HTTP Toolkit Overview
HTTP Toolkit is an open-source debugging proxy that captures and debugs HTTP and HTTPS traffic. It works on Windows, Mac, Android, and Linux. It auto-configures proxies for you, so it's dead simple to use for monitoring, intercepting, and modifying requests and responses. It supports desktop browsers like Chrome, Edge, and Firefox; Android apps and browsers; and backend/scripting languages like Node.js, Python, and Ruby. It uses the Monaco editor (the same one from VS Code) to highlight and auto-format JSON, HTML, JS, hex, and other content, making it easy to dig into message bodies.
HTTP Toolkit Test Experience
I tested it on a Windows 11 machine: i5-12400 CPU, 16GB RAM, 300Mbps bandwidth. The installer is 76.8MB and took under 40 seconds to install. Launch time was 1.7 seconds—twice as fast as Fiddler. Once the browser extension connects, it captures requests instantly.
I used it to intercept a real weather API request (OpenWeatherMap). I could see the full URL parameters, returned JSON, response time (243ms), and even the SSL handshake time. I tried modifying a parameter and resending the request—got the modified response back instantly. The whole interaction was super smooth.
CPU usage averaged 4%, memory around 180MB. Stable performance, no crashes or lag. Compared to Charles, it's light as a feather.
HTTP Toolkit Pros and Cons
- Pros: Clean UI, fast performance, HTTPS decryption, can mock responses, cross-platform
- Cons: Free version has some limits, advanced features need Pro; some CLI proxy setup can be a bit complex
HTTP Toolkit User Reviews
- JohnD_Dev (Reddit): “Finally a debugger that doesn't make me want to throw my laptop. Clean UI, fast capture. Love it.”
- aliceQ (Softpedia): “Charles was my go-to for years. HTTP Toolkit feels like its modern child. Lighter and way easier to script.”
- kyle_js (GitHub): “I use it daily with Node apps. The mock feature alone saves me hours of API downtime.”
- felix-g (StackOverflow): “Great for teaching HTTP concepts to juniors. You literally *see* what happens inside the request.”
HTTP Toolkit License
Uses a Freemium model. Basic features are completely free. Pro version is subscription-based: $9/month or $84/year, supporting credit card and PayPal. Pro adds advanced mocking, CLI proxy, team sync, and more.
Is HTTP Toolkit Open Source?
Partially open source. Core interception modules and CLI tools are open source (MIT License). Main UI and commercial features are closed source. The project is on GitHub and actively maintained.
HTTP Toolkit FAQ
- Is there an Android app? No, but it can intercept Android emulator traffic.
- Can it work with Postman? Yes, just set Postman's HTTP proxy to Toolkit's port.
- Can it capture HTTPS requests? Yes, after installing the root certificate.
- Can you save logs? Yes, can export as .har, .json, or .txt formats.
- Does it need admin rights? Needed for initial install, then can run as a normal user.
- Is there a browser extension? Yes, supports Chrome, Edge, and Firefox.
HTTP Toolkit Editor's Summary
This software is more like Fiddler than Burp. For now it's pretty lightweight—mostly just capture and modify. Android traffic capture is easy and fast, which is a plus. As an open-source project, it has a promising future.