Debugging ToolsDebug Collections

Debug Collections

Debug Collections provide a Postman-like experience with automatic cloud sync and team collaboration. Organize requests in folders, share examples, and import your existing Postman collections.

See also: Debugging Tools Overview for a comparison of Local Requests, Debug Collections, and Test Flows.

What Are Debug Collections?

Debug Collections are cloud-based request collections that sync automatically across devices and team members. They’re perfect for:

  • Building shared API libraries: Organize and share common requests with your team
  • Postman migration: Import existing Postman collections seamlessly
  • Request organization: Use folders and hierarchy to structure your APIs
  • Team collaboration: Share requests and examples automatically
  • Multi-device access: Access your collections from anywhere

Unlike Local Requests (which stay in your browser) or Test Flows (which are multi-step), Debug Collections focus on organized, shareable single-request testing with automatic cloud sync.

Key Features

Collections & Folders

Organize requests in a hierarchical structure:

📁 User Management API
  📁 Authentication
    📄 Login
    📄 Logout
    📄 Refresh Token
  📁 Users
    📄 Create User
    📄 Get User
    📄 Update User
    📄 Delete User
  📄 Health Check

Request Management

Each request includes:

  • HTTP Method: GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH, etc.
  • URL: Full URL or path with variables
  • Headers: Authorization, Content-Type, custom headers
  • Query Parameters: URL query strings
  • Body: JSON, form data, URL-encoded, text, or binary
  • Environment: Link to server, auth, and variable groups

Request Examples

Save multiple examples for each request:

  • Personal Examples: Visible only to you
  • Team Examples: Shared with your team
  • Use Cases: Different scenarios (success, error, edge cases)

Automatic Sync

All changes sync to the cloud automatically:

  • ✅ Access from any device
  • ✅ Team collaboration
  • ✅ Version history (planned)
  • ✅ No manual save needed

Creating a Collection

  1. Navigate to the Collections tab in your project
  2. Click New Collection
  3. Enter a collection name
  4. Click Create

Your collection is ready to use!

Adding Requests

Create a New Request

  1. Click the ⋮ menu next to a collection or folder

  2. Select New Request

  3. Configure the request:

    • Name: Give it a descriptive name
    • Method: Choose HTTP method (GET, POST, etc.)
    • URL: Enter the endpoint URL
    • Headers: Add any required headers
    • Body: Configure request body if needed

  4. Click Send to test the request

  5. Request is automatically saved

Using Variables

Reference variables from your Variable Groups:

# URL with variables
{{baseUrl}}/users/{{userId}}
 
# Headers
Authorization: Bearer {{authToken}}
 
# Body
{
  "apiKey": "{{apiKey}}",
  "environment": "{{env}}"
}

Linking Environment

Each request can be linked to:

  • Server: Select from project servers
  • Authentication: Choose auth configuration
  • Variable Group: Pick environment variables

This allows testing the same request across different environments (dev, staging, production).

Organizing with Folders

Create Folders

  1. Click the ⋮ menu on a collection
  2. Select New Folder
  3. Enter folder name
  4. Click Create

Nested Folders

Create subfolders for deeper organization:

📁 E-commerce API
  📁 Public
    📁 Products
    📁 Categories
  📁 Admin
    📁 Orders
    📁 Inventory

Move Requests

Drag and drop requests between:

  • Folders
  • Collections
  • Collection root

Importing from Postman

Migrate your existing Postman collections to ReAPI:

  1. Export your collection from Postman (JSON format)
  2. In ReAPI, click ⋮ on a collection
  3. Select Import from Postman
  4. Choose your Postman JSON file
  5. Click Import

What Gets Imported

✅ Fully Supported:

  • HTTP methods and URLs
  • Headers and query parameters
  • Request bodies (JSON, form data, URL-encoded, text)
  • Folder structure
  • Request names and descriptions

⚠️ Requires Configuration:

  • Postman variables: Variables like {{baseUrl}} are preserved but need to be configured in ReAPI Variable Groups
  • Pre-request scripts: Not imported (use ReAPI’s Before Request Hooks)
  • Test scripts: Not imported (use ReAPI’s After Response Hooks or Test Suites)
  • File uploads: Form data with files preserved but files need re-selection

Request Examples

Create multiple examples for different scenarios:

Creating an Example

  1. Open a request
  2. Configure parameters for a specific scenario
  3. Click Save as Example
  4. Enter example name and description
  5. Choose sharing:
    • Personal: Only visible to you
    • Team: Visible to all team members

Using Examples

  • Switch between examples using the dropdown
  • Each example saves different:
    • Headers
    • Query parameters
    • Request body
    • Variables

Example Use Cases

Login Request:

  • Example: “Admin Login” (team example)
  • Example: “User Login” (team example)
  • Example: “Invalid Credentials” (personal test)

Get User:

  • Example: “Admin User” (team)
  • Example: “Regular User” (team)
  • Example: “Non-existent User” (personal)

Team Collaboration

Sharing

All collections and requests are automatically shared with your team:

  • Team members see the same collections
  • Changes sync in real-time
  • No manual sharing needed

Personal vs Team Examples

Control example visibility:

  • Personal Examples: For your own testing scenarios
  • Team Examples: Share common use cases with the team

Toggle sharing using the Share button on any example.

Best Practices

Organization

  • Use folders: Group related endpoints
  • Descriptive names: “Get User by ID” not “API Call 1”
  • Consistent structure: Match your API’s structure
  • Root for common: Put health checks at collection root

Environment Setup

  • Link servers: Always select a server for each request
  • Use variable groups: Don’t hardcode values
  • Separate environments: Dev/staging/prod variable groups
  • Test across environments: Switch variable groups to test same request

Examples

  • Document use cases: Add descriptions to examples
  • Share success cases: Make successful scenarios team examples
  • Keep edge cases personal: Your testing scenarios can stay private
  • Name clearly: “Success - Admin User” vs “Error - Invalid Token”

Related Tools

Debug Collections are one of three debugging approaches in ReAPI:

See the Debugging Tools Overview for a detailed comparison and usage guidance.

Tips & Tricks

Quick Keyboard Shortcuts

(Shortcuts depend on UI implementation)

Cloning Requests

Duplicate a request to create variations:

  1. Click ⋮ on a request
  2. Select Clone
  3. Rename and modify the clone

Clearing Requests

Remove multiple requests at once:

  1. Click ⋮ on a folder or collection
  2. Select Clear All Requests
  3. Type confirm to proceed
  4. Only direct children are deleted (non-recursive)

Folder Management

  • Move folders: Drag and drop to reorganize
  • Delete folders: Removes folder and all contents
  • Rename folders: Update folder names anytime

Troubleshooting

Request Not Sending

Check:

  • Server is selected
  • URL is valid
  • Authentication is configured (if required)
  • Variable group is linked (if using variables)
  • Network connectivity

Variables Not Resolving

Verify:

  • Variable group is selected for the request
  • Variable names match exactly (case-sensitive)
  • Variable group contains the variable
  • Syntax is correct: {{variableName}}

Import Failed

Common Issues:

  • Invalid JSON file format
  • Postman collection too large
  • Network timeout
  • Solution: Try importing smaller collections or check file format

Examples Not Showing

Check:

  • Personal examples: Only visible to you
  • Team examples: Visible to all team members
  • Toggle sharing if needed

Next Steps

Questions? Join our Discord community for help!

Local RequestsTest Flows