How to Import Postman Collections into RESTK: Complete Guide

Migrating from one API tool to another can feel daunting, especially when you have built up a large library of collections, environments, and test scripts over months or years. The good news is that the process is straightforward -- and you do not have to lose any of your work.

This guide walks through exporting your data from Postman, importing it into RESTK, and making sure everything works as expected. We also cover imports from other popular tools and formats.

Why Developers Are Migrating from Postman

Postman has been the default API testing tool for years, and for good reason -- it was one of the first tools to make API development accessible. But as the platform has evolved, many developers are re-evaluating whether it still fits their workflow:

• Performance concerns: As Postman has transitioned from a lightweight Chrome extension to a full Electron application with cloud features, many developers have noticed slower startup times, higher memory usage, and UI lag during heavy use.

• Mandatory cloud accounts: Postman now requires a cloud account to use the application. For developers and teams who prefer to keep their API data local, this is a dealbreaker.

• Pricing changes: Features that were previously free have moved behind paid tiers. Teams that relied on free collaboration features have found themselves needing to upgrade or find alternatives.

• Privacy considerations: With cloud sync enabled by default, API credentials, request bodies, and environment variables are stored on Postman's servers. For teams working with sensitive data, this creates compliance complications.

• Feature bloat: Postman has expanded into API design, documentation, monitoring, mock servers, and flow visualization. For developers who primarily need a fast, reliable API client, the interface has become cluttered with features they do not use.

None of this means Postman is a bad tool. It means that developers have different needs, and the market now offers alternatives that may better fit specific workflows.

Step 1: Export from Postman

Exporting Collections

1. Open Postman and navigate to the collection you want to export
2. Click the three dots (...) next to the collection name
3. Select Export
4. Choose the format:
   • Collection v2.1 (recommended) -- the most complete format
   • Collection v2.0 -- slightly older but widely compatible
5. Click Export and save the .json file

Exporting Environments

1. Click the Environments tab in the sidebar
2. Click the three dots next to the environment you want to export
3. Select Export
4. Save the .json file

Important: Postman exports include initial values but not current values for environment variables. If your current values differ from initial values (which is common for secrets), you will need to re-enter those values after importing.

Exporting Multiple Collections

If you have many collections, you can export your entire workspace:

1. Go to Settings (gear icon) in Postman
2. Select Data
3. Click Export Data
4. Select the collections and environments you want
5. Download the export file

This creates a single archive containing all selected collections and environments.

Step 2: Import into RESTK

Importing a Single Collection

1. Open RESTK
2. Click File > Import in the menu bar (or use the keyboard shortcut Cmd+I)
3. Select Postman Collection as the import type
4. Choose your exported .json file
5. Click Import

RESTK will parse the collection and display a preview showing:

• Number of requests found
• Folder structure
• Any items that may need manual review

6. Review the preview and click Confirm Import

Importing Environments

1. Click File > Import
2. Select Postman Environment as the import type
3. Choose your environment .json file
4. Click Import

The environment will appear in your RESTK environment switcher with all variables populated.

Importing a Workspace Export

If you exported an entire workspace from Postman:

1. Click File > Import
2. Select the workspace export file
3. RESTK will detect multiple collections and environments
4. Choose which items to import
5. Click Import All or select individual items

Step 3: Other Supported Import Formats

RESTK is not limited to Postman imports. Here are all supported formats:

Insomnia v4

If you are migrating from Insomnia:

1. In Insomnia, go to Application > Preferences > Data
2. Click Export Data and choose JSON format
3. In RESTK, use File > Import and select Insomnia as the format

Insomnia v4 export format is supported. Request groups in Insomnia map to collections and folders in RESTK.

OpenAPI 3.x

OpenAPI specifications can be imported to auto-generate requests for every endpoint:

1. Obtain the OpenAPI spec (usually a .yaml or .json file)
2. In RESTK, use File > Import and select OpenAPI 3.x
3. RESTK generates a collection with:
   • One request per endpoint
   • Correct HTTP methods
   • Path parameters as variables
   • Request body schemas pre-filled with example data
   • Authentication settings from the spec's security schemes

This is particularly useful when onboarding to a new API -- you get a complete, working collection in seconds.

Swagger 2.0

Older APIs may still use Swagger 2.0 specifications. Both OpenAPI 3.x and Swagger 2.0 are handled through the same OpenAPI import:

1. Use File > Import and select OpenAPI
2. RESTK detects the spec version and parses accordingly
3. All endpoints, parameters, and auth settings are preserved

cURL

For individual requests, you can import directly from cURL commands:

1. Use File > Import and select cURL
2. Paste your cURL command:

curl -X POST https://api.example.com/users \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer token123" \
  -d '{"name": "Jane", "email": "[email protected]"}'

3. RESTK parses the command and creates a request with the correct method, URL, headers, and body

You can also paste cURL commands directly into the URL bar -- RESTK detects the cURL format automatically and offers to convert it.

Step 4: What Gets Imported

Here is a detailed breakdown of what RESTK preserves during import:

Notes on script imports: Postman scripts (pm.* API) are preserved during import. You may need to manually convert them to RESTK's Nova scripting API (nova.*) for full compatibility. Most common patterns (assertions, variable manipulation, response parsing) have direct Nova equivalents. See our migration guide for common conversion patterns.

Step 5: Post-Migration Tips

After importing your collections, take a few minutes to verify and optimize your setup:

1. Verify Critical Requests

Run your most important requests to confirm they work correctly. Pay special attention to:

• Requests with complex authentication flows
• Requests that rely on environment variables
• Requests with pre-request scripts that set dynamic values

2. Re-Enter Sensitive Values

Since Postman exports do not include current values for environment variables, you will need to re-enter secrets like API keys and tokens. In RESTK, consider storing these in your native keychain for better security:

• macOS: Preferences > Security > Use Keychain

3. Update Script Syntax

If any scripts use Postman-specific APIs that did not auto-convert, update them to RESTK's syntax. The most common change is replacing pm. with nova.:

// Postman syntax
pm.test('Status is 200', function () {
  pm.response.to.have.status(200);
});
pm.environment.set('token', pm.response.json().token);

// RESTK syntax
nova.test('Status is 200', function () {
  nova.expect(nova.response.status).toBe(200);
});
nova.environment.set('token', nova.response.json().token);

4. Organize Your Workspace

Take the opportunity to clean up:

• Delete obsolete requests that are no longer relevant
• Consolidate duplicate environments
• Add descriptions to requests that are missing them
• Set up folder-level auth to avoid repeating auth config on every request

5. Set Up Team Sharing (Optional)

If your team is migrating together:

1. Create a shared workspace in RESTK
2. Import collections into the shared workspace
3. Assign RBAC roles to team members
4. Enable end-to-end encrypted sync for collaboration

Troubleshooting Common Issues

"Some variables were not resolved"

This means your imported requests reference environment variables that were not included in the import. Create the missing variables in your RESTK environment, or import the corresponding Postman environment file.

"Script conversion warning"

If RESTK flags a script during import, it means the script contains Postman-specific code that may need manual conversion. Open the script in RESTK's editor, review the flagged lines, and update them manually. The most common issues are:

• pm.sendRequest() -- use RESTK's request chaining instead
• pm.visualizer.set() -- RESTK uses a different visualization API
• External library references -- check RESTK's built-in library list

"Collection is empty after import"

Verify that you exported the collection in v2.0 or v2.1 format, not v1.0. RESTK does not support the legacy v1.0 format. Re-export from Postman using v2.1.

Full Migration Guide

This post covers the technical steps of importing collections. For a comprehensive migration guide that includes feature comparisons, team migration planning, and a checklist for enterprise rollouts, visit our dedicated Migrate from Postman page. You can also read the Import documentation for detailed format specifications and troubleshooting.

Conclusion

Migrating your API collections does not have to be painful. With support for Postman, Insomnia, OpenAPI, Swagger, and cURL, RESTK makes it straightforward to bring your existing work into a faster, more private environment.

The most important thing is that you do not lose your work. Every request, header, variable, and script you have built up over time transfers with you.

Download RESTK and import your first collection in under five minutes.

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Related reading:

• How to Import OpenAPI and Swagger Files into RESTK
• RESTK vs Bruno vs Insomnia: Which Postman Alternative is Right for You?

Running into issues with your import? Our team is happy to help. Join Discord or email [email protected] with your export file and we will get you sorted.