Mastering the API Workflow with Postman

Anyone who has built an API will know just how easy it is for a project to become disorganized and messy. Even if you use a document first workflow, things can feel a little clumsy, and so a solution that keeps control, but doesn’t get in the way of your flow could really make a difference.

Postman is just such a tool, in fact it is designed to offer an integrated environment for all the various components of your API project, including testing, documentation, version history and authorization, making it the perfect development tool for development.

The Postman Environment

Postman can be broken down into different sections. First is the request tab that allows you to see the responses for particular requests, including easy selection of request method and through the ‘Params’ button, a simple way to specify parameters to initiate requests.

It also includes an easy way to adjust authorization, quickly switching between Basic Auth, OAuth2 and so on as required. Postman can support all authorization types as needed. The various tabs go on to allow heading, body and environmental variables adjustments, and finally a test environment to put it all together.

Efficient Workflow

The key point with Postman is that it manages to keep each aspect of the API separate, easily editable and clear, all in the one simple interface. That means organization of your workflow without interfering in your development process, and a complete test environment built in too. With everything from version development to documentation all available within the simple interface, it is the perfect API tool that gives you the tools to develop your ideas without getting in the way.