create_collection
Create a new collection/workspace in Insomnia
LABSCO SUMMARY
The API collection and the request run, in the same conversation.
The pairing that matters is import plus execute: a cURL line, a Postman export or an OpenAPI spec becomes a real collection, and the request then actually runs with the environment resolved — workspace, sub-environment, folder chain, per-call overrides, in that order — so what comes back is the response rather than a rendered command. And because it reads and writes the installed Insomnia app's own database, work done here shows up in the GUI and work done in the GUI shows up here.
What it is
An API collection manager that stores collections in Insomnia's format and can also read and write the installed Insomnia app's own database directly. It creates and runs requests, resolves environment variables in layers at execution time, and imports from cURL, Postman and OpenAPI.
What you get
- Collections and folders created, listed, inspected with statistics, and exported as Insomnia V4 JSON
- Requests created, updated, deleted and listed, with method, URL, headers, parameters, body and authentication
- A request executed and its response returned, with a timeout defaulting to 30000 ms and a cap on how much of the body comes back
- Execution history per request, up to 20 entries
- Environment variables set and read, and resolved in layers when a request runs — workspace, sub-environment, the folder chain, then per-call overrides
- Imports from a cURL command, a Postman v2.1 collection, an OpenAPI 3.x or Swagger 2.x spec, or an Insomnia V4 export
- Code snippets generated for a request in c, clojure, csharp, go, http, java, javascript, kotlin, node, objc, ocaml, php, powershell, python, ruby, shell or swift, with a client library selectable
- Direct access to the installed Insomnia app on macOS, Linux and Windows: projects and workspaces listed, a request read, one workspace imported or all of them, a collection pushed back, and a request executed in place with no syncing
- Keyword search across every collection, folder and request, plus global statistics
Requirements
Node.js 18 or newer, launched with npx -y mcp-insomnia over stdio, installed globally, or built from source. No account and no key — collections live in the server's own storage. The tools that reach the installed Insomnia application read its local NeDB database directly, so Insomnia has to be on the machine for those to do anything.
Setup effort
One command — npx -y mcp-insomnia
USE CASES
01
Turning a spec into something you can call
Import the OpenAPI or Swagger file into a collection, then run one of the requests it generated.
02
Keeping the cURL someone pasted you
Import the command as a request in the right collection and folder instead of losing it in scrollback.
03
Testing against a different environment
Set the variables, then execute with the environmentId and whatever per-call overrides that run needs.
04
Working with what is already in Insomnia
List the app's workspaces, pull one into storage, or run a request in place without syncing anything.
05
Moving a collection off Postman
Import the v2.1 collection, then export the result as Insomnia V4 JSON.
06
Getting the client code for a request
Generate the snippet in the language and library you actually use.
07
Finding a request in a collection that has grown
Search by keyword across collections, folders and requests, then read the one you meant.
08
Checking whether the last run worked
Read that request's execution history rather than firing it again blind.
29 tools
Counted once with only startup setup. Other versions, modes or optional credentials may expose a different list.
create_folder
Create a folder to group requests within a collection
create_request_in_collection
Create a new request within a specific collection/folder
delete_request
Delete a request from a collection
execute_insomnia_request
Execute a request directly from Insomnia app without syncing. Supports environment variable substitution.
execute_request
Execute a request and get a response
export_collection
Export collection to JSON (Insomnia V4 format)
generate_code_snippet
Generate a code snippet for a request in various languages/frameworks
get_collection_detail
Get full details and statistics of a specific collection
get_environment_variables
Get environment variables from a collection
get_insomnia_collection
Get a complete collection from Insomnia app by workspace ID
get_insomnia_request
Get detailed request information directly from Insomnia
get_request
Get full details of a specific request by ID
get_request_history
Get the execution history of a specific request
get_stats
Get global statistics of all collections
import_from_curl
Create a request from a cURL command
import_from_insomnia_export
Import collections from a standard Insomnia V4 export file
import_from_openapi
Generate requests from OpenAPI/Swagger specification
import_from_postman
Import collections from a Postman Collection v2.1 JSON file
list_collections
List all collections and their structure
list_insomnia_collections
List all collections directly from Insomnia app (requires Insomnia to be installed)
list_insomnia_projects
List all projects from Insomnia app
list_requests
List all requests across collections. Optionally filter by collectionId.
search
Search for a keyword across all collections, folders, and requests
set_environment_variable
Set environment variables for a collection
sync_all_from_insomnia
Import all collections from Insomnia app into MCP storage
sync_from_insomnia
Import a collection from Insomnia app into MCP storage
sync_to_insomnia
Export a collection from MCP storage to Insomnia app
update_request
Update an existing request
BEFORE YOU INSTALL
What to know first
Tools you get
29 tools when we connected.
Requires
- npx on PATH
- Node.js 18+
CONTEXT COST
Light Standing cost
Rated by the size of the 29 tool definitions that ride along on every turn, not by how many there are
INSTALLATION
Connect your client
Add the block to your client, or run the command directly.
Server setup
Configuration file
JSON
{
"mcpServers": {
"mcp-insomnia": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"mcp-insomnia"
]
}
}
}npx
TERMINAL
npx -y mcp-insomnia
