Call a gRPC server using server reflection

If your server has reflection enabled, you need no .proto files: type its address, click Connect, pick a method and press ⌘↩. istek tries reflection v1 first and falls back to v1alpha.

Updated

Steps

  1. Type the server address in the toolbar, for example localhost:50051.
  2. If the server uses TLS, click the lock in the toolbar and turn on Enable TLS (see mutual TLS).
  3. Click Connect (⇧⌘C). The sidebar lists every service the server reports.
  4. Select a method. Its arrow shows the call type: → unary, ↠ server stream, ⤚ client stream, ⇄ bidirectional.
  5. The request editor fills in a JSON template for the method's input. Edit it and press ⌘↩.

If nothing appears

  • fatal in the status bar means the connection never opened: check the address, the port and whether TLS is on at both ends.
  • Connected but no services means reflection is not registered on the server. Enable it there, or import the .proto files instead.
  • Reflection needs no extra permission in istek; it is an ordinary call on the same connection.

Try it without a server of your own

grpcb.in:9000 is a public test server with reflection, over plaintext. Connect to it, open hello.HelloService, select SayHello and send {"greeting": "hi"}.

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