At Treblle, we know there are parts of the API lifecycle that are difficult and require robust platforms to make them more manageable. These areas might require collaboration across teams, complex configurations, or integration between multiple systems. Other aspects require lightweight, intuitive tools to get the job done. Too often these tools are monetized and require lengthy signups, making the barrier to entry for something that should be relatively simple, more complex than the actual jobs they perform.
This is where Aspen comes bounding in!
Meet Aspen: A Free, Fast, and Secure HTTP Client
Aspen is Treblle’s free, fast, and secure Mac-native HTTP client and AI tool for automated API development. We launched Aspen ten months ago, and since then, we have made updates based on user feedback and internal usage. For example, we added the ability to visualize JSON responses and environments, and more recently, we added Collections.
What Are Aspen Collections?
Aspen Collections is an organizational concept that allows users to name, group, reuse, and manage API requests with folders and subfolders.
The term Collections is ubiquitous in the API space with its original intent not only meaning to organize your APIs but also to share them. And this is exactly what we have added to Aspen Collections!
In addition to managing your API Requests via Collections, users can now export Collections and share them with friends and colleagues, who can, in turn, import those Collections into their local version of Aspen.
How Aspen Collections Compare to Postman
If you work with APIs, you’ve probably used Postman to create, test, and manage your API requests. Postman Collections functions similarly to Aspen Collections: they are a transferable API or group of APIs that users can easily reuse. This is why we’ve also included the ability to import Postman Collections in this release.
There are many benefits of Collections – but two of the most significant ones have already been mentioned: collaboration and reuse. While it's easier than ever to make an API request, we should not take for granted that the most important thing to do with APIs is simply to use them. The way we get to use APIs is frequently by sharing them or having them shared with us.
Whether you are colleagues, engineering partners, or solutions teams, the fastest time to first call (TTFC) is when someone sends you a file and says, “Try this.” This simple, understated action of reusing an API often leads to additional steps in the API lifecycle and thereby sustains our beloved API space.
Export from Aspen
Here’s how you can export collections from Aspen:
- Next to the collection's name, you’ll notice an icon with three dots.
- Click this icon, and a dropdown menu will appear where you can select Export Collection.
- From there, give your collection a name and choose where to save your JSON file.Aspen will generate a Postman-compatible file, making it more straightforward to share your collection or use it with another tool.
Importing into Aspen
In Aspen, importing your Collection is just as easy. Open Aspen and head over to the Collections tab in the sidebar. There you’ll see a plus button. When you press it, a dropdown menu will appear- select Import collection from the list. Upload your file and Aspen will instantly read your collection, showing all the folders and requests, ready for you to use.
Export from preferred client in Postman format
To get started, export your collection from Postman or any other preferred API client. Open the application, find the collection you want to share, and export it as a JSON file. Aspen works best with Postman’s v2.1 format, so save it in that version. Once you have the file, you are halfway there.
The Impact of Import/Export on API Collaboration
The new Import/Export feature for Aspen Collections significantly boosts collaboration and productivity in your API development workflow. By allowing you to share and import collections—even from tools like Postman—we've made it easier than ever to reuse and collaborate on API requests.
We believe that the true power of APIs lies in their ability to be shared and utilized effortlessly, and this update is a step forward in that direction. We invite you to try this new feature and share your collections with your team, friends, and the broader community. Your feedback is invaluable to us, so please let us know how this enhancement improves your experience with Aspen.
