# Bruno — Open-Source IDE for API Exploration & Testing

> Bruno is an open-source IDE for exploring and testing APIs — a lightweight, offline-first alternative to Postman and Insomnia. Stores collections as plain text files in your filesystem so they version-control naturally with Git.

## Install

Save the content below to `.claude/skills/` or append to your `CLAUDE.md`:

## Quick Use

Download from https://www.usebruno.com/downloads (Mac/Win/Linux) or:
```bash
# macOS
brew install bruno

# CLI for CI
npm i -g @usebruno/cli
bru run --env prod tests/
```

Create a request (`users.bru`):
```
meta {
  name: List Users
  type: http
  seq: 1
}

get {
  url: {{baseUrl}}/api/users
  body: none
  auth: bearer
}

auth:bearer {
  token: {{token}}
}
```

## Intro

Bruno is an open-source, offline-first API client. Stores collections as plain `.bru` text files in your filesystem — perfect for Git versioning. The Postman-killer for teams who refuse cloud lock-in.

- **Repo**: https://github.com/usebruno/bruno
- **Stars**: 42K+
- **Language**: JavaScript (Electron)
- **License**: MIT

## What Bruno Does

- **HTTP requests** — REST, GraphQL, gRPC (beta)
- **Plain text storage** — `.bru` files in your repo
- **Environments** — dev/staging/prod variables
- **Scripting** — pre-request and post-response JavaScript
- **Tests** — assertions on responses
- **Auth** — Basic, Bearer, OAuth2, AWS Sig
- **CLI** — `bru run` for CI/CD
- **Offline** — no account, no cloud sync

## Architecture

Electron app + open `.bru` file format (similar to HTTP files). Each collection is a directory tree. Environment files are `.env` style. CLI shares the same engine for headless runs.

## Self-Hosting

Desktop app — no server. Collections live in your Git repo.

```bash
# Project structure
my-api/
├── bruno.json
├── environments/
│   ├── dev.bru
│   └── prod.bru
└── users/
    ├── list.bru
    └── create.bru
```

## Key Features

- Plain text `.bru` format (Git-friendly)
- Offline by default (no cloud account)
- Environment variables
- JavaScript scripting (pre/post)
- Built-in assertions
- CLI for CI/CD
- OpenAPI/Postman import
- Free, no paywall

## Comparison

| Tool | Storage | Cloud | CLI | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bruno | Plain text | Optional | Yes | Free |
| Postman | Cloud DB | Required | Newman | Paid tiers |
| Insomnia | YAML | Optional | Inso | Paid tiers |
| Hoppscotch | Cloud/local | Optional | Yes | Free + paid |

## FAQ

**Q: Can I migrate from Postman?**
A: Yes. File → Import → select a Postman collection JSON. Bruno automatically converts it to .bru files.

**Q: How does team collaboration work?**
A: Store the collection in a Git repo and have the team push/pull. Use `.env` for environment variables to keep sensitive info isolated.

**Q: Does it support GraphQL?**
A: Yes. Select GraphQL as the request type and introspection is provided automatically.

## Sources & Credits

- Docs: https://docs.usebruno.com
- GitHub: https://github.com/usebruno/bruno
- License: MIT

---
Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/bruno-open-source-ide-api-exploration-testing-89ca3775
Author: Script Depot