Thunder Client CLI — A new way to test APIs inside VS Code

In 2021, we launched the Thunder Client extension for VS Code. It was a game changer: the first GUI-based API client inside VS Code. Today we’re launching Thunder Client CLI, with many innovative features for API testing.

Key features

A simple, easy-to-use CLI tool
Seamless integration with the Thunder Client extension
Run requests and collections, and view test results
Syntax highlighting and VS Code themes
CI/CD integration

Requirements

Node 18 or higher
A Thunder Client subscription

Installation

Update the extension to the latest version.
Install the CLI: npm i -g @thunderclient/cli
Note: run the commands from the root of your project.

VS Code settings

If you use Thunder Client settings in the extension, set them to workspace scope so the CLI can read them.
If you use a multi-root workspace, set them in the folder tab.

Run requests

The CLI and the extension work together seamlessly, so you can access your request data from the terminal without any extra configuration.

To run a request, use tc 'requestNameOrId'. You can pass the request’s id, its name or part of its name.

Running a request from the terminal, with the status, highlighted response and test results — Run requests from the CLI

As the image above shows, running a request from the CLI is easy. The output is neatly formatted, with the status, the response with syntax highlighting in your VS Code theme, and the test results.

Running the same request from the UI takes several steps:

Open the sidebar.
Click the Collections tab.
Open the User collection and the Account folder.
Open the Welcome request.
Send the request.

Output log

By default, running a request shows the status, response and test results. To choose what’s shown, use the --log argument.

Log options for a request: 0=All Data, 1=ReqHeaders, 2=ReqBody, 6=ResHeaders, 7=ResBody, 8=Tests
Example: tc 'welcome' --log 1,2,7 shows the request headers, request body and response body.

VS Code themes in the terminal

For the first time, VS Code themes come to the terminal.

CLI output in the Bearded Arc and Rose Pine themes — Bearded Arc theme (left) and Rose Pine (right)

CLI output in the One Dark Pro and Night Owl themes — One Dark Pro (left) and Night Owl (right)

Run a collection

The collection runner runs every request in a collection and shows the output in a clean format, similar to the extension UI.

tc --col 'colNameOrId' runs the requests in the collection

Run all collections

tc --col all runs all collections
tc --col all --skip "ColA,ColB" runs all collections except ColA and ColB

Run multiple collections

tc --col "colNameOrId1,colNameOrId2" runs several collections

Run a collection in parallel

tc --col 'colNameOrId' --concurrent 5 runs 5 requests at a time, in parallel

Run a folder

tc --fol 'folNameOrId' runs the requests in the folder

Run selected requests

tc --reqlist "nameOrId1,nameOrId2,nameOrId3" runs only the selected requests from the collection

The collection runner’s output in the terminal

Environment

By default, a collection or request runs with the active environment. To use a different environment, add the --env argument.

Example: tc --col 'colNameOrId' --env 'Staging'

Reports

The CLI can generate reports in XML, HTML, JSON and CSV formats.

tc --col 'User' --report xml,html runs all the requests and saves the reports in the thunder-reports folder.

List collections or requests

tc list lists all collections.

The list of collections printed in the terminal — List of collections

tc list user lists the requests in the User collection.

The list of requests in the User collection printed in the terminal — List of requests in the collection User

List environments

tc list env lists all environments.

CI/CD integration

You can use Thunder Client CLI on a build server to run collections and save reports in XML, HTML, JSON and CSV formats.

VS Code settings: if you use any Thunder Client settings in VS Code, set their scope to workspace so they’re saved in the workspace folder.
Git Sync: the collection runner works on a build server only when the Git Sync feature is enabled.
tc --col "ColNameOrId" --report "xml,html" runs all the requests and saves the reports in the thunder-reports folder.

GitHub Actions

Use the sample YAML file to integrate with GitHub Actions or other build pipelines.

Workspace location

[Optional] The CLI uses the current working directory as the workspace. If your data is in a different folder, pass its full path with --ws 'fullpathToGitWorkspace'.

Stop the collection when a test fails

[Optional] To stop running the remaining requests in a collection when a test fails, use the --stop-on-fail argument.

Help screen

Most CLI help screens are plain and hard to read, so I custom-designed ours to be colorful and easy to follow.

Debug information

If the CLI has trouble reading your data or your Git Sync settings, run the debug command for details.

Run tc --debug.
It shows the directory path the CLI is reading data from, and the Git Sync setting values it’s using.

Feedback

We’d love to hear what you think of the new CLI. Try it out, and let us know on GitHub how we can make it better.

Website: www.thunderclient.com
Support: thunder-client-support