Testing Next.js App Router API Routes Without Leaving Your Editor
If you work with Next.js, you know this routine. Write an API route, switch to Postman or Thunder Client, rebuild the request, test it, then jump back to your code. Do this a few times a day and it starts to eat into your focus. The problem is not that these tools are bad. It is the constant context switch. Your routes live in your codebase, but your tests live somewhere else, usually behind a…
When working with Next.js, the typical workflow involves writing an API route, switching to Postman or Thunder Client, rebuilding the request, testing it, and then returning to your code. This constant context switching can become annoying, especially on larger projects. The main issue is that API route tests live separately from the codebase, often requiring login screens and manual updates when new routes are added.
This leads to stale test collections and a cumbersome process for testing nested routes. However, some VS Code extensions are emerging that can test routes directly within the editor. These tools automatically scan the project for routes, eliminating the need for manual setup or sharing collections. They also store request data and tokens in plain JSON files, making them easily accessible and synced through Git.
Testing dynamic routes in App Router projects, such as app/api/orders/route.ts and app/api/orders/[id]/status/route.ts, becomes a simple in-editor action rather than a separate workflow. Adopting these editor-based options can significantly reduce the daily friction most developers have come to accept.
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