Yaak
Local-first desktop API client for REST, GraphQL, gRPC, WebSocket and SSE
In our rankings
Scores on the open-source api clients criteria
Evaluated Nov 5, 2026- Local storage without an account ×3 5
5/5 means: Every feature works without an account, data stays on your device, and the project documents that there is no cloud sync or cloud component.
Everything is kept in a local database with no account and no cloud component; the few documented calls home carry app metadata, not your requests, and update checks can be turned off.
4 quotes - Collections as files in Git ×2 4
4/5 means: Collections can be synced to plain-text files in a folder for use with Git, after you turn it on for each workspace, at no cost for personal use.
Workspaces can be synced to YAML files in a folder with a built-in Git client, but sync is chosen per workspace rather than on by default.
3 quotes - Protocols supported ×3 5
5/5 means: All five (REST, GraphQL, gRPC, WebSocket and SSE).
REST, GraphQL, gRPC, WebSocket and Server-Sent Events are all listed.
1 quote - Tests and command-line runs ×2 2
2/5 means: A command-line tool can send saved requests, but there are no test assertions.
The command-line tool can send whole folders and stop at the first failure, but the app has no request scripting and no collection runner, so there are no test assertions.
3 quotes
Evidence (19 quotes)
- 1
“Yaak stores requests, environments, response history, and settings on your device in a local SQLite database. There is no cloud component, and no account is required to use the app.”
- 2
“These requests carry operational metadata such as the app version, operating system, and license status. They don’t include your requests, responses, or environment values.”
- 3
“Checking for app updates (can disable)”
- 4
“No telemetry, no VC funding, and no cloud lock-in.”
github.com/mountain-loop/yaak · checked - 5
“To better enable collaboration between team members, Yaak allows syncing workspace data to the local filesystem.”
- 6
“From here, you can create branches or commit changes like you would any other visual Git client.”
- 7
“Yaak is free for personal use. A license is only required when using Yaak at work.”
yaak.app/pricing · checked - 8
“Send requests via REST, GraphQL, gRPC, WebSocket, or Server-Sent Events.”
github.com/mountain-loop/yaak · checked - 9
“Yaak does not currently support request scripting.”
- 10
“Yaak has no collection runner UI. Running a folder or workspace in order is possible today from the CLI, and the app can fire a folder off all at once.”
- 11
“--fail-fast stops at the first failing request instead of continuing”
- 12
“Yaak encrypts data using the ChaCha20-Poly1305 authenticated encryption algorithm with the extended 24-byte nonce.”
- 13
“Since environment variables usually contain sensitive values, they are not included in directory sync by default.”
- 14
“The prebuilt binaries follow Yaak's pricing terms: free for personal use, license required for commercial use.”
github.com/mountain-loop/yaak · checked - 15
“The source is MIT licensed and can be built and run for free, for both personal and commercial use.”
github.com/mountain-loop/yaak · checked - 16
“A 32-byte master key is stored in the host OS keychain, if it does not yet exist.”
- 17
“Checking for notifications (can disable)”
- 18
“To include an environment in directory sync, make it “sharable” within the right-click context menu.”
- 19
“tag_name: v2026.9.1, published_at: 2026-11-01T17:03:45Z”