Bruno
A local-first API client for request collections, environments, scripts and version-control workflows, with clear boundaries for tokens, test data and exported files.
What Bruno is for
Bruno keeps API request collections in local files and combines them with environments, scripts and version control. This is useful for interface development, debugging and regression checks. Local files, history, response samples and scripts may contain tokens or personal data, so a collection should be reviewed before it is shared.
Start with a controlled request
Build a test collection with a health check and a small set of representative requests. Separate development, test and production environments, keep sensitive values local and validate status codes, response fields and error cases with redacted data.
Scripts and exports need review
Pre-request and post-request scripts can read variables, change requests or process responses. Run trusted collections in a test environment, review dependencies and network behavior, and remove cookies, authorization headers and personal data before exporting or committing files.
Maintenance note
This page reviews Bruno 4.0.0, local request collections, environment variables, scripts and API regression boundaries. Content review date: 2026-08-23.
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Bruno 4.0.0 installation and first API test
Create a collection without real credentials, verify a health check and a sample response, then add project environments and regression assertions after the basic flow is stable.
Before you start
- Select the Windows, macOS or Linux package that matches the processor architecture.
- Prepare a test API, redacted data and private environment values rather than using production credentials.
- List request dependencies and response fields that should be checked in a regression run.
Installation steps
- 01
Install the matching package
Install the package for the operating system, launch Bruno and confirm the version and local file permissions.
- 02
Create a collection and environment
Group requests by service or workflow, keep host and non-sensitive parameters in an environment and leave tokens in a private local environment.
- 03
Send and inspect a request
Start with a GET or health check, then test authentication, parameters and error responses with redacted output and explicit status checks.
Quick start
- 01
Standardize names and environments
Use consistent names for collections, requests and variables, distinguishing development, test and production without repeating tokens in URLs or scripts.
- 02
Review scripts and exports
Inspect hooks, example responses and environment files before sharing, removing cookies, authorization values and personal information.
- 03
Record regression results
Keep the status code, stable response fields, boundary parameters and environment name for important requests, with logs stripped of secrets.
Usage tips
- Local-first collections are convenient for version control, but file history and exported responses can preserve sensitive values.
- Distinguish authentication, validation, throttling and server errors instead of hiding the cause with repeated retries.
- Run scripts with the smallest test data and permissions needed for the current check.
Troubleshooting and uninstall
Why does a request return 401 or 403?
Check the environment, token lifetime, header format, clock and permission scope, then reproduce with the smallest request without writing the token into logs.
Why does Bruno differ from the browser?
Compare cookies, headers, redirects, compression, TLS and body encoding, remove fields until the smallest reproduction is clear, then check whether the server distinguishes clients.
- Remove sensitive local materialDelete tokens, cookies, exported responses and test data, and confirm that private environment files were not committed to a repository.
- Uninstall BrunoExit the application and uninstall it through the operating system, clearing cache and user configuration only after preserving non-sensitive API documentation.
Frequently asked questions
How does Bruno differ from an online API debugger?
Bruno emphasizes request collections stored in local files, which can fit version control. Teams still need to inspect variables, scripts and requests for tokens or personal data.
How should secrets in environments be handled?
Separate public addresses from sensitive tokens, keep private values in local or system credential storage and never commit real secrets to a collection or export.
What risks do Bruno scripts introduce?
Scripts can read environment values, modify requests and process responses. Run trusted scripts in a test environment and review their dependencies and network behavior.