KeyRunner helps developers, security teams, and AI agents safely work with enterprise APIs across desktop, VS Code, and CLI workflows.
KeyRunner started as a zero-trust API client and has expanded into a governed API execution platform for developers, teams, and AI agent environments. It combines secure API testing, local-first request execution, encrypted storage, secret protection, API mocking, CLI automation, desktop workflows, and controlled agent tool execution in one platform.
With KeyRunner, teams can build, test, mock, automate, and run API workflows locally, then expose approved API actions as secure, governed tools for AI agents without handing over raw credentials.
- API Docs: https://docs.keyrunner.app/
- Desktop App for Windows and Mac: https://keyrunner.app
- VS Code Marketplace: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=KeyRunner.keyrunner
KeyRunner is a secure API client and governed runtime for API workflows, automation, and AI agent execution.
It is available across multiple developer surfaces, including desktop apps for Windows and Mac, a Visual Studio Code extension, and CLI workflows. Developers can use KeyRunner to create, test, organize, automate, and execute API requests locally while protecting sensitive data through encryption, masking, and local storage.
For teams adopting AI agents, KeyRunner extends API workflows into governed agent execution. Instead of giving agents direct access to credentials or unrestricted APIs, KeyRunner helps convert approved API operations into controlled tools with policy checks, runtime credential handling, and auditable execution.
Modern teams need more than a basic API client. They need a secure way to test APIs, protect secrets, automate workflows, mock services, and safely allow AI agents to interact with internal systems.
KeyRunner is designed for:
- Developers who need a secure, local-first API testing workspace
- Teams that handle sensitive credentials, tokens, and environment variables
- Organizations that need desktop, IDE, and CLI-based API workflows
- Security-conscious teams that require encrypted request history and local execution
- DevOps and platform teams that want API automation through CLI workflows
- AI agent builders who need governed, limited, and auditable API access
- No-code and low-code API chaining through reusable flows
Create, send, and manage API requests using common HTTP methods including GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, and OPTIONS.
KeyRunner supports headers, query parameters, request bodies, environments, history, collections, and response handling, making it useful for everyday API development and testing.
KeyRunner supports different ways of working with APIs:
- Use the desktop app for a standalone API workspace on Windows and Mac
- Use the VS Code extension inside your development environment
- Use the CLI for automation, scripting, CI workflows, and repeatable API execution
This gives developers and teams flexibility to use the same secure API workflows across local development, automation, and agent execution environments.
KeyRunner is built around secure handling of API data.
- Data encryption at rest
- Sensitive data masking in the interface
- Local storage and local execution
- Encrypted environment variables
- No external dependency for storing request data
- No personal or request data collected or transmitted
KeyRunner extends API workflows into controlled execution for AI agents.
Instead of exposing raw credentials or unrestricted endpoints, teams can define approved API actions that agents are allowed to use. This helps organizations adopt AI agents while maintaining control over permissions, secrets, and execution boundaries.
KeyRunner is designed to support:
- Controlled API execution for agents
- Runtime credential handling
- Policy-aware API access
- Approved action-based workflows
- Reduced exposure of secrets and tokens
- Auditable API execution patterns
- Reusable API tools for agentic workflows
KeyRunner helps teams mock API behavior during development and testing. This allows developers, automation workflows, and agents to work with predictable API responses before production systems are ready or available.
Playground allows users to chain multiple API requests into sequential flows without writing code.
With Playground, you can:
- Chain multiple API requests in order
- Reuse data from previous responses in later requests
- Build multi-step API workflows
- Execute complex testing scenarios without scripts
- Improve testing speed and accuracy through a visual, codeless workflow
The KeyRunner CLI brings secure API execution to terminals, scripts, CI pipelines, and automation workflows.
Use the CLI to:
- Run saved API requests and flows
- Automate repeatable API workflows
- Integrate API execution into developer tooling
- Support CI and local automation use cases
- Execute approved API actions in controlled environments
KeyRunner encrypts stored data and focuses on secure handling of sensitive information such as API keys, tokens, request history, and environment variables.
Your API data is stored locally on your machine. KeyRunner is designed to keep API workflows private and under your control.
KeyRunner supports:
GETPOSTPUTPATCHDELETEHEADOPTIONS
Create, configure, send, and inspect API requests and responses with support for headers, query parameters, request bodies, and response analysis.
Manage environment variables for different contexts and workflows. Sensitive values are encrypted and protected.
Keep track of request history, organize APIs into collections, and build reusable flows through Playground.
Use Playground to automate multi-step API workflows without writing scripts or glue code.
Expose approved API actions to AI agents in a controlled way, helping teams reduce the risk of unrestricted API access or credential leakage.
Download the KeyRunner desktop app for Windows and Mac:
- Open the VS Code Extensions panel using
Ctrl+Shift+X. - Search for
KeyRunner. - Click install.
Marketplace URL:
https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=KeyRunner.keyrunner
Install and use the KeyRunner CLI for terminal-based API execution, automation, and CI workflows.
Refer to the API docs for CLI setup and usage:
- Open KeyRunner from the desktop app or VS Code activity bar.
- Create a new request.
- Configure the HTTP method, URL, headers, query parameters, and request body.
- Send the request.
- Review the secure response inside KeyRunner.
- Organize requests into collections or chain them in Playground flows.
Use the KeyRunner CLI to run saved requests, execute flows, and automate API workflows from your terminal or CI environment.
KeyRunner is designed with privacy in mind.
Your data is stored locally on your computer, and environment variables are encrypted. KeyRunner does not collect or transmit personal data or request data.
This makes it suitable for security-conscious development environments where API credentials, tokens, and request payloads must be handled carefully.
KeyRunner is useful for:
- API developers
- Backend engineers
- Platform teams
- DevOps teams
- Security teams
- QA engineers
- AI agent builders
- Enterprises adopting governed agentic workflows
KeyRunner is not just an API client.
It is a secure API workspace and governed execution layer that helps teams move from manual API testing to controlled API automation and agent-safe execution across desktop, IDE, CLI, and AI workflows.
Contributions are welcome. If you have ideas for new features or find a bug, feel free to open an issue.
Refer to the provided license documentation for legal information regarding the use of KeyRunner.