How to Instantly Discover Any Website’s Hidden API Endpoints

Want to quickly uncover the API endpoints powering your favorite websites? Manual API discovery can be tedious, but with Hyperbrowser’s AI-driven automation, you can find actionable APIs in seconds—even on sites with heavy anti-bot protections. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll show you how to reveal website APIs using Hyperbrowser’s DeepCrawler and classic browser Developer Tools, plus how to efficiently test and document those APIs with Apidog.

💡 Looking for an API testing platform that generates beautiful API documentation and boosts your team’s productivity? Apidog offers a seamless, all-in-one solution, replacing Postman at a much more affordable price.

What Is Hyperbrowser? The Fastest Way to Discover Website APIs

Hyperbrowser is a developer-focused platform for running secure, headless browsers in isolated containers. Its standout DeepCrawler tool leverages AI to scan websites, identify API endpoints, and bypass common anti-bot methods like CAPTCHAs and advanced fingerprinting. Key features include:

• AI-Powered Scanning: Detects XHR/fetch requests and surfaces API calls automatically.
• Stealth & Privacy: Uses proxies and CAPTCHA-solving to avoid detection; runs locally or in secure containers.
• Structured Exports: Save discovered endpoints as JSON, Postman collections, or OpenAPI specs.
• Developer Integrations: Connect with LangChain, SDKs, and automation tools.

Hyperbrowser makes API reconnaissance fast and reliable, even on complex or protected sites.

Why Choose Hyperbrowser Over Manual API Discovery?

Traditional API discovery requires manual inspection—digging through browser network logs, reverse-engineering JavaScript, and fighting through anti-bot measures. Hyperbrowser eliminates these headaches:

• Speed: Find APIs in seconds, not hours.
• Accuracy: Surfaces even non-obvious or hidden endpoints.
• No Coding Required: Simply set up, enter a URL, and let the tool work.
• Security: Scans are performed in secure, isolated environments.

While tools like Google Analytics focus on tracking, Hyperbrowser is built for actionable API endpoint discovery—saving developers valuable time.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Find a Website’s API Endpoints

Let’s walk through discovering APIs on a site like retouched.ai (commonly used for background removal), using both Hyperbrowser and browser Developer Tools. This workflow is applicable to any modern web app.

Prerequisites

• Node.js: v18+ (node --version)
• npm: v8+ (npm --version)
• Hyperbrowser API Key: Sign up at hyperbrowser.ai for a free tier key.
• Browser: Chrome or Firefox (for network inspection)
• Disk Space: ~500MB for Hyperbrowser and dependencies

1. Install Hyperbrowser DeepCrawler

1. Clone the example repository:

   git clone https://github.com/hyperbrowserai/hyperbrowser-app-examples.git
   cd hyperbrowser-app-examples/deep-crawler-bot
   

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install
   

3. Configure environment variables:

   cp .env.example .env.local
   

   Edit .env.local and set your API key:

   HYPERBROWSER_API_KEY=your_api_key_here
   

4. Start the development server:

   npm run dev
   

5. Open http://localhost:3000 to access the DeepCrawler UI.

2. Automatically Find APIs with Hyperbrowser DeepCrawler

1. In the Hyperbrowser UI, enter your target URL (e.g., https://retouched.ai).
2. Enable “Use Proxy” and “Solve CAPTCHAs” for better coverage.
3. Click Start Crawl.

The crawler will scan the site and surface discovered API endpoints. Example output:

{
  "endpoints": [
    {
      "url": "https://api.retouched.ai/v1/background-removal",
      "method": "POST",
      "headers": { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
      "description": "Handles image background removal"
    }
  ]
}

Export endpoints to Postman or OpenAPI from the dashboard for easy integration with your workflow.

3. Traditional API Discovery: Browser Developer Tools

Prefer a classic approach? Use your browser’s built-in network inspector:

1. Open Chrome or Firefox and navigate to your target site (e.g., https://retouched.ai).
2. Press F12 to open Developer Tools, go to the Network tab, and filter by XHR.
3. Interact with the site (for example, upload an image).
4. Look for API calls (like https://api.retouched.ai/v1/background-removal).

Example request:

{
  "method": "POST",
  "url": "https://api.retouched.ai/v1/background-removal",
  "body": { "image": "base64-encoded-image" }
}

Right-click the request and “Copy as cURL” for testing:

curl -X POST https://api.retouched.ai/v1/background-removal \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"image":"base64-encoded-image"}'

Manual discovery often takes several minutes—and can be blocked by anti-bot measures. Hyperbrowser handles these automatically.

4. Testing Discovered APIs

Once you’ve found an endpoint, verify its behavior:

• With curl:

  curl -X POST https://api.retouched.ai/v1/background-removal \
    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer your-api-key" \
    -d '{"image":"data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/..."}'
  

• Within Hyperbrowser:

  • Use the Test tab in the UI, inputting endpoint and parameters.
  • Click Run Test—Hyperbrowser handles authentication and CAPTCHAs.

• Try Apidog for streamlined testing and documentation:

• Or with Python:

  import requests
  
  url = 'https://example.com/api/data'
  headers = {'Authorization': 'Bearer your_token_here'}
  
  response = requests.get(url, headers=headers)
  print(response.json())
  

5. Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Invalid API Key: Double-check your key at app.hyperbrowser.ai
• Server Not Running: Verify http://localhost:3000 is active; restart with npm run dev
• Task Timeout: Increase timeoutMinutes in UI settings
• No XHR Requests in Dev Tools: Try the Fetch filter or interact more with the site
• CORS Errors: Use a proxy or test directly in Apidog or Postman
• General: Ensure Node.js v18+, stable internet, and consult Hyperbrowser documentation for advanced tips

Advanced: Customizing & Integrating Hyperbrowser

• Export Formats: Save endpoints as OpenAPI YAML for seamless import into Apidog or other tools.
• LangChain Integration: Use HyperbrowserLoader for structured data extraction:

  const { HyperbrowserLoader } = require('langchain_hyperbrowser');
  const loader = new HyperbrowserLoader({ urls: 'https://retouched.ai' });
  loader.load().then(docs => console.log(docs[0]));
  

• Community & Contribution: Submit improvements and integrations at github.com/hyperbrowserai.

Exporting APIs directly to Apidog lets you test, organize, and document endpoints with minimal friction.

Why Hyperbrowser Outperforms Manual API Discovery

For API developers, backend engineers, and QA teams, Hyperbrowser delivers:

• Unmatched Speed—discover endpoints in under a minute
• Bypass Anti-Bot Protections—stealth proxies and CAPTCHA solving
• Actionable Output—exportable to your favorite API platforms
• Free Tier—get started without upfront costs

Unlike analytics/tracking tools, Hyperbrowser is purpose-built for developers who need real, actionable API access. Pairing it with Apidog streamlines your entire API lifecycle, from discovery to testing and documentation.

Ready to accelerate your API workflow? Give Hyperbrowser’s DeepCrawler a try and supercharge your API testing with Apidog.

💡 Want to generate beautiful API documentation and maximize your team’s productivity? Apidog offers an integrated, all-in-one platform and replaces Postman at a much more affordable price.