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Getting Started

Pavel Baksy edited this page 2026-01-13 16:59:00 +01:00

Table of Contents

• Getting Started
• Launch Roster
• Your First Request
• Step 1: Configure the Request
• Step 2: Send the Request
• Step 3: View the Response
• Saving Requests
• Save for Later
• Access Saved Requests
• Request History
• Working with Tabs
• Multiple Tabs
• Modified Indicator
• Common Request Types
• GET Request
• POST Request
• PUT Request
• DELETE Request
• Response Features
• Syntax Highlighting
• Response Metrics
• Keyboard Shortcuts
• Next Steps
• Tips

Getting Started

This guide walks you through sending your first HTTP request with Roster.

Launch Roster

After Installation, launch Roster from:

• Your application menu (search for "Roster")
• Command line: roster (or flatpak run cz.bugsy.roster for Flatpak)

Your First Request

Step 1: Configure the Request

Roster starts with a new request tab.

Set the URL:

https://api.github.com/users/octocat

Set the Method:

• Use the dropdown menu (default is GET)

Add Headers (Optional):

1. Click the "Headers" tab
2. Add a header:
   • Key: User-Agent
   • Value: Roster/0.6.0

Step 2: Send the Request

Click the "Send" button (or press Ctrl+Return)

Step 3: View the Response

The response appears in the right panel:

Status Line:

200 OK 123 ms 1.2 KB

Response Headers: Click the "Headers" tab to view all response headers.

Response Body: The JSON response from GitHub API showing user information.

Saving Requests

Save for Later

1. Click the "Save" button in the header
2. Select project
3. Enter a name: Get GitHub User
4. Click "Save"

The request is now saved to your project.

Access Saved Requests

1. Click the project
2. Your project shows saved requests
3. Click a request to open it in a new tab

Request History

Every request you send is automatically saved to history.

View History:

1. Navigate to bottom history panel
2. Browse past requests
3. Click any entry to open it in a new tab

Working with Tabs

Multiple Tabs

Open multiple requests simultaneously:

• Ctrl+T - New request tab
• Ctrl+W - Close current tab
• Ctrl+Tab / Ctrl+Shift+Tab - Switch between tabs

Modified Indicator

Unsaved changes are marked with a dot (•) on the tab label.

Common Request Types

GET Request

Method: GET
URL: https://api.example.com/users
Headers: (optional)
Body: (none)

POST Request

Method: POST
URL: https://api.example.com/users
Headers: Content-Type: application/json
Body: {"name": "John", "email": "john@example.com"}

PUT Request

Method: PUT
URL: https://api.example.com/users/123
Headers: Content-Type: application/json
Body: {"name": "John Updated"}

DELETE Request

Method: DELETE
URL: https://api.example.com/users/123
Headers: (optional)
Body: (none)

Response Features

Syntax Highlighting

Roster automatically detects and highlights JSON, XML, and HTML responses.

Response Metrics

The status line shows status code, response time, and total size including headers:

200 OK 123 ms 5.4 KB

Keyboard Shortcuts

Essential shortcuts to speed up your workflow:

See Keyboard-Shortcuts for the complete list.

Next Steps

Now that you know the basics, explore more advanced features:

• Projects-and-Environments - Organize requests and manage environments
• Variables - Use variables to avoid repetition
• Sensitive-Variables - Store API keys securely
• Scripts - Automate workflows with JavaScript
• Export - Export requests to cURL and other formats

Tips

• Use httpbin.org endpoints for testing (e.g., https://httpbin.org/get)
• Save frequently used requests with descriptive names
• Check history panel to review and compare past responses