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Export Formats Reference

Nidra supports exporting collections and data in various formats.

Nidra Format (JSON)​

Native export format with full fidelity.

File Extension: .glacierlens or .json

Contains:

  • All requests with full configuration
  • Folder/collection structure
  • Environment variables
  • Conduits and test flows
  • Authentication settings
  • Metadata and descriptions

Use for:

  • Backing up collections
  • Sharing with other Nidra users
  • Version control
  • Migrating between systems

Export:

  1. Right-click collection
  2. Select "Export"
  3. Choose "Nidra Format"
  4. Save file

Import:

  1. Click "Import"
  2. Select ".glacierlens" file
  3. Configure options
  4. Import

Postman Collection (v2.1)​

Export to Postman format for compatibility.

File Extension: .json

Contains:

  • Requests (method, URL, headers, body)
  • Folder structure
  • Environment variables (limited)
  • Tests (where convertible)
  • Authentication (basic compatibility)

Limitations:

  • Conduits not supported
  • Some Nidra-specific features lost
  • Parent environments not preserved

Use for:

  • Sharing with Postman users
  • Migration to Postman
  • API documentation

Swagger/OpenAPI 3.0​

Export as OpenAPI specification.

File Extension: .yaml or .json

Contains:

  • API endpoints and operations
  • Request/response schemas
  • Authentication definitions
  • Parameter definitions
  • Descriptions and examples

Limitations:

  • Only API structure (no environments)
  • No test flows or conduits
  • Single API per export

Use for:

  • API documentation
  • Code generation
  • Contract-first development
  • Publishing API specs

Insomnia Format​

Export for Insomnia compatibility.

File Extension: .json

Contains:

  • Requests and folders
  • Environments (partial)
  • Basic authentication

Use for:

  • Migration to Insomnia
  • Sharing with Insomnia users

cURL Commands​

Export requests as cURL commands.

File Extension: .sh or .txt

Contains:

  • Individual request as cURL command
  • Headers and data
  • Authentication (if applicable)

Example:

curl -X POST 'https://api.example.com/users' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer abc123' \
  -d '{"name":"John Doe","email":"john@example.com"}'

Use for:

  • Command-line testing
  • Documentation
  • Sharing single requests
  • Shell scripts

HTTP Archive (HAR)​

Standard web archive format.

File Extension: .har

Contains:

  • Complete HTTP requests and responses
  • Timing information
  • Headers and bodies
  • Cookies

Use for:

  • Performance analysis
  • Browser DevTools import
  • Debugging
  • Traffic analysis

Markdown Documentation​

Export as human-readable documentation.

File Extension: .md

Contains:

  • Collection structure
  • Request descriptions
  • Example requests/responses
  • Authentication notes

Use for:

  • README files
  • Wiki documentation
  • Team knowledge base
  • Client documentation

CSV/Excel​

Export request metadata as spreadsheet.

File Extension: .csv or .xlsx

Contains:

  • Request list with metadata
  • Name, method, URL
  • Status, tags, descriptions

Use for:

  • Inventory
  • Reporting
  • Analysis in spreadsheet tools

Export Options​

Collection Export​

Export entire collection:

Options:

  • Include environments
  • Include conduits
  • Include sensitive data (optional)
  • Format selection

Request Export​

Export single request:

Options:

  • Format (cURL, HTTP, etc.)
  • Include variables (resolved or not)
  • Include authentication

Environment Export​

Export environments separately:

Options:

  • Include secrets (optional)
  • Single or multiple environments
  • Format (JSON, CSV)

Conduit Export​

Export test flows:

Options:

  • Standalone or with dependencies
  • Include assertions
  • Format selection

Import Support​

Nidra can import:

  • Nidra format (full fidelity)
  • Postman collections (v2.0, v2.1)
  • Swagger/OpenAPI (2.0, 3.0, 3.1)
  • Insomnia exports
  • HAR files
  • cURL commands (paste)

Learn about importing →

Best Practices​

Version Control​

  • Export as Nidra JSON
  • Commit to git
  • Use .gitignore for secrets
  • Tag releases

Backups​

  • Regular exports of critical collections
  • Include environments
  • Store securely
  • Test restores

Sharing​

  • Use appropriate format for recipient
  • Remove sensitive data
  • Include documentation
  • Test import on recipient side

Documentation​

  • Export as Markdown for docs
  • Include in project repositories
  • Keep up to date with API changes

Automation​

Command Line​

Export via command line:

glacierlens export --collection "My API" --format postman --output api.json

API​

Programmatic export via API:

const exported = await glacierLens.export({
  collection: "My API",
  format: "openapi"
});

See Also​