gRPC · Resterm

gRPC requests start with a line such as GRPC host:port. Metadata directives describe the method and transport options.

Directive	Description
`@grpc package.Service/Method`	Fully qualified method to call.
`@grpc-descriptor path/to/file.protoset`	Use a compiled descriptor set instead of server reflection.
`@grpc-reflection [true\|false]`	Toggle server reflection (default `true`).
`@grpc-plaintext [true\|false]`	Force plaintext or TLS.
`@grpc-authority value`	Override the HTTP/2 `:authority` header.
`@grpc-metadata key: value`	Add a metadata pair (repeatable). Invalid lines are reported.
`@setting grpc-root-cas path1,path2`	Extra root CAs (space/comma/semicolon separated). Paths resolve relative to the request file.
`@setting grpc-root-mode append\|replace`	Control whether extra CAs append to system roots (`append`) or replace them (`replace`, default).
`@setting grpc-client-cert path` / `@setting grpc-client-key path`	Client cert/key for mTLS (relative paths allowed).
`@setting grpc-insecure true`	Skip TLS verification (off by default).
`@setting grpc-max-recv-size 16MB`	Raise the maximum response message size (gRPC defaults to 4MB).
`@setting grpc-max-send-size 16MB`	Raise the maximum request message size.
`@setting grpc-compression gzip\|none`	Compress request messages. Compressed responses are always accepted.

Supplying any gRPC TLS setting (roots, client cert/key, insecure) automatically enables TLS unless you explicitly force plaintext with @grpc-plaintext true.

Reserved transport metadata keys (grpc-*, content-type, user-agent, te, etc.) are rejected in @grpc-metadata (and gRPC headers).

Metadata keys ending in -bin carry binary values. Write the raw bytes in @grpc-metadata; gRPC base64-encodes them on the wire, so the request metadata pane shows the encoded form rather than the literal you typed.

@auth works on gRPC requests. basic, bearer, apikey and header auth are sent as metadata, as are command and oauth2. apikey with placement query is rejected, because gRPC has no query string.

Descriptor sets and message files resolve relative to the request file, then against the fallback roots used for HTTP body files.

The request body contains protobuf JSON. Use < payload.json to load from disk, and add # @body expand if the file includes templates. Responses display message JSON, headers, and trailers, with -bin metadata base64-encoded as it travels on the wire; a failing call also shows any google.rpc.* status details the server attached. History stores method, status, and timing alongside HTTP calls.

Streaming (server/client/bidi) is supported. Unary/server streaming requests use a single JSON object, while client/bidi streaming requests send a JSON array of message objects. Streaming responses return a JSON array, and the Stream tab shows a per-message transcript with a summary.

@timeout / @setting timeout bounds connecting, resolving descriptors, and unary calls. A timeout set on the request itself also bounds the whole stream, so # @timeout 2m ends a server stream after two minutes with DeadlineExceeded. Streams without one run until the server ends them or you cancel from the Stream tab. A timeout inherited from file settings, an environment, or the app default does not apply to streams.

Example:

http

### Generate Report Over gRPC
# @timeout 5s
# @grpc analytics.ReportingService/GenerateReport
# @grpc-reflection true
# @grpc-plaintext true
# @grpc-authority analytics.dev.local
# @grpc-metadata x-trace-id: {{$uuid}}
# @setting grpc-root-cas ./ca.pem
GRPC {{grpc.host}}

{
  "tenantId": "{{tenant.id}}",
  "reportId": "rep-{{$uuid}}"
}

Streaming example:

http

### Bidi Stream Chat
# @grpc chat.ChatService/Stream
# @grpc-plaintext true
GRPC {{grpc.host}}

[
  {"message": "hello"},
  {"message": "again"}
]