> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.liteclient.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quickstart

> Make your first API request, create an environment, and organize with collections in under 5 minutes

This guide walks you through the essential features of LiteClient. You'll make your first API request, set up an environment with variables, and organize your work with collections.

## Make your first request

Let's start by making a simple GET request to a public API.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open LiteClient">
    Click the LiteClient icon in the Activity Bar to open the sidebar.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a new request">
    Click **New Request** in the sidebar, or press `Ctrl+Shift+P` (Windows/Linux) or `Cmd+Shift+P` (macOS) and run **LiteClient: New Request**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter the URL">
    In the URL bar at the top of the request panel, enter:

    ```
    https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/users
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Send the request">
    Click the **Send** button or press `Ctrl+Enter` (Windows/Linux) or `Cmd+Enter` (macOS).
  </Step>

  <Step title="View the response">
    The response appears in the panel below with syntax highlighting, status code, headers, and execution time.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  You can press `Ctrl+L` (Windows/Linux) or `Cmd+L` (macOS) to quickly focus the URL bar from anywhere in the request panel.
</Tip>

## Create an environment

Environments let you manage different configurations for local, staging, and production. Let's create your first environment with variables.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the Environments tab">
    Click the **Env** tab in the LiteClient sidebar.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a new environment">
    Click **New Environment** and enter a name like "Development".
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add a variable">
    Click **Add Variable** and create your first variable:

    * **Name**: `baseUrl`
    * **Value**: `http://localhost:3000`
    * **Type**: Default
    * **Enabled**: Yes
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add more variables">
    Add an API key variable:

    * **Name**: `apiKey`
    * **Value**: `your-api-key-here`
    * **Type**: Secret (this masks the value in the UI)
    * **Enabled**: Yes
  </Step>

  <Step title="Use variables in requests">
    Go back to your request panel and update the URL to use your variable:

    ```
    {{baseUrl}}/api/users
    ```

    Type `{{` to see an autocomplete dropdown with available variables.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  Variables follow a layered resolution order: **Globals** → **Collection** → **Environment**. Variables defined in narrower scopes override those in broader scopes.
</Note>

## Organize with collections

Collections help you organize related API requests in a hierarchical structure.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the Collections tab">
    Click the **Collections** tab in the LiteClient sidebar.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a new collection">
    Click **New Collection** and name it something descriptive like "My API".
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add a request to the collection">
    Right-click the collection and select **Add Request**. Give it a name like "Get Users".
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure the request">
    The request opens in a new panel. Add your URL, headers, and any authentication:

    ```
    {{baseUrl}}/api/users
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save the request">
    Your request is automatically saved to the collection. Any changes you make are persisted.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create folders for organization">
    Right-click the collection and select **New Folder** to create logical groupings. You can drag and drop requests between folders.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  You can import existing Postman Collections (v2.1) by clicking **Add Collection** → **Import from Postman** in the Collections tab.
</Tip>

## Add authentication

LiteClient supports multiple authentication methods. Let's add a Bearer token to a request.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the Auth tab">
    In your request panel, click the **Auth** tab.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select authentication type">
    Choose **Bearer Token** from the dropdown.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter your token">
    You can enter a token directly or use a variable:

    ```
    {{apiKey}}
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Send the request">
    Click **Send**. The `Authorization` header is automatically added with your Bearer token.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Other authentication methods

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="API Key" icon="key">
    Add an API key as a custom header or query parameter
  </Card>

  <Card title="Basic Auth" icon="lock">
    Username and password with automatic Base64 encoding
  </Card>

  <Card title="OAuth 2.0" icon="shield">
    Authorization Code, PKCE, and Client Credentials flows with automatic token refresh
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Use the request history

Every request you send is automatically recorded in the History tab.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the History tab">
    Click the **History** tab in the LiteClient sidebar.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Browse your requests">
    History is organized by day (Today, Yesterday, Last Week). Each entry shows the method, URL, and execution time.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Replay a request">
    Click any history entry to open it in a new request panel and send it again.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Clean up history">
    Right-click any day group to delete all requests from that day, or click **Clear History** to remove everything.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Storage scopes

LiteClient gives you control over where your data is stored.

* **Global storage** (default) - Collections, environments, and history are stored in VS Code's global storage, available across all workspaces
* **Workspace storage** - Data is stored in a `.liteclient/` folder in your project root, perfect for sharing API collections via Git

Click the **LiteClient: Global/Workspace** indicator in the status bar to switch between scopes.

<Note>
  Workspace storage requires an open folder. Each scope maintains independent collections, environments, and history.
</Note>

## Next steps

You've learned the basics of LiteClient. Here's what to explore next:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Scripting" icon="code">
    Write pre-request and post-response scripts to automate workflows
  </Card>

  <Card title="Cookie management" icon="cookie">
    View and manage cookies with the built-in Cookie Manager
  </Card>

  <Card title="Import collections" icon="file-import">
    Migrate from Postman by importing Collection v2.1 files
  </Card>

  <Card title="OAuth 2.0" icon="shield">
    Set up OAuth 2.0 flows with automatic token caching and refresh
  </Card>
</CardGroup>