September 2017 Summaries

Postman has enhanced its native apps by introducing client proxy settings, allowing users to direct API requests to specified internet locations, marking a significant update following the deprecation of its Chrome app due to Google's discontinuation of support for Chrome Apps. The native apps now support both custom and system proxy configurations, enabling users to manage proxy settings within the app itself, thereby streamlining the process and integrating it into the app's existing functionalities. These features allow Postman to function as a comprehensive web proxy, capturing and directing HTTP and HTTPS requests through user-defined paths, which can be beneficial for debugging, security, and DevOps load balancing. By acting as an intermediary between the client and server, Postman can record and reveal all internet traffic, providing an efficient way to inspect and log network communications.

Using Postman's collection runner to execute collections with file uploads is not directly supported, but a workaround exists using Newman, Postman's command-line tool. Users can first create and successfully test a collection with a POST request in the main Postman window, which includes both file and text parameters. After exporting the collection as a JSON file, one must edit the JSON file to specify the full path of the file in the request body form data section. Running the modified JSON file with Newman allows for the execution of file-post requests, and users on Windows need to ensure the file path in the JSON uses double-backslashes to maintain JSON validity. This method provides a feasible solution for those needing to run collections with file uploads outside the Postman application.

Postman 5.0 introduced professional-level features for free in limited quantities, enabling users to publish API documentation, monitor API health, and simulate back ends using mock servers, which allow teams to decouple the development process and work independently. Initially designed to demonstrate independent team workflows, mock servers have proven versatile in building proofs of concept, communicating API behavior, isolating dependencies for testing, and reducing server maintenance. Users can set up mocks via the Postman app or API, simulate responses without deploying endpoints, and share mocks with teams for collaboration by sharing the relevant collections and setting permissions.

A Software Engineer at Postman reflects on their two-year journey with the company, highlighting their engagement with various technologies and notable projects they've contributed to. They share insights into the Postman app, emphasizing its innovative capabilities, and express enthusiasm for other development tools they enjoy using. Additionally, the engineer hints at personal interests and side projects outside of their professional role, fostering a sense of connection and community within the tech industry. The narrative concludes with an open invitation for interested individuals to join the growing team at Postman, indicating ongoing recruitment efforts.

Postman has introduced a status bar at the bottom of its interface to enhance user accessibility and convenience, allowing users to open the console, switch between single or two-pane layouts, access keyboard shortcuts, and seek help or provide feedback. The Postman Console functions similarly to a browser's developer console but specifically highlights API information such as request and response headers, aiding in API troubleshooting and providing a log of API activity. Users can customize their interface by choosing between single or two-pane views and utilize categorized keyboard shortcuts for navigation, manipulation, and global actions throughout the application. Additionally, the Help & Feedback feature offers resources like release notes, documentation, security information, support, and social media links to further assist users.

Intuit is transforming the management of small business, personal finance, and tax software through its widely used products such as QuickBooks, TurboTax, and Mint, serving 43 million customers globally. Since its inception in 1983 with DOS software for balancing family checkbooks, Intuit has evolved to offer web, cloud, and mobile solutions. The company supports developers by providing a robust Java-based core stack with 63 QuickBooks API endpoints, which are extensively documented in a developer portal. This portal includes a "Run in Postman" button for easy sharing and prototyping of Postman collections for QuickBooks Online APIs, reducing developer support tickets. Intuit assists developers with OAuth authentication protocols using Postman’s tools, facilitating the generation of OAuth 2.0 tokens for API access. At hackathons and workshops, Intuit showcases Postman's code generation feature, allowing developers to create and implement API requests in their preferred programming languages without a steep learning curve, as noted by Intuit's Manas.