As API testing becomes more central to modern software
development, the tools we use to test, automate, and debug APIs can make a big
difference. For years, Postman has been the go-to API client for
developers and testers alike. But now, Bruno, a relatively new
open-source API client, is making waves in the community.
Let’s break down how Bruno compares to Postman and why you
might consider switching or using both depending on your use case.
✨ What is Bruno?
Bruno is an open-source, Git-friendly API client
built for developers and testers who prefer simplicity, speed, and local-first
development. It stores your API collections as plain text in your repo, making
it easy to version, review, and collaborate on API definitions.
🌟 What is Postman?
Postman is a full-fledged API platform that offers
everything from API testing, documentation, and automation to mock servers and
monitoring. It comes with a polished UI, robust integration, and support for
collaboration across teams.
🧵 Key Differences
Feature |
Bruno |
Postman |
Platform |
Desktop app |
Web & desktop app |
Open Source |
✅ Yes |
❌ No (Commercial SaaS) |
Data Storage |
Local file-based (YAML/JSON) |
Cloud or local workspace |
Git Friendly |
✅ Excellent |
❌ Limited |
Performance |
🚀 Very fast,
lightweight |
🐢 Can be heavy at times |
Team Collaboration |
Git-based workflows |
Cloud collaboration via Postman |
Automation / CI/CD |
Git + CLI workflows |
Newman + Postman cloud integrations |
Mock Servers / Docs |
❌ Not available yet |
✅ Built-in |
Pricing |
Free |
Freemium (limits in free tier) |
🔍 Use Case Scenarios
- Use
Bruno if:
- You
prefer Git-based workflows.
- You
want to keep API test cases under version control.
- You
work offline or locally most of the time.
- You
prioritize speed and minimalism.
- Use
Postman if:
- You
need advanced API management features (mocking, monitoring).
- You
work in a team and need built-in cloud collaboration.
- You
want a full API lifecycle platform with UI-rich interactions.
🧪 From a QA Perspective
For testers who:
- Use
Git for source control and automation,
- Need
to integrate API tests into CI/CD,
- Prefer
lightweight tools,
Bruno is a strong, developer-friendly alternative.
However, for larger QA teams relying on:
- Built-in
environments,
- Global
variables,
- Mock
servers and monitors,
Postman still offers more features out of the box.
🧠 Final Thoughts
Bruno isn’t here to kill Postman—it’s here to offer freedom
and control. In fact, many testers may find a hybrid approach useful: use
Postman for collaboration-heavy work and Bruno for Git-based workflows
and automation.
If you're tired of syncing Postman collections manually or
just want a snappy alternative, give Bruno a spin.
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