A new terminal app, ApiMug, has been launched to streamline testing and browsing APIs directly from an OpenAPI spec, solving a common developer pain point.
A new terminal-based application, ApiMug, has been released to streamline the process for developers working with REST APIs defined by an OpenAPI spec. Created by developer /u/doganarif, the tool addresses the common workflow of receiving a specification file, manually reading it to understand endpoints, and then using separate tools like Postman or curl for testing.
A Faster, Lighter Alternative
According to its creator, ApiMug is designed as a faster and lighter solution with an interactive user interface built for the terminal. The application loads OpenAPI and Swagger files (both 2.0 and 3.0) and presents endpoints in a browsable list. Developers can then send requests directly from the interface using keyboard shortcuts, with support for various authentication methods including Bearer, API Key, Basic, and OAuth2. The tool also pretty-prints responses for readability.
For situations where a web-based view is still needed, ApiMug includes a built-in Swagger UI server. The project is available via Homebrew, ‘go install’, or directly from its source repository on GitHub.
The Role of the OpenAPI Spec in Development
The OpenAPI specification, formerly known as Swagger, provides a standard way to describe REST APIs. It functions as a visualization of an API contract, which is particularly helpful if the API is going to be used by numerous consumers. This contract is the foundation for a toolchain that can generate documentation, client code, and even mock servers.
For instance, the OpenAPI Generator tool can take an OpenAPI spec and create an HTTP client for use in a framework like Spring Boot. In other ecosystems, tools such as Django Rest Swagger and Flask-RESTPLUS allow developers to generate the specification from their existing code and annotations, treating the code as the single source of truth. This standard is overseen by the OpenAPI Initiative, an open-source collaboration project of the Linux Foundation, which sponsors an annual API Specifications Conference (ASC).
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