What is Hello HTTP?
Hello HTTP is a cross-platform, portable HTTP client desktop application for testing HTTP and REST APIs, WebSocket, GraphQL (including subscriptions) and gRPC endpoints. The project positions it as an alternative to Postman and Insomnia REST, and states plainly why it exists: those products moved to the cloud, and Hello HTTP will not — "Only you own your data. There is no plan to go cloud." macOS has been stable since v1.2.0, and the executables are not signed by a verified developer because the author has no budget for a developer certificate.
Verified product facts
- Type
- HTTP clientEditorially reviewed
- Platform
- macOS
- Pricing
- Open sourceDeveloper-stated
- Open source
- Yes
- Relationship to Nuanyue
- Third-party product — not published by NuanyueEditorially reviewed
- Licence
- Apache-2.0
- Current version
- 1.9.0Developer-stated
- Official website
- sunny-chung.github.io/hello-http/
Last updated . Facts marked developer-stated come from the developer and are not independently confirmed; editorially reviewed marks a Nuanyue judgement.
Key features
What Hello HTTP does at a glance.
Tests HTTP and REST APIs, WebSocket, GraphQL
Including subscriptions, and gRPC
Portable application
Runs without installation
Runs on macOS, Windows and Linux
Keeps your data local
The project states there is no plan to go cloud
Open source
Under Apache-2.0, so you can build an executable from source
What you can use Hello HTTP for
- Testing a REST endpoint without an account or a cloud workspace
- Subscribing to a GraphQL subscription from the same client as REST calls
Who is Hello HTTP for?
- Developers who want an API client that stays on their machine
- Users put off by Postman and Insomnia moving their workspaces to the cloud
Who is Hello HTTP not for?
- People who need a code-signed executable out of the box — the builds are unsigned
Strengths and trade-offs
What Hello HTTP does well, and what to weigh before choosing it. Points marked developer-stated come from the developer’s own material and have not been independently confirmed.
Strengths
- Free and open source under Apache-2.0, with no account and no cloud workspace.
- Covers HTTP and REST APIs, WebSocket, GraphQL (including subscriptions) and gRPC in one client, rather than needing a second tool for subscriptions.
- It is a portable application, so it runs without installation and can be carried on a drive.
- The macOS build has been stable since v1.2.0, per the project's own status list.
Trade-offs
- The executables are not signed by a verified developer, because the author states there is no budget for a developer licence — so each OS will warn on first launch.
- The project describes it as built to address the author's own daily needs, so breadth may favour one person's workflow over yours.Developer-stated
- The README's feature section points at screenshots and videos on the website rather than listing capabilities, so the feature surface is not documented in the repository.Editorially reviewed
What it does
Hello HTTP is an API client: point it at an endpoint, send a request, read the response. It covers HTTP and REST, WebSocket, GraphQL including subscriptions, and gRPC — which means a GraphQL subscription is handled in the same client as your REST calls rather than needing a second tool.
It is also portable. The application runs without installation and can be carried around on a drive, which is not something most API clients offer.
Where it fits
The project states its reason for existing in one sentence: “Only you own your data. There is no plan to go cloud.” That is a direct reference to Postman and Insomnia REST, both of which moved workspaces into cloud accounts. If that move is what you are avoiding, this is the alternative written for the same reason.
It is open source under Apache-2.0, which matters more than usual here. The executables are not signed by a verified developer — the author says plainly there is no budget for a developer licence. Every OS will warn you on first launch, and the documented way around that concern is to build the executable yourself, which needs a JDK 17 or later and git.
One caveat when evaluating it: the README’s feature section points at screenshots and videos on the website rather than listing capabilities, so what the client actually does is documented on the site, not in the repository. The author also describes it as built to address their own daily needs, which is worth weighing if your workflow is unusual.
Questions about Hello HTTP
Does Hello HTTP need an account?
No. The project states that only you own your data and that there is no plan to go cloud.
Which protocols does it support?
HTTP and REST APIs, WebSocket, GraphQL including subscriptions, and gRPC endpoints.
Which platforms does it run on?
macOS, Windows and Linux. The project reports macOS stable since v1.2.0, Windows since v1.4.1 and Linux since v1.4.3.
Why does my system warn about an unverified developer?
Because the executables are not signed — the author states there is no budget for a developer certificate. You can also build an executable from source.
Alternatives to Hello HTTP
Apps that could replace this one — the same job, a different trade-off.
bruno
Bruno is a offline-only, fast and git-friendly opensource API client.
Both are offline-first API clients. Bruno keeps collections in a Git repository alongside the code; Hello HTTP keeps data local and stays a portable app.
Insomnia
The most intuitive cross-platform REST API Client.
Both test HTTP, REST and GraphQL. Insomnia is a commercial client with cloud features; Hello HTTP is the author's answer to that move.
Hoppscotch
A lightweight, fast, and full-featured API debugging tool.
Both cover REST, WebSocket and GraphQL. Hoppscotch began as a browser-based client; Hello HTTP is a desktop app that keeps data on the machine.
Links
Sources
Facts on this page are checked against the sources below. Last updated .
