tests, end-to-end and regression tests, counterfeit tests, etc. Automated testing limits individual error and streamlines measuring.
Paw is not an automated API testing engine. Users can utilize it to search/browse API. Programmers after creating a new endpoint or after updating the current endpoint want access to simply assign an accurately created request and visually inspect the delivered response.
In Insomnia, developers can use less time thinking about QA with extensive API tests that combine immediately with the CI/CD pipeline with comfort. They can also create practical API tests with Insomnia Test Suites to incorporate API tests, secure efficient API functionality, and enhance development productivity through CI/CD pipelines.
How do They Handle APIs?
A Postman is an automatic tool for testing APIs. It runs on the backend and verifies that each API is operating as expected. In Postman, developers create a request, and Postman studies the reply to verify that it has the component developers want in it.
On the other hand, Paw is completely cooperative with Open API and RAML description setups, all field classifications, characters, limitations, and/or JSON Schema is saved. In paw, a Context is a recipient or an object that works as a representative of the text data. A context is designed for any evaluation and is erased after. It is transferred as the initial argument of the generate, import, estimate, order, and text styles of the Extensions.
Insomnia is a cross-platform that interacts with and creates HTTP-based APIs. Insomnia mixes a simple-to-use interface with high-level functionality like verification supporters, code production, and setting variables. Insomnia can be utilized to make calls to RESTful APIs. Most of the APIs utilize OAuth2 for verification. However, users can also apply it for the APIs that do not utilize OAuth, by just inserting the relevant header.
How to Use PDF.co API and Postman?
One of the easiest ways of getting started with Postman and PDF.co Web API is to use our Postman request collection.
The following steps outline the necessary actions in order for you to install Postman, configure Key presets and gain certainty that everything is working as it should be.
If you prefer, you can also explore our API with other tools like curl and the documentation for REST API endpoints.
To start using PDF.co web API in the Postman environment, please follow the steps below.
1. Install Postman
- Visit www.getpostman.com and download the version of Postman required for your platform
- Install Postman
Note: Learn more about installing and using Postman in this tutorial.
2. Download and Import PDF.co Collection
- Download PDF.co API v.1.postman_collection.json (.JSON file)
- Install and Run Postman
- Click Import,
- Click Choose Files
- Select PDF.co API v.1.postman_collection.json file.
- Click on Import to import this file
- An Import success message will appear
3. Setup Postman to Automatically Use Your API Key
Almost done! Now, you need to add your API key to automatically be used as an environment and auto-insert your API key into the x-api-key header param:
- Click the Eye icon to show the Environment dialog
- The Environments dialog will appear:
- Click on the Add button and the Manage Environments dialog will appear.
Enter environment name Production (or any other).
Enter x-api-key as a variable name
Paste your API key (see https://app.pdf.co/account see your API key) into the current value
And finally, click Add
- When you click Add it will be saved as a Production environment
Now just select the Production (or as you’ve named it) environment in the bottom right menu:
And now you can explore and test PDF.co Web API collection with your API Key.
Postman will automatically insert your API key into x-api-key for headers:
Authentication and Environment comparison
Authentication choices are reasonably uniform in all three API clients. Apart from the authentication devices carried out-of-the-box, Paw gives a channel to users to address custom auth systems using JavaScript-based augmentations.
When managing Postman it is important to remember that the OAuth 2 configuration is not saved with the application (only the token is saved). Accordingly, if the developer needs to bring the token again, they want to insert all OAuth variables again. In Paw, environments and their parameters are divided based on the project. In the case of Postman, the environments can be separated by workspace. On the other hand, in Insomnia, environments and their parameters are separated based on the workspace.
The advantage of environment parameters, and grouping variables, appears to be a regular expectation for HTTP clients. The distinctions between the platforms are minimum. Building network situations with dynamic conditions does not look to be reasonable with Insomnia. While Postman expects users to write JavaScript code snippets for exceptional use cases, Paw also promotes “dynamic values” to instantly build multiple outlines only applying visual programming.
Insomnia does not support system code snippets. Insomnia appears to be behind here with Paw and Postman implementing Javascript snippets. Moreover, Paw has a moderately well-documented and comprehensive Javascript API. This can be threatening if developers are inexperienced. Yet, for more seasoned users it’s extremely beneficial.
Insomnia and Paw can build plugins. Paw looks to maintain the application of plug-ins and user-created branches. This is obvious when inspecting the table on their Authentication provider in a prior section. Postman does not permit developers to build plugins.
Postman and Insomnia have system user interfaces. Paw is combined with macOS, hence the user interface is adjusted with what Mac users already require. This is a benefit for Paw if programmers are Mac users. Insomnia covers replies of more than 5 MB and the developer can decide to inspect the full reply after performance advice. Both Paw and Postman exhibit good performance with large objects. Despite their closeness, Paw can load a 10 MB response object more quickly than others. Paw syncs settings with an alternative for end-to-end encryption. While Insomnia and Postman give syncing capacities.
The Token Scanner of Postman scans all public workspaces to discover unexpectedly endangered tokens. This shields the company and blocks malicious users from utilizing the tokens. In Insomnia, Digest is sometimes mixed with Basic because it also utilizes a username and password, but it is much more complex. To verify with a Digest endpoint, the user must transfer two calls instead of one. The initial request posted to the server gets a nonce parameter, which is then applied to create a one-time-use hash key to verify the call.
Pricing
Following are the prices offered by Postman, Insomnia, and Paw. Postman and Insomnia both give a free range. If the plan is to go for only API development and layout, the flat-fee license in Paw will be more beneficial. There are three types. These are individuals, teams, and enterprises. For individuals, Postman is free. It charges $15/user/month for teams and $30/user/month for an enterprise. In the case of Paw, it takes a $49.99 flat fee from individuals and $10/user/month from teams. On the other hand, Insomnia is free or Plus for $5/month for individuals and $8/user/month from the teams.
