Postview Postview Docs v1.2
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Postview User Guide

Postview turns your Postman collections into collaborative workspaces. Browse requests, resolve environment variables, invite teammates with role-based access, and generate code snippets instantly.

Quick Start

You can get started in seconds without creating an account:

  1. Open the web viewer at /app.
  2. Click Load sample to explore a pre-configured demo API, or drag-and-drop your own Postman JSON file.
  3. Select any endpoint in the sidebar to inspect parameters, headers, and request body.

Importing Collections

Postview natively parses Postman Collection v2.0 and v2.1 exports. You can import collections in two ways:

  • Drag-and-Drop: Drag any exported *.postman_collection.json file and drop it onto the viewer.
  • File Picker: Click Open .json in the top header to select a file from your device.

Every imported collection is automatically organized into its own workspace with full folder hierarchies, request counts, and saved example responses.

Team Workspaces

Switch between multiple API collections effortlessly using the Workspace Switcher in the top navigation bar.

  • Each workspace maintains its own collection tree, environment variables, and collaborator settings.
  • Workspaces persist in your browser session and synchronize across devices when signed in.

Environment Variables

Postview automatically recognizes double-bracket variables ({{baseUrl}}, {{token}}, {{userId}}) anywhere in your collection:

  • URL Endpoints: Interpolates root hostnames and path variables dynamically.
  • Query Parameters & Headers: Replaces tokens in real-time as you switch values.
  • Request Payloads: Injects test IDs or variables directly into raw JSON payloads.

Use the Environment Bar below the header to update your baseUrl or load an exported environment file.

Code Snippet Generator

Click the <> Code button next to any endpoint to generate ready-to-run code snippets in four popular formats:

  • cURL: POSIX-compatible terminal commands with headers and data flags.
  • JavaScript (Fetch): Modern fetch() code for web apps and scripts.
  • Python (Requests): Clean requests.request() blocks for Python services.
  • Node.js (Axios): Ready-to-use Axios configurations with response handlers.

All active environment variables are automatically resolved in generated snippets before copying.

Executing Requests

Click Send to execute live HTTP calls against your API. The response panel displays the status code, latency (ms), content type, and formatted response body.

Tip for Local APIs: Browsers enforce Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS). If your local API does not include Access-Control-Allow-Origin headers, you can use the included headless CLI (pcv.cjs) or MCP server to run requests directly without browser restrictions.

Roles & Permissions

When collaborating in shared workspaces, Postview enforces role-based access control (RBAC) to protect sensitive systems:

Role Permissions Can Run Live Requests
Owner / Admin Full access to manage workspace, invite teammates, and edit settings Yes
Member Can inspect endpoints, update environment variables, and run requests Yes
Viewer Read-only inspection and code export. Live execution is safely locked. No (Read-only)

To invite teammates, click Share in the top header and select their role before sending an invite link.

AI Agents & Model Context Protocol (MCP)

Postview includes a built-in MCP server (mcp-server.cjs) allowing AI coding agents (such as Claude Desktop, Cursor, and Google Antigravity) to query your Postman collections autonomously. 

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "api-collection": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["path/to/mcp-server.cjs", "path/to/collection.json"]
    }
  }
}

Headless CLI (pcv.cjs)

For terminal workflows and CI/CD pipelines, use the zero-dependency CLI tool:

# List all endpoints in a collection
node pcv.cjs list sample-collection.json

# Export an endpoint as a cURL command
node pcv.cjs show sample-collection.json "List users" --curl