Making a Request

This guide walks you through the process of sending API requests, from setting up mock environments to executing real requests. Whether you're testing endpoints or integrating with live services, follow these steps to get started.

Overview of Request Types

Apidog supports two primary request modes:

Request Type	Description	Use Case
Mock Request	Uses simulated data from local mock server	Testing API structure without backend
Live Request	Sends actual HTTP requests to configured endpoints	Integration testing with real services

For detailed information on mock data generation, see Mock API Data

Prerequisites

Before sending requests, ensure you have:

A project created in Apidog

At least one endpoint defined or a URL ready for testing

Step-by-Step Guide to Sending Requests

1. Create A Quick Request

Begin by clicking on the Quick Request button in a new tab and entering the URL on the URL bar. You can also go to Quick Requests at the bottom of the directory tree and create a new one. Example URL: https://mock.apidog.com/m1/710637-685828-default/category/1

📷 Visual Reference

2. Configure Environment

Select the appropriate environment from the dropdown in the upper right corner:

Local Mock: For testing with simulated responses

Custom Environment: For live API testing

Learn more about Environments and how you can create one of your own.

3. Send the Request

Click the Send button to execute your request. The system will process the request based on your selected environment.

4. Review Response

Examine the response in the Response area, which displays:

Status code

Response headers

Response body

Response time

5. Preview Generated Specification

For new (quick) requests, you can also switch to the "Preview" tab to view the generated API specification. The specification includes:

Request details (method, URL, headers)

Response schema (automatically parsed)

Example request/response data

📷 Visual Reference

5. Inspect Actual Request Details

Switch to the Actual Request tab to view the complete HTTP request that was sent, including:

Full URL

Headers

Request body

Client Code

📷 Visual Reference

6. Save Request as Endpoint

Preserve your request configuration by clicking Save as Endpoint next to the Send button and giving it a name. This creates a reusable test case for future reference.

Configuring Live API Requests

To send requests to actual API endpoints:

Access Environment Management via the dropdown in the upper right corner

📷 Visual Reference

Select one of the listed environments (Dev, Test, Prod) or create a new one, and set the Base URL to your target API service

Select the configured environment for live testing

Learn more about setting up environments and variables in Environments Guide.

Common Request Scenarios

Scenario	Environment	Additional Steps
Endpoint Testing	Local Mock	Verify response structure
Integration Testing	Live Environment	Check authentication, handle errors
Debugging	Both	Use Actual Request tab for details
Documentation	Local Mock	Save cases for examples

Next Step

Add Assertions to Validate Responses

Overview of Request Types#

Prerequisites#

Step-by-Step Guide to Sending Requests#

1. Create A Quick Request#

2. Configure Environment#

3. Send the Request#

4. Review Response#

5. Preview Generated Specification#

5. Inspect Actual Request Details#

6. Save Request as Endpoint#

Configuring Live API Requests#

Common Request Scenarios#

Overview of Request Types

Prerequisites

Step-by-Step Guide to Sending Requests

1. Create A Quick Request

2. Configure Environment

3. Send the Request

4. Review Response

5. Preview Generated Specification

5. Inspect Actual Request Details

6. Save Request as Endpoint

Configuring Live API Requests

Common Request Scenarios