An API request can be part of the repository
A request file can document the endpoint next to its controller, reproduce a bug in a pull request, or give a new developer a runnable example without a collection import. Because it is text, Git shows changes to URLs, headers, and bodies clearly.
@baseUrl = http://localhost:5080
### Create a widget
POST {{baseUrl}}/api/widgets
Content-Type: application/json
{
"name": "Longship",
"quantity": 2
}
### List widgets
GET {{baseUrl}}/api/widgets
Accept: application/jsonLearn the syntax in the .http file guide, or download a starting point from the ASP.NET Core recipes.
A practical .NET repository workflow
Keep files near the service
Use a root http/ folder or place requests beside the owning feature. Karve gathers files from several repositories without moving them.
Switch dev, staging, and prod
Register one dotenv file per environment. Activate one before sending; a file-level @variable remains the local override.
Keep auth explicit
Bearer tokens, API keys, and Basic credentials live in request headers. Put secret values in git-ignored .env files.
Reopen a real response
Karve saves each request and full response to local searchable history, useful when the API changes between runs or a repro needs a second look.
Use the same file in your IDE and in Karve
There is no Karve-specific request format. Standard files remain runnable in Visual Studio's HTTP editor, the VS Code REST Client extension, and JetBrains HTTP Client when they use shared syntax. Open them in Karve when you want a dedicated response view, Windows file association, cross-repo organization, and history that persists across sessions.
For the ecosystem choices, see five ways to run .http files on Windows. For repository organization, read how to store API requests in Git.
Know the boundary
Karve is an interactive REST client for one developer. It does not run GraphQL or gRPC, attach binary files, chain one response into the next request, or replace integration tests and CI. That deliberate scope keeps the common local API loop simple: write, run, inspect, repeat.
Common questions
Can Karve run the .http files created by ASP.NET Core projects?
Yes. Karve opens standard .http and .rest files for ordinary REST requests.
Does Karve replace Visual Studio's HTTP editor?
It can replace the request-running part when you want a dedicated workspace and persistent history. The files stay portable, so you can keep using both.
How should .NET developers store API tokens?
Reference tokens as variables in committed request files and put real values in a git-ignored .env file.
Does Karve support GraphQL, gRPC, or automated request chains?
No. Karve focuses on interactive REST requests and does not provide those features.