TL;DR
The Apidog VS Code extension lets you send API requests, manage collections, run tests, and share workspaces with your team – all without leaving your editor. Setup takes under five minutes: install the extension, sign in to your free Apidog account, and your workspace loads directly in VS Code’s sidebar.
Introduction
Apidog started as a desktop app for API design, testing, and documentation. Over time, the team released a VS Code extension that brings the same workspace directly into your editor. The extension does not duplicate Apidog – it connects to your existing workspace, so collections, environments, and test cases stay in sync whether you are in VS Code, the desktop app, or the web interface.
This guide walks through the full workflow: installing the extension, connecting to your workspace, sending requests, running tests, and using the VS Code extension alongside the desktop app.
Step 1: Install the Apidog VS Code extension
Open VS Code and click the Extensions icon in the left sidebar (or press Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X).
Search for “Apidog” in the Extensions Marketplace search bar. Look for the extension published by Apidog Inc. – it shows the Apidog logo (a dark icon with stylized API letters).
Click Install. VS Code installs the extension and adds an Apidog icon to your Activity Bar on the left side.
After installation, click the Apidog icon in the Activity Bar. VS Code opens the Apidog panel in the sidebar.
Step 2: Sign in to your Apidog account
The Apidog panel shows a “Sign In” button. Click it.
A browser tab opens to Apidog’s authentication page. If you already have an Apidog account, enter your email and password. If you do not have an account, click “Sign Up” – the free tier requires only an email address. No credit card.
After signing in, the browser shows a confirmation and asks you to return to VS Code. Click “Open VS Code” or switch back to VS Code manually.
VS Code completes the authentication handshake and loads your Apidog workspace in the sidebar.
What the sidebar looks like after sign-in: The left panel shows a tree view of your workspace. At the top, you see your workspace name. Below that, your collections appear as folders. Each collection expands to show the requests inside, organized by folder structure. Environments appear in a dropdown at the top of the panel.
Step 3: Navigate your collections
The Apidog sidebar in VS Code mirrors the collection structure from your Apidog workspace exactly.
To browse a collection, click the arrow next to the collection name. It expands to show folders and requests. Folders expand further into individual requests.
Each request appears as a line item with a colored badge showing the HTTP method (GET in green, POST in blue, PUT in orange, DELETE in red). Clicking a request opens it in the VS Code editor area as a tab.
Using the search bar: At the top of the Apidog panel, there is a search input. Type any keyword to filter your collections by request name, URL, or method. This is useful when your workspace has dozens of collections.
Switching workspaces: If your Apidog account belongs to multiple workspaces (personal, team, or project-specific), a workspace selector at the top of the panel lets you switch between them.
Step 4: Send requests
When you open a request from the sidebar, it loads in the main editor area as a tab. The request interface has a familiar layout:
Top bar: Method selector (dropdown with GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH, HEAD, OPTIONS), URL field, and Send button.
Tabs below the URL: Params, Headers, Body, Auth, Pre-request Scripts, Tests, Settings. Each tab opens the relevant configuration section.
To send a request:
- Confirm the method and URL in the top bar
- Add any required headers in the Headers tab
- If the request has a body (POST, PUT), click Body and select the content type (JSON, form data, binary, etc.)
- Click Send
The response appears in the lower half of the tab. It shows the status code, response time, and response size. Tabs below the response let you view the body (with syntax highlighting for JSON and XML), headers, cookies, and test results.
Using environments: The environment selector at the top of the Apidog panel sets the active environment. Variables like {{base_url}} or {{token}} resolve to the values defined in that environment. Switch environments to run the same request against dev, staging, or production without editing URLs.
Step 5: Edit and create requests
You can edit existing requests directly in VS Code. Changes sync to your Apidog workspace automatically.
To create a new request:
- Right-click a collection or folder in the sidebar
- Select “New Request”
- A blank request tab opens
- Set the method, URL, headers, and body
- Press
Ctrl+S/Cmd+Sto save
The new request appears in the sidebar and is immediately accessible from the Apidog desktop app, web interface, or any teammate’s VS Code.
Renaming and organizing: Right-click any request or folder in the sidebar to access rename, move, duplicate, and delete options. Drag-and-drop reordering works within the sidebar.
Step 6: Run tests
Apidog supports test assertions that run after each response. In the Tests tab of an open request, you can write JavaScript-based assertions:
pm.test("Status is 200", function () {
pm.response.to.have.status(200);
});
pm.test("Response contains user id", function () {
const json = pm.response.json();
pm.expect(json.id).to.be.a('number');
});
After clicking Send, the Tests tab in the response section shows which assertions passed and which failed, with pass/fail counts and error messages for failures.
Running a collection: Right-click a collection or folder in the sidebar and select “Run Collection.” A runner panel opens where you can set iterations, delays between requests, and environments. Click Run to execute all requests in sequence. The results show pass/fail status for each request’s assertions.
Step 7: Use VS Code extension and desktop app together
The VS Code extension and desktop app share the same workspace in real time. There is no “primary” version – they are two views of the same data.
Common workflows that use both:
Design in desktop, test in VS Code: Use the Apidog desktop app to define your API schema, write documentation, and set up mock servers. Then switch to VS Code to run requests and write test assertions without leaving your development environment.
Team API review: A backend developer updates an endpoint in the desktop app. A frontend developer opens VS Code with the Apidog extension and immediately sees the updated request with the new parameters. No pull request, no JSON file to import.
Test writing in context: You are writing code in VS Code to consume an API. Without switching windows, you can open the Apidog panel, find the relevant endpoint, run it, check the response shape, and go back to your code – staying in the same application the whole time.
What the desktop app does better: Schema design, mock server setup, API documentation publishing, and managing large numbers of environments. These are desktop-app-first features that you can reference from VS Code but are easier to configure in the full-screen desktop view.
Step 8: Share with your team
If you work with one or two other developers, add them to your Apidog workspace. From the Apidog web interface or desktop app, go to your workspace settings and invite teammates by email.
Once they accept the invitation and install the VS Code extension, their sidebar shows the same collections you see. Any request they add or modify appears for everyone immediately.
The free tier supports up to three users. Changes are synced through Apidog’s cloud – no git operations, no file exports, no merge conflicts.
FAQ
Does the Apidog VS Code extension work without the desktop app?Yes. The extension is a complete client for your Apidog workspace. You do not need to install the desktop app to use the extension.
Can I use Apidog VS Code extension offline?You can view and edit cached collections while offline. Sending requests to external APIs requires internet access (as does syncing changes). Full offline support depends on your Apidog workspace’s cache state.
How do I import existing Thunder Client or Postman collections?In the Apidog desktop app or web interface, go to Import and select the appropriate format (Thunder Client JSON, Postman collection v2.1, OpenAPI, etc.). Imported collections appear in your workspace and are immediately accessible from the VS Code extension.
Is the VS Code extension the same as creating a new project in Apidog?No. The extension connects to your existing Apidog workspace. You create and manage workspaces from the desktop app or web interface. The VS Code extension is a client that lets you work within those workspaces from VS Code.
Can multiple people have the same collection open at the same time?Yes. The extension does not lock collections for editing. If two users edit the same request simultaneously, the last save wins. For coordinated editing, use the desktop app’s collaboration features.
Does the extension support environment variable auto-complete?Yes. When typing {{ in a URL or parameter field, the extension suggests available variables from the active environment. This helps avoid typos in variable names.
The Apidog VS Code extension works best as your daily driver when you are already doing API development inside VS Code. The two-minute setup cost pays back quickly once your collections, environments, and team workspace are all accessible without switching windows.