APIPlay – Try APIs Without Writing Code

APIPlay is a browser-based API playground that allows developers to test, explore, and understand APIs instantly — without installing external tools or writing boilerplate code.

Reading API documentation ≠ Understanding APIs. APIPlay bridges that gap with a clean, interactive, and developer-friendly interface.

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Problem

Developers — especially beginners — face several challenges when working with APIs:

• API documentation can be overwhelming
• Tools like Postman require setup and configuration
• Handling headers, tokens, and request formats can be confusing
• CORS issues block direct browser testing

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Solution

APIPlay provides a browser-based API testing playground where users can:

• Send API requests instantly
• Modify headers, params, and body dynamically
• View real-time responses
• Save and organize collections
• Use pre-configured API templates
• Share public API test links

No installations. No setup. No confusion.

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Target Users

• Frontend Developers
• MERN Stack Developers
• Beginners learning REST APIs
• Freelancers testing client APIs
• Students exploring backend systems

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Tech Stack

Frontend

• React.js
• TailwindCSS
• Axios
• React Hook Form
• Monaco Editor (for JSON formatting)

Backend

• Node.js
• Express.js
• MongoDB
• JWT Authentication
• API Proxy Architecture

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Architecture Overview

APIPlay uses a secure proxy-based architecture to bypass CORS restrictions.

User → React Frontend → Express Proxy → External API → Response → UI

This ensures:

• No CORS issues
• Secure request forwarding
• Request validation & rate limiting

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Core Features

API Request Builder

• HTTP Methods: GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE

• Editable Endpoint URL

• Dynamic Headers

• Query Parameters

• JSON / Raw / Form Data Body

• Authorization Support:

  • Bearer Token
  • Basic Auth
  • API Key

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Live Response Viewer

• Status Code
• Response Time
• Response Size
• Pretty JSON Formatting
• Raw View
• Response Headers View
• Copy / Download Response

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Collections Management

• Create Collections
• Save Requests
• Duplicate / Delete Requests
• Organize APIs
• Export Collections (JSON)

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Authentication & Security

• JWT-based authentication
• Password hashing
• Rate limiting per user
• Request validation
• SSRF protection
• Payload size limits

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Admin Dashboard

• User analytics
• API usage monitoring
• System logs
• User suspension controls

Project Structure

apiplay/
│
├── client/          # React Frontend
│   ├── components/
│   ├── pages/
│   ├── hooks/
│   └── utils/
│
├── server/          # Express Backend
│   ├── controllers/
│   ├── routes/
│   ├── models/
│   ├── middlewares/
│   └── config/
│
└── README.md

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Getting Started

1 Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/pawantech12/apiplay.git
cd apiplay

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2 Setup Backend

cd server
npm install

Future Enhancements

• Code Generator ( Axios / Node.js)
• GraphQL Support
• Webhook Tester
• Mock API Generator
• Environment Variables Manager
• Team Collaboration
• Public API Marketplace

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Deployment

• Frontend: Vercel
• Backend: Render
• Database: MongoDB Atlas

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Why APIPlay?

Because every developer works with APIs — but not every developer enjoys configuring tools.

APIPlay makes API exploration:

• Faster
• Cleaner
• Beginner-friendly
• Browser-native

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Author

Pawan Kumavat Full Stack Stack Developer

Shruti Sharma MERN Stack Developer

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