Looks great, reminds me of Yahoo Pipes. Any chance of a launch discount for HN readers? ;)
Show HN: Auxl – Modular API Client for macOS
11–20 of 39 posts
Re: Show HN: Auxl – Modular API Client for macOS
#12There's no way that I'd be caught dead paying $30 for this when there are tons of platforms online that do this for free. What is the value proposition here?
Re: Show HN: Auxl – Modular API Client for macOS
#13Earlier quoted context omitted.
I personally often need the output from one service as input for another. With the new input often requiring a transformation. Auxl can function as a low friction environment to organise that without it getting cluttered. I also think a lot of API clients tend to obfuscate flows like, for example, an OAuth authentication. Making each step visible and having that extra granularity can help with customisation and debug…
Auxl looks good in that respect but maybe I wasn't clear enough in my question. What's the typical use-case of apps that let you make requests to APIs via a GUI? I've used them _briefly_ as part of a development process before, but never enough to justify buying one (I'd just spend a couple of minutes longer to write a Python script). Is that what most people are using them for? Am I missing a use-case?
I think it's a creature-comfort for webdevs who don't like getting their hands dirty.
Re: Show HN: Auxl – Modular API Client for macOS
#14I don't see any mention of OpenAPI support. Why? Wouldn't that be valuable?
Re: Show HN: Auxl – Modular API Client for macOS
#15What are some reasons you'd use this over free open source software alternatives like : https://insomnia.rest/ , https://install.advancedrestclient.com/install , or https://github.com/frigus02/RESTer ?
Auxl has a modular design, which can make chaining requests more intuitive. It’s also native, which still matters to many.
I'm guessing you mean "local" rather than "native" as the alternatives posted in previous comment are native for their platform too, just like Auxl.
Re: Show HN: Auxl – Modular API Client for macOS
#16Earlier quoted context omitted.
Auxl has a modular design, which can make chaining requests more intuitive. It’s also native, which still matters to many.
I'm guessing you mean "local" rather than "native" as the alternatives posted in previous comment are native for their platform too, just like Auxl.
I meant native as in not fully built with web technology. Which, if I'm not mistaken, the alternatives posted in the previous comment are.
Re: Show HN: Auxl – Modular API Client for macOS
#17Earlier quoted context omitted.
I personally often need the output from one service as input for another. With the new input often requiring a transformation. Auxl can function as a low friction environment to organise that without it getting cluttered. I also think a lot of API clients tend to obfuscate flows like, for example, an OAuth authentication. Making each step visible and having that extra granularity can help with customisation and debug…
Auxl looks good in that respect but maybe I wasn't clear enough in my question. What's the typical use-case of apps that let you make requests to APIs via a GUI? I've used them _briefly_ as part of a development process before, but never enough to justify buying one (I'd just spend a couple of minutes longer to write a Python script). Is that what most people are using them for? Am I missing a use-case?
It’s a tool in a developers toolbox. Some use it, some don’t. Similar to the debugger vs printf debate.
These apps can be useful for testing, developing and exploring APIs and they can function as GUI for services that don’t have one.
For example a former client used Postman as a client to perform administrative tasks for which there was no UI yet. Most of these tools have feature to save common request flows and share them with your team.
Re: Show HN: Auxl – Modular API Client for macOS
#18Earlier quoted context omitted.
I personally often need the output from one service as input for another. With the new input often requiring a transformation. Auxl can function as a low friction environment to organise that without it getting cluttered. I also think a lot of API clients tend to obfuscate flows like, for example, an OAuth authentication. Making each step visible and having that extra granularity can help with customisation and debug…
Auxl looks good in that respect but maybe I wasn't clear enough in my question. What's the typical use-case of apps that let you make requests to APIs via a GUI? I've used them _briefly_ as part of a development process before, but never enough to justify buying one (I'd just spend a couple of minutes longer to write a Python script). Is that what most people are using them for? Am I missing a use-case?
I think the market here is people that can't or won't crank out a script or CLI to do the same thing. That audience has become relatively fair in size as programming has grown.
Re: Show HN: Auxl – Modular API Client for macOS
#19There's no way that I'd be caught dead paying $30 for this when there are tons of platforms online that do this for free. What is the value proposition here?
What do you think of Paw (https://paw.cloud/) which has some overlap with Auxl and charges more and has been in business for over seven years based on a similar value proposition (native app for one platform with free alternatives)?
Re: Show HN: Auxl – Modular API Client for macOS
#20This looks awesome. Excited to see how this fits into the space!