# Postman documentation overview Welcome to the Postman Docs! This is the place to find official information on how to use Postman in your API projects. If you're learning to carry out a specific task or workflow in Postman, check out the following topics to find resources: ## Get started To get started using Postman, check out the [Get started](/docs/getting-started/overview/) section. ## Send requests You can send requests in Postman to connect to APIs you are working with. To learn more about how to send requests, see [Send API requests and get response data in Postman](/docs/sending-requests/requests/) and learn how to [send your first request](/docs/getting-started/first-steps/sending-the-first-request/). ## Write scripts Postman has a powerful runtime based on [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/) that enables you to add dynamic behavior to requests and collections. You can write scripts that run before or after requests to perform API tests, build requests that can contain dynamic parameters, pass data between requests, and more. To learn more about scripts, see [Use scripts to add logic and tests to Postman requests](/docs/tests-and-scripts/write-scripts/intro-to-scripts/). ## Use collections Postman Collections are groups of saved requests. You can use collections to organize and group your requests. They can then be run together. You can run collections manually, on a schedule, from a CI/CD pipeline, or from a webhook. To learn more about collections, see [Organize and automate API requests in Postman Collections](/docs/collections/collections-overview/). ## Use Postman Flows Postman Flows is a visual tool for creating API workflows. You can use flows to chain requests, handle data, and create real-world workflows in your Postman workspace. To learn more about Postman Flows, see [Build API applications visually using Postman Flows](/docs/postman-flows/overview/). ## Use the Postman CLI The Postman CLI is a secure command-line companion for Postman. You can use the Postman CLI to run a collection, send run results to Postman, check API definitions against configured API Governance and API Security rules, and more. To learn more about the Postman CLI, see [Explore Postman's command-line companion](/docs/postman-cli/postman-cli-overview/). ## Collaborate in Postman Postman provides a variety of tools to enable and enhance [collaboration](https://www.postman.com/api-platform/api-collaboration/) within your team. You can create internal workspaces, where team members can share their work and collaborate on API projects. Users can also discuss their work directly in Postman by commenting on collections and APIs, including on specific requests, versions, and inline on API definitions and scripts. To learn more about collaboration in Postman, see [Collaborate in Postman](/docs/collaborating-in-postman/collaborate-in-postman-overview/). ## Design and develop your API Postman supports [API-first development](https://www.postman.com/api-first/) with Spec Hub, types in collections, and the API Builder. Use [Spec Hub](/docs/design-apis/specifications/overview/) or the [API Builder](/docs/design-apis/api-builder/overview/) to design your API's structure in an API specification or definition, respectively. Either can act as the single source of truth for your API project. You can also use [types in collections](/docs/design-apis/collections/overview/) to design your API with the Postman Collection format. To learn more about API-first development, see [Design and build your APIs in Postman](/docs/design-apis/overview/). ## Document your API [Documentation](https://www.postman.com/api-platform/api-documentation/) is an important part of any collection or API. Good documentation helps the people who use your collection understand what it does and how each request works. And comprehensive API documentation lets your consumers know what endpoints are available and how to interact with them. Once you've generated documentation for your collection or API, users can view the documentation in Postman. By default your documentation is private, so you must share a collection or API with others before they can access it. If you're creating a public API, you can publish your documentation to make it publicly available to anyone with a web browser. To learn more about documenting your API, see [Document your APIs in Postman](/docs/publishing-your-api/api-documentation-overview/). ## Monitor your API Postman Monitors give you continuous visibility into the health and performance of your APIs. [Monitors](https://www.postman.com/api-platform/api-monitoring/) enable you to run API test scripts, chain together multiple requests, and validate critical API flows. A monitor runs a series of requests from the Postman cloud on a schedule you set. To learn more about using monitors, see [Monitor health and performance of your APIs in Postman](/docs/monitoring-your-api/intro-monitors/). ## API Governance and API Security [API governance](https://www.postman.com/api-platform/api-governance/) is the practice of defining and applying development rules that promote consistent API behaviors across your organization's API landscape. A robust [API security](https://www.postman.com/api-platform/api-security/) posture means that your organization has development rules that promote security-first API behaviors. The Postman API Governance and Postman API Security features can identify inconsistencies or weaknesses in your APIs, then recommend possible fixes or improvements. To learn more about Postman's API Governance and API Security features, see [API Governance and API Security in Postman](/docs/api-governance/api-governance-overview/). ## Administration Postman provides a variety of options to customize your team's experience, from the initial setup to ongoing team and plan management. As an Admin, you can streamline the onboarding process for your team, manage access control, and keep your team up to date with the latest version of Postman. To learn more about administering your Postman team, see the [Team management overview](/docs/administration/managing-your-team/overview/). ## Use reports Postman generates reports that enable you to visualize data for how your team uses Postman. These reports give you insights into the state of your APIs, including tests, documentation, and monitoring coverage. They also enable you to track performance and SLA adherence. To learn more about how to use reports, see [View reports on usage, security, and billing in Postman](/docs/reports/reports-overview/). ## Developer resources If you're integrating Postman with your CI/CD workflow or are developing with Postman APIs or libraries, check out [Postman developer resources](/docs/developer/resources-intro/). ## Integrations You can connect Postman to your API workflows with integrations for popular third-party solutions. Use integrations to automatically share data between Postman and the other tools you rely on for API development. For more information, see [Integrate Postman with third-party solutions](/docs/integrations/intro-integrations/).