The API development tools landscape is experiencing significant turbulence as developers express growing frustration with resource-heavy clients and shifting business models. This comes amid recent changes in Bruno's pricing structure and ongoing concerns about application bloat in popular API testing tools.
The Rise and Fall Pattern
The API client tool ecosystem appears to be caught in a recurring cycle. Tools emerge as promising alternatives, gain popularity, then face community backlash as they either become resource-intensive or shift toward paid models. This pattern has played out with Postman, Insomnia, and now Bruno, which recently changed from a free-first approach to a tiered pricing model ranging from free to USD 11/month.
The industry has largely moved to Bruno [...] but even before being polished, I see it's taking the cloud route
Bruno Pricing Tiers:
- Free tier
- USD 6/month
- USD 11/month
Popular Alternative Tools:
- Hoppscotch (PWA-based)
- VSCode REST Client (Extension)
- JetBrains HTTP Client (IDE-integrated)
- Hurl (Command-line)
- Yaak.app (Tauri-based)
Resource Consumption Concerns
Developers are increasingly vocal about the performance impact of Electron-based API clients. With modern development workflows requiring multiple resource-intensive applications running simultaneously, even systems with 16GB of RAM struggle to maintain smooth operation. This has sparked interest in lighter alternatives built with frameworks like Tauri, Iced, or Slint.
Alternative Approaches
The community is exploring various alternatives to traditional API clients. These range from IDE-integrated solutions like JetBrains' HTTP client and VSCode's REST Client extension to command-line tools such as curl and Hurl. Notably, Gregory Schier, Insomnia's creator, has launched Yaak.app, a Tauri-based alternative promising better performance.
The Rise of File-Based Solutions
A growing trend among developers is the adoption of file-based API testing approaches. These solutions store API calls in version-controllable text files, allowing for better integration with existing development workflows and easier sharing among team members. This approach addresses concerns about vendor lock-in and ensures long-term accessibility of API testing configurations.
The ongoing evolution of API testing tools reflects a broader tension in developer tools between functionality, performance, and sustainable business models. As the community continues to seek the ideal balance, we're likely to see further innovations in this space, particularly focusing on lightweight, open-source solutions that prioritize performance and version control integration.
Reference: Hoppscotch: Open Source API Development Ecosystem