How to Migrate from Bruno to Postmate Client (Step-by-Step Guide)

Already using Bruno and want to switch to Postmate Client? You don't need a separate importer — Bruno has a built-in Export to Postman option, and Postmate Client already supports importing Postman collections natively. That means migrating from Bruno takes just two short steps.

You can also import from Swagger/OpenAPI or migrate from Postman if either of those fits your situation better.

Why This Works

Bruno collections are stored in Bruno's own .bru format, but Bruno's Share → Export menu can convert any collection directly into a Postman Collection JSON file. Since Postmate Client already has full Postman import support, there's no need for a dedicated Bruno parser — you get a clean migration path using tools both apps already provide.

Prerequisites

• Bruno installed, with the collection you want to migrate
• Postmate Client extension installed in VS Code

Step 1: Export Your Collection from Bruno

1. Open your collection in Bruno.

2. Click the collection options (•••) menu and select Share.

   The collection's ••• menu — select "Share" to open the export panel.

3. In the Share Collection panel, select the Export tab → Postman.

   The Bruno "Share Collection" panel — choose Export, then Postman.

4. Click Proceed.

5. Save the exported .json file to your machine.

Tip: Bruno's Export panel also offers Bruno Collection (ZIP), Single File (YAML), and OpenAPI Specification formats — for migrating to Postmate Client, Postman is the one you want.

Step 2: Import into Postmate Client

1. In the Postmate Client sidebar, click the hamburger menu (☰) next to the collection search bar.

   Click the hamburger icon above your collections list to open the import menu.

2. Select Import Postman/Postmate.

3. From the "Select collection type" dropdown, choose Postman.

   Choose "Postman" since that's the format you exported from Bruno.

4. Browse to the exported .json file.

5. Click Import Postman Collection.

Your Bruno collection will now appear in the Postmate Client sidebar — fully structured and ready to use.

What Transfers Cleanly

• ✅ URLs, methods, headers, body
• ✅ Folder structure
• ✅ Environment variables

What to Double-Check After Import

• ⚠️ Pre-request / post-response scripts — Bruno uses its own scripting API (bru.setVar, etc.), while Postmate Client uses the pm library. Review any imported scripts and adjust syntax where needed.
• ⚠️ Assertions — Bruno's native assert blocks may not map one-to-one to Postmate Client's Tests & Assertions format. Re-check and re-test after import.

Quick Reference Summary

Step	What to Do
1	In Bruno, open collection ••• menu → Share → Export → Postman
2	Click Proceed and save the .json file
3	In Postmate Client, click the ☰ menu → Import Postman/Postmate
4	Choose Postman as the collection type
5	Browse to the .json file and click Import Postman Collection

Why Switch to Postmate Client?

Postmate Client gives you Data-Driven Testing, built-in CI/CD via the pmc CLI, and response comparison — all while staying 100% local with no login required.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a special Bruno importer for Postmate Client?

No. Bruno can export collections directly in Postman format, and Postmate Client already supports importing Postman collections — so no dedicated Bruno importer is needed.

Will my Bruno scripts work after import?

Not automatically. Bruno's scripting API differs from Postmate Client's pm library, so pre-request and post-response scripts may need minor manual adjustments after import.

What export format should I choose in Bruno?

Choose Postman under Bruno's Share → Export menu. The other formats (Bruno ZIP, YAML, OpenAPI) are not directly compatible with Postmate Client's import flow.

Share Your Feedback

Tried migrating from Bruno? We'd love to hear what you think.

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