Create a New API Project

In Apidog, each project corresponds to an API Specification or an OpenAPI Specification (OAS) file. You can create a new API project or import an existing one from the Home > My Teams > Projects section of the Apidog app.

Creating a Project

In the main window, click the + New Project button at the top right.

Select the project category at the top: General or gRPC.

General: Choose this for most APIs. It supports HTTP(s), WebSocket, Socket.IO, Webhook, Markdown, and more.

gRPC: Select this for APIs that use the gRPC protocol. Learn more about gRPC projects.

(If you selected General) Choose your preferred project mode. Apidog offers two distinct workflows: General Mode and Spec-first Mode. Follow the instructions below based on your selection.

Choose your project mode carefully

The project mode is fixed when the project is created. You cannot switch an existing project between General Mode and Spec-first Mode. To use the other workflow, create a new project in the required mode and migrate or import your API definitions.

General Mode

Choose General Mode if your team prefers to design and maintain APIs primarily through Apidog's visual interface. The structured API data stored in Apidog is the source of truth. Apidog can automatically generate an OpenAPI specification and back it up to a Git repository.

Select General Mode.

Enter a name for your project.

(Optional) Check the Including Examples option to create a project with sample data from the PetStore example.

(For teams with multiple users) Set permissions for other team members during project creation. For more information, see Members' permissions for new projects.

(Optional) Set the Project language. For more information, see Language settings.

Click Create.

Spec-first Mode (Beta)

Choose Spec-first Mode if your team maintains OpenAPI or Swagger YAML/JSON files directly. The specification files are the source of truth and are managed in the Specs workspace. You can connect the project to a Git repository for two-way synchronization or create it without Git using Apidog's internal storage.

Select Spec-first Mode.

Choose where to store and synchronize the specification files:

Connect with Git repository: Select an available Git provider, then choose an organization or workspace and an existing repository. If supported by the provider, you can also create a new repository.

Create without Git: Store and manage the specification files in Apidog. The project still uses the file-based Specs workspace, and you can connect it to a Git repository later.

(If connecting with Git) Select the main branch and choose whether to install a webhook. A webhook allows repository pushes to trigger synchronization automatically and usually requires repository admin permission. If you skip it, you can synchronize manually.

Enter a name for the project.

(For teams with multiple users) Set the project roles of other team members. For more information, see Member permissions settings.

Click Create. For a Git-connected project, Apidog performs the initial synchronization after creation.

Spec-first projects do not include sample project data. Their API content comes from the specification files.

Learn More

For details about the file-based Specs workspace, validation and preview, branch management, and Git synchronization, see Spec-first Mode.

Import Existing APIs

If you already have an API Specification, you can initiate the import process either from the Team > Projects section by selecting Import Project, or directly within an existing project by clicking the large ➕ sign and choosing Import. This is ideal for migrating existing API data into Apidog.

Click "Import Project".

Choose the type of data you wish to import.

Upload the file or paste the data URL (OpenAPI/Swagger formats only).

Apidog will automatically recognize and parse the content based on the selected format. You'll be able to preview the data before importing. Choose what you want to import and configure the import logic. Then confirm to create and import the project.

Once the import is complete, your new project will be ready to use.

Learn More

For detailed information about the import process, see the Import Guidelines.

Create a New API Project

Creating a Project#

General Mode#

Spec-first Mode (Beta)#

Import Existing APIs#

Creating a Project

General Mode

Spec-first Mode (Beta)

Import Existing APIs