How is the Browser Extension Different from the Desktop App

Requestly is available as both a browser extension and a desktop application. While both platforms offer a similar set of features, their capabilities differ slightly to address platform-specific limitations and better cater to distinct use cases.

The browser extension is comparatively a lighter tool that runs directly within the browsers and is ideal for browser-focused workflows. The desktop app is designed to provide more control over network traffic across the entire system, including apps outside the browser. This comparison outlines functional differences to help you choose the right setup for your use case.

Platform & Browser Support

Browser Extension - Supports all major web browsers, including all Chromium-based browsers, Firefox, and Safari (limited support)

Desktop App - Supports all browsers and any app making network requests. like desktop apps, backend services, mobile devices, etc.

📎 The extension runs inside the browser environment. The desktop app operates system-wide and works with any browser, application or even hardware devices like smartphones etc.

HTTP Interception

🔧 Use the desktop app if you need to work with network traffic beyond the browser, such as from curl, Postman, mobile devices, or backend services.

Feature	Browser Extension	Desktop App
Browser Interception	✅	✅
System-wide Proxy	❌	✅
Mobile App Interception	❌	✅
Locally Installed App Interception	❌	✅

HTTP Rules

Feature	Browser Extention	Desktop App
HTTP Rules	✅ [Limitations below]👇	✅
Delay Rule max delay	5000ms (Fetch/ XHR requests) 10000ms (Other resources)	Unlimited
Redirect to local file	❌	✅
Serve local file Response	❌	✅
Modify HTML/JS/CSS Response	❌	✅
Map Local	❌	✅
Map Remote	✅	✅

💡 The extension works within the limitations of browser APIs. Features like serving local files or modifying HTML/CSS content are only supported in the desktop app due to broader system access.

Mocking & Debugging

Feature	Browser Extension	Desktop App
Mock Server	✅	✅
Bulk Mocking	❌	✅
Session Book	✅	❌
Network Sessions	❌	✅

📌 Tip: Use Desktop App when mocking multiple endpoints or importing HAR files.

Workspaces & Import/Export

Feature	Browser Extension	Desktop App
Local Workspace (Beta)	🚧 (Coming Soon)	✅
Import / Export HAR file	🚧 (Coming Soon)	✅

Visibility of Executed Rules

The way Requestly shows rule executions varies between the browser extension and desktop app, tailored to their respective environments:

Browser Extension

1. A pop-up notification shows which rule was triggered when browsing.

2. Requestly Extension’s icon turns green in the extension toolbar.

3. The extension popup panel also lists recently executed rules, making it easy to confirm if a rule applied.

Desktop App

The rules table visually highlights which rules were applied by turning the corresponding request rows green.