Teach HTTP, auth, and REST with a real API.
Not a mock. Not JSONPlaceholder. A real backend with auth, persistent data, and logs - ready for any browser, any language, any classroom.
The classroom API problem
Students get stuck installing databases, configuring servers, and troubleshooting environment issues before writing a single API call. The first hour of class shouldn't be tech support.
Common classroom friction
- Students lose time installing and configuring local servers
- Mock APIs don't teach real-world auth flows
- Shared endpoints mean students overwrite each other's data
- No way to show pagination, scoping, or logs in a hands-on exercise
What ReqRes gives educators
Students call real HTTP endpoints from the browser, Postman, or cURL. No installation needed.
Teach magic links, session tokens, and Bearer auth with actual API calls - not theoretical diagrams.
Each student (or group) gets their own project. No data collisions, no shared state.
Every API request is logged with method, path, status, and timing. Students can see exactly what their code sent and what came back - the best debugging teacher there is.
Most classroom APIs give you static fake data that resets between requests. ReqRes is different - data persists, users authenticate with real tokens, and every request is logged. When students outgrow GET /posts, they're ready for ReqRes.
What you can teach with ReqRes
GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE against real endpoints. Students see status codes, headers, and response bodies.
Walk through magic-link login → token verification → session usage. Students understand auth end-to-end.
Create, read, update, and delete records with JSON payloads. Schema validation gives instant feedback on mistakes.
Teach page-based pagination with real meta objects. Define collection schemas to introduce data modelling.
What your students write on day one
A real API call from the browser console. No npm install. No project setup.
// Fetch a list of records - works in any browser console
const response = await fetch(
'https://reqres.in/app/collections/todos/records',
{ headers: { 'x-api-key': 'pk_class_...' } }
)
const data = await response.json()
console.log(data)
// → { data: [...], meta: { page: 1, limit: 10, total: 3, pages: 1 } }// Add a new record - students see it persist across page refreshes
await fetch('https://reqres.in/app/collections/todos/records', {
method: 'POST',
headers: {
'Content-Type': 'application/json',
'x-api-key': 'pk_class_...'
},
body: JSON.stringify({
data: { title: 'Read chapter 5', completed: false }
})
})
// → 201 Created - the record is real and stored in the databaseFrom here, introduce authentication (magic links + session tokens), pagination, and per-user data scoping. Each concept builds on standard fetch() calls - no new tooling to learn.
Why educators choose ReqRes
Students make real API calls in the first five minutes. No installs, no local servers, no "it works on my machine."
Students learn the same auth flows, REST conventions, and data patterns used in real software - not simplified simulations.
The free tier covers classroom use comfortably. No credit card, no purchase order, no IT approval.
Chromebooks, lab computers, personal laptops - if it has a browser, it works. No Docker, no Node, no admin permissions needed.
Not an educator? See ReqRes for founders, frontend developers, or QA teams.
Already using something else?
See how ReqRes compares - and where it fits alongside tools you already know.
Focus on teaching, not tech support.
Free for classrooms. No card, no approval process. Set up a project in minutes.