Access APIs Locally with SwaggerHub Explore

  October 19, 2023

Interacting with APIs on a local machine is crucial for developers and API clients for several reasons. First and foremost, it allows for seamless testing and debugging of API functionalities in a controlled environment. By accessing APIs locally, developers can experiment with various requests and responses, ensuring that the integration works as intended before deploying it to a live server or production environment. This localized interaction fosters a faster and more efficient development process, as developers can swiftly identify and address any issues that may arise.

Furthermore, local API interaction promotes a more secure development workflow, as sensitive data and credentials can be managed within the confines of the local system, reducing the risk of exposure to external threats. Overall, the ability to interact with APIs locally empowers developers to create robust, reliable, and secure software applications, enhancing the overall user experience while streamlining the development lifecycle.

In Explore, we make it simple for users to easily interact with APIs in your local environments. Follow along below to start interacting with your local APIs.

The cloud icon on the right bar signifies the client will send the API request from the cloud. If you click on it, you will be able to see the “Connection Execution” configuration.

The "Connection Execution" configuration pane allows you to:

  • Select where you want to execute API requests:
    • Auto: Executes API calls locally if agent is currently running or from the cloud if the Agent isn’t running
    • Cloud: Executes API calls from the cloud
    • Local: Executes API calls locally (Agent needs to be running)
  • Signifies status if the request can be executed successfully depending on connection to internet or connection to the agent if “Local” execution is selected.
  • Option to download Agents in the following flavors:
    • Mac(Intel)
    • Mac(Apple Silicon)
    • Windows
    • Linux

Once you have successfully downloaded and run agent according to your operating system, you can easily interact with APIs in your network or local machine as seen in above example.

Are you ready to explore your local APIs? Get started today for free!