Getting Started

Help Topics

HttpMaster basics

HttpMaster is a development and test tool to create, manage, execute, and debug HTTP requests to the internet resources with a number of different options. It can execute request against various web servers and display returned response data. There are essentially two ways to start working with HttpMaster:
  • Create and execute HTTP request in basic request window; this option is more suitable if you would like to quickly execute an HTTP request. Basic request window can be opened from the welcome window or from the main window. It is also possible to open any project request item in basic request window (if you have created project). In short, executing in basic request window is recommended if you want to test a single request continuously.
  • Create project and request items and execute them in execution window; this option is more powerful because it enables you to create several request items each representing one or more HTTP requests and execute them in a batch. Because of this, executing project items in execution window is more suitable if you want to utilize some advanced features like multi-value parameters or request chaining.

Create basic HTTP request

To execute HTTP requests without creating HttpMaster project, click corresponding button in the welcome window or select main window menu option Tools/Basic Request. Enter all necessary data, click Execute selected request tab button in the toolbar and wait until the execution is completed. The execution results will be displayed in the panel located below the request data. For more information on executing basic HTTP requests, see the corresponding topic.
Important
If you have an OpenAPI data available, you can create new basic request tabs from an OpenAPI data. Click the corresponding button in the toolbar and pick location (URL or disk file) of your OpenAPI data. New basic request tab will be created for each OpenAPI operation.
Important
If you are executing HTTP requests in a basic request window, it is possible to create new project from all open basic request tabs. This can be handy if you would like to store your request definitions for a later use or start using some advanced features like, for example, request chaining. You can then open saved project and execute its request items in the execution window or open them in the basic request window. To create the project, click the corresponding button from a toolbar and save project to disk.

Create project and request items

Creating HttpMaster project will enable you to further customize requests and use some advanced features like, for example, request chaining. Follow these steps to create HttpMaster project and its request items:
  • Select menu option File/New Project or press Ctrl+N. The window with project properties is opened. Alternatively, you can create new project by clicking the corresponding button in the welcome window.
  • Type the name of the project in the Project name field and click OK button.
  • Select menu option Project/New Item or press Ctrl+I to create new request item inside the project. New request item is opened in a separate tab.
  • Type the name of the request item in the Item name field.
  • Type absolute URL in the URL field.
  • Select menu option Project/Apply Changes for Selected Item.
For more information on working with the project, see the corresponding topic.

To execute the created request item, click corresponding toolbar button and select option Execute Item or press F5. See the corresponding section below for more information on executing project request items.
Important
If you have an OpenAPI data available, you can create new project or update existing project with it. Select the corresponding option from the File main menu and pick location of your OpenAPI data. See the corresponding topic for more information.
Important
There is a sample project available and can be opened in HttpMaster. Click the corresponding button in the welcome window or select the corresponding option in the Help main menu to open the sample project.

Execute project request items

Created project request items can be executed in the following ways:
  • In an execution window; this is the most common way of executing request items and can be accessed with the corresponding menu options from the Run main menu. For more information, see the corresponding topic.
  • In a basic request window; each project request item can be opened in a basic request window and executed there. This can be handy for quick executions not requiring some advanced features like, for example, request chaining. To open request item in a basic request window, select the corresponding option from the Tools main menu. For more information, see the corresponding topic.
  • With command line interface; each project can be executed with a command line interface to automate execution and its results can be inspected in HttpMaster. For more information, see the corresponding topic.
  • With the cURL command line tool; HttpMaster is able to create and execute project request items with cURL. This functionality can be accessed with the corresponding menu options available in the Tools main menu. cURL requests can be extensively customized in the application options.
Important
For more advanced execution scenarios and conditional execution, you can create execution groups. See the corresponding topic for more information.