GitHub - tskulbru/kvile: A fast, lightweight HTTP client focused on .http file support

A fast, lightweight HTTP client focused on .http file support.
Built with Tauri, React, and Rust.

Kvile (Norwegian for "rest") is an open-source HTTP debugging application designed for working with .http files. It treats .http files as first-class citizens, making it ideal for developers who prefer plain-text, git-friendly API collections.

Features

Native .http file support - JetBrains, VS Code REST Client, and Kulala formats with auto-detection
Dual editor mode - Switch between source editing (Monaco) and GUI form editor
Environment variables - Multiple environments with variable substitution
Pre/post-request scripts - JavaScript scripting with assertions and variable extraction
Request history - SQLite-backed history with search
OAuth/OIDC support - Built-in authentication flows
cURL import - Convert cURL commands to .http format
Response comparison - Diff view for comparing responses
File watching - Auto-reload when files change externally
Keyboard-driven - Command palette and shortcuts for power users
Lightweight - ~10 MB bundle, ~40 MB memory, sub-second startup
Offline-first - No account required, no telemetry

Installation

Prerequisites

Node.js 18+
Rust (latest stable)
Platform-specific dependencies (see below)

Linux (Debian/Ubuntu)

sudo apt install libwebkit2gtk-4.1-dev build-essential curl wget file \
  libssl-dev libayatana-appindicator3-dev librsvg2-dev

Linux (Arch)

sudo pacman -S webkit2gtk-4.1 base-devel curl wget file openssl \
  libappindicator-gtk3 librsvg

macOS

Windows

Install Visual Studio Build Tools
Install WebView2

Build from Source

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/tskulbru/kvile.git
cd kvile

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Run in development mode
npm run tauri dev

# Build for production
npm run tauri build

Wayland Users

If you experience display issues on Linux with Wayland:

WEBKIT_DISABLE_COMPOSITING_MODE=1 npm run tauri dev
# or
GDK_BACKEND=x11 npm run tauri dev

HTTP File Formats

Kvile supports multiple .http file specifications with automatic format detection.

JetBrains HTTP Client

### Get all users
GET https://api.example.com/users
Authorization: Bearer {{auth_token}}

### Create user
POST https://api.example.com/users
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "name": "John Doe",
  "email": "john@example.com"
}

> {%
  client.global.set("user_id", response.body.id);
%}

VS Code REST Client

@baseUrl = https://api.example.com
@authToken = your-token-here

###
GET {{baseUrl}}/users
Authorization: Bearer {{authToken}}

Kulala Extensions

# @name CreateUser
# @prompt username Enter username

POST https://api.example.com/users
Content-Type: application/json

{"username": "{{username}}"}

Dynamic Variables

Variable	Description
`{{$uuid}}`	Generate UUID v4
`{{$timestamp}}`	Current Unix timestamp
`{{$randomInt}}`	Random integer
`{{$datetime}}`	Current ISO datetime

Documentation

Architecture Overview - System design and structure
Development Guide - Setup, testing, and contributing
Project Vision - Goals and roadmap

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please see our Development Guide for setup instructions.

Fork the repository
Create your feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add amazing feature')
Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
Open a Pull Request

Guidelines

Follow existing code style
Write tests for new functionality
Update documentation as needed
Keep commits atomic and well-described

License

MIT License - see LICENSE for details.

Acknowledgments

Tauri - Desktop framework
JetBrains HTTP Client - HTTP file specification
VS Code REST Client - HTTP file format
Kulala - Additional HTTP file extensions

_{Made with care for developers who value simplicity}