Insomnia Collection Generator

Generate importable Insomnia workspaces from your API codebase automatically.

Core Workflow

1. Scan routes: Find all API route definitions
2. Extract metadata: Methods, paths, params, bodies
3. Create workspace: Organize into request groups
4. Configure environments: Base URLs, auth tokens
5. Add authentication: Bearer, Basic, API Key
6. Export collection: Insomnia v4 JSON format

Insomnia Export v4 Schema

{
  "_type": "export",
  "__export_format": 4,
  "__export_date": "2024-01-15T10:30:00.000Z",
  "__export_source": "insomnia.desktop.app:v2023.5.8",
  "resources": []
}

Resource Types

interface InsomniaWorkspace {
  _id: string;
  _type: "workspace";
  name: string;
  description: string;
  scope: "collection" | "design";
}

interface InsomniaRequestGroup {
  _id: string;
  _type: "request_group";
  name: string;
  parentId: string;
  description?: string;
}

interface InsomniaRequest {
  _id: string;
  _type: "request";
  name: string;
  parentId: string;
  method: string;
  url: string;
  body: InsomniaBody;
  headers: InsomniaHeader[];
  parameters: InsomniaParameter[];
  authentication: InsomniaAuth;
}

interface InsomniaEnvironment {
  _id: string;
  _type: "environment";
  name: string;
  parentId: string;
  data: Record<string, string>;
}

Collection Generator

// scripts/generate-insomnia.ts
import { v4 as uuidv4 } from "uuid";

interface RouteInfo {
  method: string;
  path: string;
  name: string;
  body?: object;
  params?: { name: string; type: "path" | "query" }[];
}

interface InsomniaExport {
  _type: "export";
  __export_format: 4;
  __export_date: string;
  __export_source: string;
  resources: InsomniaResource[];
}

type InsomniaResource =
  | InsomniaWorkspace
  | InsomniaRequestGroup
  | InsomniaRequest
  | InsomniaEnvironment;

function generateInsomniaCollection(
  routes: RouteInfo[],
  options: {
    name: string;
    baseUrl: string;
    description?: string;
  }
): InsomniaExport {
  const workspaceId = `wrk_${uuidv4().replace(/-/g, "")}`;
  const baseEnvId = `env_${uuidv4().replace(/-/g, "")}`;
  const devEnvId = `env_${uuidv4().replace(/-/g, "")}`;

  const resources: InsomniaResource[] = [];

  // Create workspace
  resources.push({
    _id: workspaceId,
    _type: "workspace",
    name: options.name,
    description: options.description || "Auto-generated API collection",
    scope: "collection",
  });

  // Create base environment
  resources.push({
    _id: baseEnvId,
    _type: "environment",
    name: "Base Environment",
    parentId: workspaceId,
    data: {},
  });

  // Create development environment
  resources.push({
    _id: devEnvId,
    _type: "environment",
    name: "Development",
    parentId: baseEnvId,
    data: {
      base_url: options.baseUrl,
      auth_token: "",
    },
  });

  // Group routes by resource
  const groupedRoutes = groupRoutesByResource(routes);

  for (const [resource, resourceRoutes] of Object.entries(groupedRoutes)) {
    // Create request group (folder)
    const groupId = `fld_${uuidv4().replace(/-/g, "")}`;

    resources.push({
      _id: groupId,
      _type: "request_group",
      name: capitalize(resource),
      parentId: workspaceId,
      description: `${resource} endpoints`,
    });

    // Create requests in group
    for (const route of resourceRoutes) {
      resources.push(createInsomniaRequest(route, groupId));
    }
  }

  return {
    _type: "export",
    __export_format: 4,
    __export_date: new Date().toISOString(),
    __export_source: "api-generator:v1.0.0",
    resources,
  };
}

function createInsomniaRequest(
  route: RouteInfo,
  parentId: string
): InsomniaRequest {
  const requestId = `req_${uuidv4().replace(/-/g, "")}`;

  // Convert :param to {{ _.param }} for Insomnia
  const url = route.path.replace(/:(\w+)/g, "{{ _.$1 }}");

  const request: InsomniaRequest = {
    _id: requestId,
    _type: "request",
    name: route.name,
    parentId,
    method: route.method,
    url: `{{ _.base_url }}${url}`,
    body: {
      mimeType: "application/json",
      text: route.body ? JSON.stringify(route.body, null, 2) : "",
    },
    headers: [
      {
        name: "Content-Type",
        value: "application/json",
      },
    ],
    parameters: route.params
      ?.filter((p) => p.type === "query")
      .map((p) => ({
        name: p.name,
        value: "",
        disabled: false,
      })) || [],
    authentication: {
      type: "bearer",
      token: "{{ _.auth_token }}",
      disabled: true,
    },
  };

  return request;
}

function groupRoutesByResource(
  routes: RouteInfo[]
): Record<string, RouteInfo[]> {
  const groups: Record<string, RouteInfo[]> = {};

  for (const route of routes) {
    const parts = route.path.split("/").filter(Boolean);
    const resource = parts[0] || "root";

    if (!groups[resource]) {
      groups[resource] = [];
    }
    groups[resource].push(route);
  }

  return groups;
}

function capitalize(str: string): string {
  return str.charAt(0).toUpperCase() + str.slice(1);
}

Complete Export Example

{
  "_type": "export",
  "__export_format": 4,
  "__export_date": "2024-01-15T10:30:00.000Z",
  "__export_source": "api-generator:v1.0.0",
  "resources": [
    {
      "_id": "wrk_abc123",
      "_type": "workspace",
      "name": "My API",
      "description": "Auto-generated API collection",
      "scope": "collection"
    },
    {
      "_id": "env_base123",
      "_type": "environment",
      "name": "Base Environment",
      "parentId": "wrk_abc123",
      "data": {}
    },
    {
      "_id": "env_dev123",
      "_type": "environment",
      "name": "Development",
      "parentId": "env_base123",
      "data": {
        "base_url": "http://localhost:3000/api",
        "auth_token": ""
      }
    },
    {
      "_id": "env_prod123",
      "_type": "environment",
      "name": "Production",
      "parentId": "env_base123",
      "data": {
        "base_url": "https://api.example.com",
        "auth_token": ""
      }
    },
    {
      "_id": "fld_users123",
      "_type": "request_group",
      "name": "Users",
      "parentId": "wrk_abc123"
    },
    {
      "_id": "req_getusers",
      "_type": "request",
      "name": "Get All Users",
      "parentId": "fld_users123",
      "method": "GET",
      "url": "{{ _.base_url }}/users",
      "body": {},
      "headers": [
        { "name": "Content-Type", "value": "application/json" }
      ],
      "parameters": [
        { "name": "page", "value": "1", "disabled": false },
        { "name": "limit", "value": "10", "disabled": false }
      ],
      "authentication": {
        "type": "bearer",
        "token": "{{ _.auth_token }}"
      }
    },
    {
      "_id": "req_getuser",
      "_type": "request",
      "name": "Get User by ID",
      "parentId": "fld_users123",
      "method": "GET",
      "url": "{{ _.base_url }}/users/{{ _.user_id }}",
      "body": {},
      "headers": [],
      "authentication": {}
    },
    {
      "_id": "req_createuser",
      "_type": "request",
      "name": "Create User",
      "parentId": "fld_users123",
      "method": "POST",
      "url": "{{ _.base_url }}/users",
      "body": {
        "mimeType": "application/json",
        "text": "{\n  \"name\": \"John Doe\",\n  \"email\": \"john@example.com\"\n}"
      },
      "headers": [
        { "name": "Content-Type", "value": "application/json" }
      ],
      "authentication": {
        "type": "bearer",
        "token": "{{ _.auth_token }}"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Authentication Types

// Bearer Token
{
  "type": "bearer",
  "token": "{{ _.auth_token }}",
  "prefix": "Bearer"
}

// Basic Auth
{
  "type": "basic",
  "username": "{{ _.username }}",
  "password": "{{ _.password }}"
}

// API Key
{
  "type": "apikey",
  "key": "X-API-Key",
  "value": "{{ _.api_key }}",
  "addTo": "header"
}

// OAuth 2.0
{
  "type": "oauth2",
  "grantType": "authorization_code",
  "authorizationUrl": "https://auth.example.com/authorize",
  "accessTokenUrl": "https://auth.example.com/token",
  "clientId": "{{ _.client_id }}",
  "clientSecret": "{{ _.client_secret }}",
  "scope": "read write"
}

Request Body Types

// JSON Body
{
  "mimeType": "application/json",
  "text": "{\"name\": \"value\"}"
}

// Form URL Encoded
{
  "mimeType": "application/x-www-form-urlencoded",
  "params": [
    { "name": "field1", "value": "value1" },
    { "name": "field2", "value": "value2" }
  ]
}

// Multipart Form (file upload)
{
  "mimeType": "multipart/form-data",
  "params": [
    { "name": "file", "type": "file", "fileName": "" },
    { "name": "description", "value": "File description" }
  ]
}

// GraphQL
{
  "mimeType": "application/graphql",
  "text": "query { users { id name } }"
}

CLI Script

#!/usr/bin/env node
// scripts/insomnia-gen.ts
import * as fs from "fs";
import { program } from "commander";

program
  .name("insomnia-gen")
  .description("Generate Insomnia collection from API routes")
  .option("-f, --framework <type>", "Framework type", "express")
  .option("-s, --source <path>", "Source directory", "./src")
  .option("-o, --output <path>", "Output file", "./insomnia-collection.json")
  .option("-n, --name <name>", "Workspace name", "API Collection")
  .option("-b, --base-url <url>", "Base URL", "http://localhost:3000/api")
  .parse();

const options = program.opts();

async function main() {
  const routes = await scanRoutes(options.framework, options.source);

  const collection = generateInsomniaCollection(routes, {
    name: options.name,
    baseUrl: options.baseUrl,
  });

  fs.writeFileSync(options.output, JSON.stringify(collection, null, 2));
  console.log(`Generated ${options.output} with ${routes.length} requests`);
}

main();

Environment Templates

{
  "_id": "env_development",
  "_type": "environment",
  "name": "Development",
  "data": {
    "base_url": "http://localhost:3000/api",
    "auth_token": "",
    "user_id": "1"
  }
}

{
  "_id": "env_staging",
  "_type": "environment",
  "name": "Staging",
  "data": {
    "base_url": "https://staging-api.example.com",
    "auth_token": "",
    "user_id": "test-user-123"
  }
}

{
  "_id": "env_production",
  "_type": "environment",
  "name": "Production",
  "data": {
    "base_url": "https://api.example.com",
    "auth_token": "",
    "user_id": ""
  }
}

Best Practices

1. Use environments: Store base URLs and tokens as variables
2. Organize folders: Group requests by resource/feature
3. Template syntax: Use {{ _.variable }} for dynamic values
4. Authentication: Configure at workspace level when possible
5. Add descriptions: Document each request's purpose
6. Include examples: Pre-fill request bodies with realistic data
7. Version control: Commit export JSON to repository
8. Multiple envs: Create dev, staging, production environments

Output Checklist

• All routes scanned from codebase
• Workspace created with proper scope
• Request groups organized by resource
• Requests include proper methods and URLs
• Path parameters converted to {{ _.param }} syntax
• Request bodies included for POST/PUT/PATCH
• Headers configured (Content-Type, etc.)
• Environments created (dev, staging, prod)
• Authentication configured
• Export validates in Insomnia