API Lab MCP 🧪


> Transform Claude into your AI-powered API testing laboratory. Test, debug, and document APIs through natural conversation.

🌟 Why API Lab MCP?

Stop switching between tools. Stop writing repetitive test scripts. Start having conversations with your APIs.

The Problem: Traditional API testing tools require constant context switching, manual script writing, and repetitive workflows that slow down development.

The Solution: API Lab MCP integrates directly with Claude Desktop and Claude Code, allowing you to test APIs through natural language while you code. No more jumping between Postman, terminal, and your IDE.

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- 🤖 AI-First Design: Built specifically for Claude's conversational interface
- 💬 Natural Language: Test APIs by describing what you want, not clicking through UIs
- 🔄 Zero Context Switching: Stay in your development flow
- 📚 Auto Documentation: Generate API docs from your test conversations
- 🎯 Smart Assertions: Claude understands your intent and creates appropriate tests

✨ Key Features

- 🔐 Universal Authentication - Bearer tokens, API keys, OAuth2, session cookies, and CSRF tokens
- 📊 Intelligent Response Analysis - Automatic validation of status codes, headers, and JSON paths
- ⚡ Real-time Performance Metrics - Response times, payload sizes, and Core Web Vitals
- 🎯 Conversational Testing - Test complex scenarios through natural dialogue
- 📋 Spec-based Test Generation - Auto-generate test suites from OpenAPI/Swagger docs
- 🔄 Batch Testing - Run multiple APIs in parallel or sequence
- 🧪 MCP Server Testing - Test other MCP servers' tools and resources
- 🌍 Environment Management - Switch between dev, staging, and production seamlessly

🚀 Quick Start (30 seconds)

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``bash

Install globally

npm install -g api-lab-mcp

Add to Claude Code

claude mcp add api-lab-mcp api-lab-mcp

Start testing!

Tell Claude: "Test my API at localhost:3000"

`

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`bash

Install via npm

npm install -g api-lab-mcp

Then add to Claude Desktop config (see Installation section)

`

That's it! You're ready to test APIs with Claude.

📸 Live Demo with Claude Desktop

Watch API Lab MCP in action with Claude Desktop - testing real APIs through conversation:

!Claude Desktop Demo

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> "Test your APIs through natural conversation - in any language you prefer."

💡 Use Cases

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- API Development: Test endpoints as you build them without leaving your IDE
- Debugging: Quickly diagnose why an API is failing with intelligent analysis
- Documentation: Auto-generate API docs from your test conversations
- Onboarding: New team members can test APIs without learning complex tools

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- Test Automation: Generate test suites from OpenAPI specs automatically
- Regression Testing: Run batch tests across all endpoints
- Performance Testing: Monitor response times and identify bottlenecks
- Session Testing: Test complex authentication flows with cookies and tokens

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- Health Checks: Monitor API availability across environments
- Load Testing: Test API performance under various conditions
- Environment Validation: Ensure APIs work correctly after deployment
- Integration Testing: Test API integrations with third-party services

💬 Real-World Examples

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`
You: "Test the GitHub API to get my user info"
Claude: Tests GET https://api.github.com/user with your token
`

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`
You: "Why is my login endpoint returning 401?"
Claude: Analyzes headers, body, and suggests missing auth token
`

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`
You: "Test my app with session cookie JSESSIONID=ABC123"
Claude: Configures session and tests authenticated endpoints
`

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`
You: "Check if all my endpoints respond under 200ms"
Claude: Runs performance tests and generates report
`

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`
You: "Create tests from my OpenAPI spec at /api/docs"
Claude: Generates comprehensive test suite automatically
`

🔧 Installation

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`bash


Method 1: Global install (recommended)

npm install -g api-lab-mcp
claude mcp add api-lab-mcp api-lab-mcp

Method 2: Using npx (no install needed)

claude mcp add api-lab-mcp "npx -y api-lab-mcp"

Method 3: Local development

git clone https://github.com/atototo/api-lab-mcp.git
cd api-lab-mcp
npm install && npm run build
claude mcp add api-lab-local "node $(pwd)/dist/mcp/server.js"
`

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macOS/Linux Setup

1. Install the package:
`bash
npm install -g api-lab-mcp
`

2. Find your config file:
`bash


macOS

open ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/

Linux

open ~/.config/claude/
`

3. Edit claude_desktop_config.json:
`json
{
"mcpServers": {
"api-lab-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "api-lab-mcp"]
}
}
}
`

4. Restart Claude Desktop


Windows Setup

1. Install the package:
`powershell
npm install -g api-lab-mcp
`

2. Open config folder:
`powershell
explorer %APPDATA%\Claude
`

3. Edit claude_desktop_config.json:
`json
{
"mcpServers": {
"api-lab-mcp": {
"command": "npx.cmd",
"args": ["-y", "api-lab-mcp"]
}
}
}
`

4. Restart Claude Desktop


Docker Setup

`dockerfile
FROM node:20-alpine
RUN npm install -g api-lab-mcp
EXPOSE 3000
CMD ["api-lab-mcp", "--http-mode"]
`

Run with:
`bash
docker build -t api-lab-mcp .
docker run -p 3000:3000 api-lab-mcp
`


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After installation, ask Claude:
`
"Can you test the API at https://api.github.com?"
`

If Claude can test the API, installation was successful!

🏗️ For Developers

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API Lab MCP supercharges your local development:

Real-time API Testing
`
"Test POST /api/users on localhost:3000 with mock data"
`

Smart Debugging
`
"Why is this endpoint slow? Profile the response time"
`

Automatic Documentation
`
"Generate README docs from these test results"
`

Pre-deployment Validation
`
"Run health checks on all endpoints before I deploy"
`

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`bash


Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/atototo/api-lab-mcp.git
cd api-lab-mcp

Install dependencies

npm install

Run in development mode

npm run dev

Build for production

npm run build

Run tests

npm test
`

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`
api-lab-mcp/
├── src/
│ ├── mcp/ # MCP server implementation
│ ├── core/ # Core business logic
│ ├── http/ # HTTP client layer
│ └── types/ # TypeScript definitions
├── tests/ # Test suites
└── docs/ # Documentation
`

📊 How It Compares

| Feature | API Lab MCP | Postman | Insomnia | Thunder Client |
|---------|------------|---------|----------|----------------|
| AI-Powered Testing | ✅ Native | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Natural Language | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Claude Integration | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Zero Setup | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ⚠️ |
| Session Management | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| OpenAPI Support | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠️ |
| MCP Protocol | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Conversational UI | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Auto Documentation | ✅ | ⚠️ | ⚠️ | ❌ |
| Free & Open Source | ✅ | ⚠️ | ⚠️ | ✅ |

📚 Documentation

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- test_http_endpoint - Test any HTTP endpoint with auth, headers, and body
- test_with_assertions - Advanced testing with response validation
- test_with_session - Session-based authentication with cookies
- batch_test - Run multiple tests in parallel
- analyze_api_spec - Extract info from OpenAPI/Swagger specs
- generate_test_scenarios - Auto-generate comprehensive test suites

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- Smart Assertions: Validate responses with JSONPath, regex, and custom rules
- Environment Management: Switch between dev/staging/prod seamlessly
- Performance Profiling: Track response times and identify bottlenecks
- Test Generation: Create tests from OpenAPI specs automatically
- MCP Discovery: Find and test other MCP servers

Full API Documentation →

🤝 Contributing

We love contributions! Whether it's a bug report, feature request, or pull request, all contributions are welcome.

`bash


Fork and clone

git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/api-lab-mcp.git

Create your feature branch

git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature

Make your changes and commit

git commit -m 'Add amazing feature'

Push and create PR

git push origin feature/amazing-feature
``

See CONTRIBUTING.md for detailed guidelines.

🌟 Success Stories

> "API Lab MCP reduced our API testing time by 70%. We now test as we code, right in Claude." - Senior Developer at TechCorp

> "The natural language interface is a game-changer. Junior developers can now write complex API tests." - CTO at StartupXYZ

> "We replaced three different tools with just API Lab MCP. It's that powerful." - DevOps Lead

📈 Roadmap

- [ ] Visual Studio Code extension
- [ ] GraphQL support
- [ ] WebSocket testing
- [ ] Load testing capabilities
- [ ] CI/CD integration
- [ ] Test recording and replay
- [ ] Team collaboration features

🛟 Support

- 📖 Documentation
- 🐛 Issue Tracker

📄 License

MIT © 2024 atototo

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