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Signoff Studio Docs

Protocols

Signoff Studio speaks REST, GraphQL, WebSocket, SSE, gRPC, and MQTT from the shared API request builder on Windows App v26.8.5 and VS Code Extension v0.2.58.

REST

  • Platform Availability: Full Parity
  • Overview: Classic HTTP methods with params, auth, headers, bodies (None / JSON / Form / Multipart / Binary / Raw), scripts, and asserts. This is the default protocol for most collections, including the Starter Guide.
  • How It Works (Windows App):
    1. Open API mode and select or create a request.
    2. Set method (GET/POST/PUT/PATCH/DELETE/HEAD/OPTIONS) and URL ({{baseUrl}}/...).
    3. Configure Params / Auth / Headers / Body, then Send (Ctrl+Enter).

Windows REST request

  • How It Works (VS Code Extension):
    1. Open Signoff Studio in the editor webview.
    2. Build the request the same way as Windows.
    3. Inspect Pretty / Raw / Headers / Explorer / Checks in the response panel.

VS Code REST request

  • Code / Configuration Examples:
POST {{baseUrl}}/post
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "name": "Ada",
  "role": "engineer"
}
  • Edge Cases, Troubleshooting & Pro-Tips:
    • Follow redirects and SSL verification are Settings → General defaults; override per request in Settings.
    • Multipart file parts need real file paths readable by the host process.

GraphQL

  • Platform Availability: Full Parity
  • Overview: GraphQL queries and mutations use the GraphQL body mode; schema introspection powers editor assist. Subscriptions can use graphql-ws over WebSocket transport.
  • How It Works (Windows App):
    1. Set body type to GraphQL (or open a GraphQL-protocol request).
    2. Enter query/mutation and variables JSON.
    3. Introspect when the server allows it; use Stream/Pretty for results.

Windows GraphQL

  • How It Works (VS Code Extension):
    1. Same GraphQL body editor in the shared shell.
    2. Introspection and subscriptions use the extension-host protocol transports.
    3. Keep auth headers / bearer tokens on the request for private graphs.

VS Code GraphQL

  • Code / Configuration Examples:
query Pet($id: ID!) {
  pet(id: $id) {
    id
    name
    status
  }
}

{ "id": "1" }
  • Edge Cases, Troubleshooting & Pro-Tips:
    • Subscriptions need a WS-capable endpoint; HTTP-only GraphQL servers will fail subscribe.
    • Large introspections can be slow — cache schema locally when iterating.

WebSocket

  • Platform Availability: Full Parity
  • Overview: Persistent duplex connections for message-oriented APIs. Connect, send frames, and watch the Stream tab for inbound traffic.
  • How It Works (Windows App):
    1. Create a WebSocket request with ws:// or wss:// URL.
    2. Connect, then send text/JSON payloads from the composer.
    3. Disconnect explicitly when finished; review Stream history.

Windows WebSocket

  • How It Works (VS Code Extension):
    1. Identical WebSocket UI in the webview.
    2. Transport runs in the extension host (survives webview focus changes better than pure browser WS).
    3. Use Restore Response Panel if the stream view was closed.

VS Code WebSocket

  • Code / Configuration Examples:
wss://echo.websocket.events

{ "type": "ping", "ts": 1710000000 }
  • Edge Cases, Troubleshooting & Pro-Tips:
    • Corporate proxies often break wss:// — configure Proxy in desktop Settings or test off-VPN.
    • Subprotocol / custom headers depend on server requirements; set them before connect.

Server-Sent Events (SSE)

  • Platform Availability: Full Parity
  • Overview: One-way event streams over HTTP. Signoff opens the stream and appends events in the Stream / response views until you stop.
  • How It Works (Windows App):
    1. Create an SSE request pointing at an text/event-stream endpoint.
    2. Send/Connect and watch events arrive.
    3. Stop the stream from the response toolbar when done.

Windows SSE

  • How It Works (VS Code Extension):
    1. Same SSE request type in the shared shell.
    2. Leave the panel open while streaming.
    3. Asserts on SSE are limited — prefer Runner checks on discrete HTTP sibling requests.

VS Code SSE

  • Code / Configuration Examples:
GET {{baseUrl}}/sse
Accept: text/event-stream
  • Edge Cases, Troubleshooting & Pro-Tips:
    • Buffers / proxies may delay events; test against a known local SSE mock when debugging.
    • Authed SSE often needs cookies or Authorization on the initial GET.

gRPC

  • Platform Availability: Full Parity
  • Overview: Unary and streaming gRPC calls with service list / server reflection when the target supports it. Proto-aware editing lives in the gRPC request surface.
  • How It Works (Windows App):
    1. Create a gRPC request; set host (and TLS options).
    2. List / Reflect services when available, pick method, fill message JSON.
    3. Invoke and inspect trailers/status in the response pane.

Windows gRPC

  • How It Works (VS Code Extension):
    1. Same gRPC flow via host protocol transports.
    2. Reflection must be enabled on the server for browse-without-proto workflows.
    3. CLI npm run runner can also execute gRPC requests in collections.

VS Code gRPC

  • Code / Configuration Examples:
Host: localhost:50051
Service: pets.Pets/GetPet

{ "id": 1 }
  • Edge Cases, Troubleshooting & Pro-Tips:
    • Plaintext vs TLS mismatch is the #1 connect failure — match server config.
    • Without reflection, ship .proto / descriptor inputs with the collection docs.

MQTT

  • Platform Availability: Full Parity
  • Overview: Publish/subscribe messaging for IoT and event buses. Connect to a broker, subscribe to topics, and publish payloads from the request UI.
  • How It Works (Windows App):
    1. Create an MQTT request; set broker URL, client id, and credentials.
    2. Subscribe to topics; publish test messages.
    3. Watch inbound messages in the stream/output panel.

Windows MQTT

  • How It Works (VS Code Extension):
    1. Same MQTT UI; broker connections originate from the extension host.
    2. Ensure firewall allows outbound MQTT/MQTTS ports.
    3. Use env vars for broker passwords — never commit secrets.

VS Code MQTT

  • Code / Configuration Examples:
mqtts://broker.example.com:8883
topic: pets/+/status
payload: {"status":"available"}
  • Edge Cases, Troubleshooting & Pro-Tips:
    • QoS and retained messages are broker-specific — verify with a known topic first.
    • WebSocket MQTT URLs differ from raw TCP MQTT; pick the correct transport.

Auth across protocols

Supported auth types (request / folder / collection inherit): none, inherit, bearer, basic, api-key, oauth2, oauth1, digest, aws-signature, hawk, custom. ntlm appears in the UI but is not supported yet.

See Authentication.

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