.http files in Visual Studio

Overview

.http files in Visual Studio are text files that allow you to create, send, and test HTTP requests directly within the IDE. They serve as a lightweight alternative to external tools like Postman or Insomnia. By using a simple syntax, you can define requests for different HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, etc.), set headers, and include request bodies.

How to use .http files

1. Create the file: In a Visual Studio project, you can add a new item and select "Text File," then name it with the .http extension (e.g., api.http). Some project templates, like ASP.NET Core API projects, now include an .http file by default.

Write requests

Use a simple, human-readable format. The basic structure is [HTTP Method] [URL]. You can add headers on new lines and a request body after a blank line.

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Note: To include multiple requests in one file, separate them with ###.

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Send requests

A "Send request" button appears above each request in the editor:

Clicking this button sends the request, and the response is displayed directly in Visual Studio, showing the status code, headers, and body.

Variables

You can define variables with @ and use them in your requests with double curly braces (e.g., @hostname=localhost). This allows you to easily switch between different environments (e.g., development and production).

Example

@TickerQ_HostAddress = https://localhost:7087

POST {{TickerQ_HostAddress}}/schedule
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "x": 123,
  "y": 456
}

See Also

• Official Documentation