The Pains of API Testing
As a developer who regularly works with APIs, Postman has been the go-to choice for testing, documenting, and sharing across teams. However, over time, I began to feel the bloat. Postman became increasingly heavy, slow to start, and frustrating to use in version-controlled environments. That's when I discovered Bruno: a lightweight, open-source API client aiming to take on Postman's heavyweight legacy.
In this article, I'll walk you through why I made the switch from Postman to Bruno, what the transition looked like, and how my workflow has improved.
Meet Postman: The King of the Court
Needing no introductions, Postman is undoubtedly a powerful tool. But with power often comes weight:
- Resource Heavy: Postman's Electron-based architecture makes it noticeably slow and memory-hungry.
- Git-Unfriendly: Collections are stored in a proprietary format, making version control awkward and merge conflicts inevitable.
- Local-Unfriendly: Requires internet connection for full functionality.
- Pricing Concerns: Collaboration and advanced testing features are locked behind paid plans.
I realized I needed something simpler — something more developer-centric and user-friendly without all the gimmicky features I'd rarely/never use.
Introducing Bruno: The New Kid on the Block
Built by a team of developers who understand the pain points of using Postman, Bruno was designed to address them head-on:
- Lightweight: Built as a native application with performance in mind, Bruno is snappy and resource-efficient, even on modest hardware.
- Git-Friendly: Its file-based request structure means you can version control your API work just like your code.
- Local-Friendly: Works entirely offline, so you're never blocked by internet issues or cloud service downtimes.
- Open Source: No paywalls, no subscriptions, just code.
Transitioning from Postman to Bruno
Two words — Export. Import.
Export from Postman: Export Postman collections in JSON format.
Import into Bruno: Bruno natively supports various imports from other platforms like Postman and transforms them into .bru files.
Easy!
Working with Bruno
Bruno may be minimal, but it's got the essentials covered:
- Creating Requests: Simple interface for GET, POST, PUT, etc., with headers and body configuration.
- Environment Variables: Supports multiple environments via env files.
- Response Viewer: Neatly displays response headers, body, and time.
- Scripting: Though not as robust as Postman's scripting, Bruno supports basic request chaining and JavaScript snippets.
- Version Control: Every change is tracked, readable, and merge-friendly.
For most use cases, Bruno is more than enough.
Bruno Ain't Perfect
Like many tools out there, Bruno — despite the many benefits — may face drawbacks as well:
Smaller Community: Being a relatively new tool, Bruno doesn't yet have the same size or activity level as Postman's community. That means fewer community-made tutorials, integrations, or Stack Overflow answers when you hit a snag.
Limited Advanced Features: Lacks some of Postman's advanced capabilities like built-in test assertions, workflow automation (like Newman CLI runners), monitors, and pre/post-request scripting with detailed logic. For complex API validation flows or automated test suites, you might find Bruno underpowered.
No Cloud Sync / Collaboration: Lacks real-time collaboration, shared workspaces, and automated syncing features that are helpful for larger teams or non-technical collaborators.
It may not be the ultimate Swiss Army knife for API testing, but it gets the job done exceptionally well.
Living with Bruno
Since switching to Bruno, my workflow feels cleaner and more developer-centric.
I keep all API collection files in my Git repositories alongside the codebase where branches and pull requests will include both code and collection updates, which makes reviewing changes much easier. Bruno's simplicity lets me focus on what matters — building and testing APIs.
Conclusion
If Postman feels like an overkill for your day-to-day API work — or if you're frustrated by its limitations — Bruno might be the breath of fresh air you need. It is not trying to replace every feature Postman offers, but it does what it needs to, and does it well. For solo developers or small teams who value simplicity, performance, and Git-friendly workflows, Bruno is a compelling alternative worth checking out.
In fact, having both tools at our disposal can enhance our workflow — we just need to know when to use each one effectively.
Thanks for reading! If you've made the switch too or are considering it, I'd love to hear your experience.
Top comments (11)
Love this! I use Bruno everyday 🐶
Bruno gang 🐶🙌
lol i've wanted to ditch postman so many times tbh - always feels like a fight with my own pc. bruno sounds solid but i always wonder if the new tools can hang over the long haul. you ever get worried you swap too quick?
Haha, I totally get that — Postman can feel like a wrestling match some days 😅
I had the same concern about switching too quickly too. What really surprised me about Bruno was how effortlessly it covered everything I was already using in Postman — collections, environment variables, scripting — but with a lighter, local-first setup. Beyond the short learning curve (which was quick and intuitive!), I haven't regretted the transition.
One important thing to consider when switching is whether it's for individual or team use. Teams might need to align on developer workflows, and some may still rely on the cloud sync or collaboration features that Postman offers over Bruno.
But hey — if Postman already feels like a pain, why not give Bruno a try for a week and see how it feels?
Great guide shared with teams at work!
Glad to hear! Hope it was helpful for your teams 🙌
When I want to test one single endpoint, I just simply go to the Network tab on Chrome, right click on "Copy as cURL (bash)", and paste it into a Terminal. I'm a "terminal Git user," so I keep one opened all the time. Faster than opening Postman.
Totally get that—terminal + cURL is super quick! I sometimes do the same with Firefox's Edit and Resend feature, which lets me tweak and replay requests without even leaving the browser. That said, I still reach for Bruno when I want a cleaner UI with history and collections, without the Postman bloat.
Ha ha, I am a fan of this too in the Network tab ;-) #WebBrowser
I love finding smaller tools that just get out of my wayprobably gonna try Bruno myself next time my workflow starts feeling heavy.
That's exactly how I felt! Bruno is great because it just stays out of the way and lets you focus on the work without the distractions. I think you'll enjoy the simplicity when you give it a try. Definitely let me know what you think once you do!