Insomnia Scratch Pad Tutorial

Introduction

The Scratch Pad feature in Insomnia is a powerful tool for quickly experimenting with API requests without requiring a User account and/or affecting your account’s existing Local/Cloud projects or workspaces. It’s ideal for testing, debugging, or learning purposes. This tutorial will guide you through using the Scratch Pad feature effectively.

Accessing Scratch Pad

1. Open Insomnia Application: Launch Insomnia on your device.

   

2. Find Scratch Pad: In the Insomnia interface, look for the Scratch Pad option. It’s typically located in the sidebar or top menu, depending on your version.

   

Using Scratch Pad

Creating a New Request

1. Create Request: In the Scratch Pad area, click on ‘New Request’.
2. Name Your Request (optional): Give a descriptive name to your request for easy identification.
3. Choose Request Type: Select the type of request (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, etc.) from the dropdown menu.

4. Enter URL: Type in the API endpoint you wish to test.

   

Setting Up Request Parameters

1. Add Headers: If your API requires headers (like content-type, authorization tokens), add them in the ‘Headers’ tab.
2. Configure Body (for POST/PUT requests): In the ‘Body’ tab, choose the appropriate format (like JSON, form data) and input the data you want to send.

Sending the Request

1. Send Request: Once your request is set up, click the ‘Send’ button.
2. View Response: The response from the API will be displayed in the pane below the request configuration. You can view the status code, response body, headers, and more.

Managing Scratch Pad Requests

• Save Request: You can save your request for later use by clicking ‘Save’.
• Organize Requests: If you have multiple requests, organize them for easy access and reference.
• Delete or Edit: Requests can be deleted or edited as needed.