Open Source API Development & Testing Software

API Development & Testing tools provide environments for designing, debugging, and documenting application interfaces. These tools handle requests across protocols like REST, GraphQL, and WebSockets to verify that endpoints return the correct data. This type of software is for developers who need to manage traffic routing and test microservices. Self-hosting these apps ensures that sensitive request headers, authentication tokens, and internal endpoint schemas remain on private infrastructure. This approach allows teams to version control their API collections using local files instead of relying on external cloud storage.

This page lists 42 open source tools in the API Development & Testing category. The most popular are Hoppscotch, Caddy and Traefik. Most use the Apache-2.0 or MIT license, and 34 offer an official Docker image.

Hoppscotch

API Clients

Test, debug, and document APIs using a lightweight client that supports multiple protocols and team collaboration.

80k StarsWeb App / Server

Caddy

API Infrastructure

An extensible web server platform that provides automatic HTTPS by default for all hosted sites.

74k StarsWeb App / Server

Traefik

API Infrastructure

An HTTP reverse proxy and load balancer that automatically configures routes for microservices in cloud environments.

64k StarsWeb App / Server

Bruno

API Clients

An offline API client that stores collections on the local filesystem for version control via Git.

46k StarsDesktop App

Kong

API Infrastructure

A cloud native API and AI gateway for managing traffic, routing, and LLM orchestration.

44k StarsWeb App / Server

Insomnia

API Clients

A cross platform API client for debugging, designing, and testing REST, GraphQL, gRPC, and WebSocket protocols.

40k StarsDesktop App

Hasura

API Infrastructure

Generate a composable and secure API endpoint to access data from multiple database sources.

32k StarsWeb App / Server

NGINX

Web Frameworks

A web server and reverse proxy that provides load balancing, content caching, and API gateway capabilities.

31k StarsWeb App / Server

Yaak

API Clients

A privacy-first desktop API client supporting REST, GraphQL, gRPC, and WebSockets with local-only data storage and Git integration.

19k StarsDesktop App

Windmill

Low-Code/No-Code

A developer platform for building internal APIs, background jobs, workflows, and UIs using a code first approach.

17k StarsWeb App / Server

Scalar

API Clients

Generates interactive API documentation and provides an offline first client for testing OpenAPI and Swagger specifications.

16k StarsCross-Platform App

imgproxy

Media Servers

A standalone server for resizing, processing, and converting images on the fly via HTTP requests.

11k StarsWeb App / Server

Mockoon

API Infrastructure

Design and run mock REST APIs locally to reduce dependency on external services during software development.

8.3k StarsDesktop App

massCode

API Clients

A local first developer workspace combining code snippets, markdown notes, and an integrated HTTP client.

6.9k StarsDesktop App

Bifrost

AI Gateways

Unify access to multiple AI providers through a single OpenAI compatible API with built in governance.

6.8k StarsWeb App / Server

Requestly

API Clients

Build and test REST and GraphQL APIs with local storage and Git synchronization for developer collaboration.

6.7k StarsBrowser Extension

Reqable

API Clients

Capture and analyze network traffic while testing REST APIs across desktop and mobile platforms.

6.6k StarsCross-Platform App

RWKV Runner

AI Chat Interfaces

A management tool for RWKV models that provides an OpenAI compatible API for local LLM execution.

6.4k StarsDesktop App

Open-Meteo

API Infrastructure

An open-source weather API providing global forecasts and historical data for non-commercial software projects.

5.9k StarsWeb App / Server

Altair

API Clients

A GraphQL client IDE for debugging queries and implementations across multiple desktop and browser platforms.

5.4k StarsBrowser Extension

Zoraxy

API Infrastructure

A general purpose HTTP reverse proxy and forwarding tool written in Go for managing web services.

5.3k StarsWeb App / Server

MQTTX

API Clients

Connect to and test MQTT brokers using a cross-platform client with a chat-like graphical interface.

5k StarsDesktop App

Kinto

Storage

A minimalist JSON document store providing synchronization and sharing capabilities for web and mobile applications.

4.4k StarsWeb App / Server

Judge0

API Infrastructure

A sandboxed online code execution system for running untrusted code across multiple programming languages.

4.3k StarsWeb App / Server

HTTPie

API Clients

A command line and desktop client for making HTTP requests and testing REST APIs via terminal.

4k StarsCLI / Terminal

Bknd

Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS)

A lightweight backend as a service providing database management, authentication, media storage, and automated workflows.

3.7k StarsWeb App / Server

Svix

Webhook Platforms

A webhook service that manages deliverability, retries, and security for developers via a single API call.

3.3k StarsWeb App / Server

Stoat

Team Chat & Messaging

Self-hostable group chat with servers, channels, voice, and moderation tools built under EU privacy law.

3.2k StarsWeb App / Server

TileServer GL

API Infrastructure

Host and serve vector and raster map tiles with GL styles for various web and mobile clients.

2.9k StarsWeb App / Server

Fusio

API Infrastructure

Self-hosted API management platform to transform internal infrastructure into scalable API products for humans and AI agents.

2.1k StarsWeb App / Server
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