A few years ago, I switched from Postman to Insomnia. Postman had become bloated with buttons and features I didn't need. Insomnia felt lightweight in comparison. It had stayed focused on simple features that I often take advantage of.


Insomnia was invaluable for testing and iterating when we were planning the design of our public REST API for Stashpad. Switching to a different request is much faster, and even though our initial API offering is quite simple some of my favorite features still came in handy.


In this article, I'll talk about my favorite Insomnia features and how I use them.

Working with multiple environments in Insomnia

I have found that setting up my environments correctly helps me quickly switch between testing against localhost and production. Any time I start a new collection of requests, I start by setting up the 

 I'll be querying against across multiple environments. First, I set up a Local environment for testing against localhost.

Once I select the Local environment, all of the data in that environment is available to use in any input field in the app. Template data can be referenced by wrapping the variable name in double curly brackets, like 

. There's even an autocomplete, which is helpful if you don't remember the exact casing you used when defining the variable.

Another environment variable I added is the API key that I generated for each environment. It's used in request headers. Here, I named the variable 

. It's nice to be able to use the variables outside of the URL I'm querying against.

Once I'm happy with the configuration for the POST request to create a new document, I can easily duplicate that to a GET with an identical config. The option to duplicate is available in the dropdown menu, 

 on macOS. Since we're hitting the same base path for the GET, it's easy to duplicate and then tweak the new config from there.

After duplicating the request, which I named 

, I switched the new request method to GET. I then added a doc ID at the end of the route, which I grabbed from the response in the previous POST request.


Now that I've configured the request to GET a doc, I can fire it off with 

 on macOS. When trying to debug a specific route in the app, it's quick to focus on the Insomnia window and then hit 


Another trick I use for debugging is to set the "Send on interval" option, which is available in the send dropdown. I set the interval to 5 seconds and then add logs throughout the app until I find the issue. If your app hot reloads, this makes it fast to track down where the request is taking a different branch of code than you expect.

 endpoint, the response can be large if you have a long history of docs you've visited. In this case, I have a list of about 75 docs that I've visited across the dev environment.

To quickly filter to only the list of IDs, I can enter this json-path filter at the bottom of the response area. I use this often when trying to compare a list of recent docs' titles to their full content. By copying this list into a query to the database, it was easy to verify that recent information was updated correctly as document content changed.

Generally, I try to organize my requests into folders that mirror the routers in the server that I'm working on. It's usually quick to find what I'm looking for, but over time I end up with random requests for testing bad request shapes, different API keys, and other random configurations.


As requests clutter up over time, I think it's faster to search for what you're looking for. Searching with 

 even works across collections. Sometimes the request I'm trying to find is in a different collection, for example in our private API.

I love that Insomnia offers a wider set of themes than just light and dark. All of the screenshots in this post were made with the 

 theme. When it gets dark outside and my eyes are tired, I like to switch to 

 themes in VS Code as well. I like to switch the theme around quite a bit to keep things fresh. Some of my other favorites are Hyper, which is really saturated, and Material, which is not!

This article was drafted using Stashpad Docs. It offers instant team collaboration with no account signup required. Markdown support lets you ditch formatting headaches and focus on getting your ideas down. Create one today by typing stash.new in your browser.

My favorite Insomnia features and shortcuts

Nick Beaulieu

In this article, I'll talk about my favorite Insomnia features and how I use them.

 is a minimal Google Docs alternative with markdown support and no account required. Today we're releasing our first integration, which is with 


Bear is the most loved Markdown editor on MacOS. The Bear team has the same 

 as Stashpad but is laser-focused on personal notes, not real-time collaborative notes.


We saw an opportunity to integrate with Bear to offer Bear's users the collaborative functionality they'd like and at the same time, get Stashpad in the hands of more people.


Today we're excited to share that you can now collaborate from Bear using Stashpad.

First, you'll need to install the Share Bear Note with Stashpad shortcut. The shortcut is available for MacOS and iOS / iPad.

From there, the integration is really simple to use.

In Bear, select the note you want to live collaborate on

Then, trigger the shortcut from the shortcuts menu if on MacOS or via the Share Bear Note with Stashpad option on iOS / iPad.

This will create a doc and open it in your browser

Share the link to the doc with any collaborators. They'll also be able to collaborate without an account.

For more information on the integration, check out our 

 or send an email to hello@stashpad.com (we read and reply to every email!)

Introducing the Bear integration with Stashpad

Cara (Borenstein) Marin

You can now collaborate on a Bear note via Stashpad

Software developers are the heart beat of tech companies. But with pressures like lofty sprint goals and milestones constantly coming and going, it can be easy to lose track of all the contributions you’ve made.

This is especially true if you’re doing work like creating architecture diagrams or taking on major refactors, both important but not as immediately noticeable.

 about the importance of brag sheets for getting your work recognized. This helps developers avoid falling into the trap of “invisible work”.

In this article, we’ll discuss brag sheets, and how and why you should make one.

Why it's important to communicate your successes as a software developer

There are many reasons why it’s important to catalogue your successes and contributions at work. The reality is that you won’t have anyone else to track these things for you. While (good) managers will notice the hard work you do, they won’t see everything. They also won’t know what work was particularly meaningful to you. Tracking and sharing your contributions is your own responsibility–your future self with thank you!


Here’s why you should create a ‘brag sheet’:

Brag sheets can help protect you against invisible work

Many folks–not just software developers–fall victim to invisible work.

How to End the Unfairness of Invisible Work

, says “... Invisible work—a term coined by sociologist Arlene Kaplan Daniels to describe work that goes unpaid, unacknowledged, and thus, unregulated—abounds in the workplace, especially when we look back on our careers in hindsight. Once you know, you cannot stop seeing such labor everywhere. It’s especially egregious for women and people of color, who pick up the slack for organizations that come to rest greatly on our efforts.”

Invisible work can take time away from ‘highly visible’ work and doesn’t benefit from the same awareness. Taking time to capture this type of work in a brag sheet so you can surface it up to leadership is crucial for getting appropriate recognition.

You can use a brag sheet to build your resume over time

Have you ever gone to work on your resume and blanked on what you should put under the experience section? Even if you know deep down that you contributed a lot in your role, it can still be challenging to come up with specific examples when your memories start to blur with time. In a recent conversation on brag sheets with 

, Senior Software Developer at WillowTree, Fred underlined the importance of capturing your contributions over time. “There's never enough time to reconstruct them from commits and email history. You have to manage your calendar to collect these or they are gone.”

Having a brag sheet that you’ve continuously updated will provide great reference material for your resume or 

. You can easily search your brag sheet for specific experiences and the impact, making it easier to update your resume with your key accomplishments. Your brag sheet could also serve as a resource for preparing for job interviews, helping you more clearly remember experiences of past roles.

Brag sheets create opportunities for reflection and confidence building

Most of us have probably experienced a healthy dose of imposter syndrome from time to time. And when it strikes, it can affect the way you see yourself and your abilities.

Keeping a brag sheet to remind you of the work you’re proud of can come in handy for those days when you’re not feeling your best. Seeing a long list of successes, learnings and accomplishments provides concrete evidence that you’re doing a great job.

Not only that, the mental exercise of routinely reflecting on your achievements will help train your mind to recognize and celebrate your successes. Too often we glaze over important wins and quickly move onto the next thing. Consistently adding to a brag sheet will help you live in the moment.

Brag sheets can help you discover what type of work you’re most passionate about

A lot of us are so focused on our day to day, that we don’t take time to reflect on what makes us truly satisfied at work. Certain tasks may make you feel more accomplished and proud than others and a good brag sheet can help you identify these patterns.

Knowing what lights a fire within you can help you define your career path, know when to jump at projects you know will be exciting, and empower you to identify promising opportunities when they come.

You can reference your brag sheet when making a case for a promotion

If you feel you’re ready to take the next step in your career and want to start having conversations with your manager about getting a promotion, you’re going to want a brag sheet in your back pocket.

It’s common that to get a promotion, you need to have been operating at that level for a while. So you’re likely already doing most of the responsibilities of the role that you want to be promoted to. Capturing this in a brag sheet and showing your manager can help them see that too.

A manager won't remember every little thing you did, but having it spelled out in front of them could go a long way towards convincing them you’re ready for the next step.

How to create a brag sheet: One centralized doc to list your achievements

The good news is, creating a brag sheet is simple. The key to ensuring the habit of maintaining a brag sheet lasts is to make it easy. You don’t need a complicated program. You just need an 

 that you can append to. Don’t bother with fancy formatting, just create logical sections and add bullet points under each of them.

Keep a simple process for keeping your brag doc up to date

There’s no ‘right’ process for keeping a brag sheet. It’s going to depend on your personal habits and the company you work at. There are a few things to consider.

We recommend taking time to reflect at the end of each week and jot down a few snippets of what you worked on. This will ensure that nothing important slips through the cracks. You can put a weekly reminder in your calendar so you don’t forget.

, Developer and former Head of Engineering at Sourcegraph, has a good

 that you might want to document in your brag sheet: architecture diagrams, major features, major refactor, documentation, CI improvements, any measurable business impact from your works. Here’s an 

Share your brag doc with key people in your org

There are personal benefits to keeping a brag sheet, but there’s also a lot to gain from sharing your brag sheet.

Sharing with your manager is a great place to start. Share your brag sheet during your one-on-one meetings or during reviews. Your manager can’t be everywhere at once, so they’ll be grateful you’ve taken the initiative to show them what they may have missed.

Your mentors are also great people to share your brag sheet with. Your mentorship conversations shouldn’t always be centered around needing help or advice, they can also be used to celebrate and talk through your wins.

Additionally, if you have trusted peers, mutually sharing your brag sheets can be a great way to hold each other accountable and create more visibility across your team.

Remember! When sharing your brag sheet and asking for feedback, make sure it’s organized and easy to read. You should take a few moments to clean things up and make sure your notes are clear and simple to understand before sharing.

 Stashpad Docs is free and lets you start a doc in a second. Just type 

How to Showcase Your Contributions: Brag Sheets for Software Developers

Jess Cooper

Get promoted faster and feel more fulfilled at work by keeping a brag sheet.

Software developers and engineers need easy-to-use tools to keep their notes and projects organized. Many companies opt for platforms like Google Docs. While Google Docs is powerful, it isn't necessarily built with software developers' or development teams' needs in mind.


Regardless, with a few clicks, you can still improve the setup to work better for you. 

In this post, we'll show you how to create a code block in Google Docs.


And if you're looking for a better docs option built specifically for developers, feel free to skip to the end!

There are several instances why you might want to use 

If you're creating technical documentation with how-tos that include things like commands or queries to run, leveraging code blocks will make it easier for whoever is using the documentation. Code blocks are the best way to insert these types of things inline.

If you're creating an implementation plan in Google Docs, you might want to include small lines of code that relate to what you'll implement. Code blocks are the best way to add small chunks of code to Docs.

If you need to keep a running list of code snippets or commands that your team uses, like for deploying or running a test suite. If Google Docs doesn't work for you, you could also explore 

Code blocks also offer additional benefits, like making code snippets easier to read with syntax highlighting.

Adding code blocks can be an important part of expressing yourself with technical writing. Sometimes you may find that you can say more with code than you can in plain writing. Kind of like you can say more with an image than plain writing.

How to create a code block in Google Docs

To create code blocks, you'll first have to install the code block extension. It takes a few minutes but you'll only have to do this once for each Google Account that you use.

How to install the code block extension in Google Docs

Open up a Google Doc, and then click on 'Extensions'. Select 'Add ons' and then 'Get add-ons'

, use the search bar to search for code blocks.

In the results, look for 'Select Code Blocks', which should be the first result.  Click on 'Code Blocks' to install it and grant any necessary authorization.

You now have code blocks installed, awesome! Next, we'll discuss how to create the code block.

Now that you've got your code block add-on installed, you can now open the code block extension. Navigate to 'Extensions', and then click on 'Code Blocks' and 'Start'.

You're all set to drop in your code snippet. Just select format, and you're done!

You've now successfully used code blocks in Google Docs.

Want a better alternative to using code blocks in Google Docs?


Stashpad Docs was built to be an alternative to Google Docs made just for development teams. With out-of-the-box markdown support, you can create a doc and get started creating a code block in far fewer clicks than with Google.


In Stashpad Docs, use markdown to create a code block. 

 Type ``` and then optionally type the programming language to enable syntax highlighting.

You can alternatively use the Code Block option in the bottom toolbar to create a code block.

Stashpad Docs is a minimal alternative to Google Docs that streamlines collaboration with markdown support and no account required.

It's the fastest way to start collaborating - it just takes a single click to jump into a new doc. No more permission dances or nine-click battles, just a fast and easy experience.

Try Stashpad Docs, an alternative to Google Docs, for free today.

How to Use Code Blocks in Google Docs 

Learn how software developers can download the code block extension and create a code block in Google Docs

Last month we launched Stashpad Docs - a minimal Google Docs alternative with markdown support and no account required.

We were blown away by the response we received. And it's clear to us that there's a renewed interest in minimal software that does one thing and 

 and received thoughtful feedback that will go a long way towards helping us make Stashpad Docs the best minimal tool it can be.

Actual usage of Stashpad Docs so far has been exciting too, with over 24,000 docs created, 15,000 searches performed, and 3,500 docs shared. Wow.

In this spirit of developing out in the open and continuous improvement, we'll be discussing some of the direct feedback we received–both positive and constructive– and how we plan to use this feedback to improve.

Bringing Stashpad Docs to the world was our first chance to get raw, unfiltered feedback at scale. We were so excited to see how the community would respond. Here, we'll discuss the most common themes in the feedback.


Simplicity has now become so rare that people crave it


Minimal software has become a way of the past in recent years, so it was really exciting to bring this type of offering to the market to see what happens. While we wholeheartedly believe in our software and mission to embrace The Unix Philosophy to Do one Thing and Do it well, we were still humbly surprised and encouraged by how much the minimalist approach resonated.

It's clear a more simple approach to software is a breath of fresh air compared to the overly feature-rich, bogged-down software that is so common today.

At the core of almost all the feedback we received is how powerful simplicity is. It's clear being able to easily get started collaborating without a learning curve is super powerful.

Here are some snapshots of the feedback we received about Stashpad Docs' simplicity.

It’s not just developers who value the ease of Markdown

When we first began our journey to developing a notes app with markdown support, we (wrongly) assumed that it would only appeal to developers. But we’ve been so pleasantly surprised by how well-received markdown editing is by non technical folks. They’ve been more than willing to pick it up and learn. With such a small learning curve, we really believe anyone can get up to speed quickly and experience the benefits of keeping your fingers on the keyboard when taking notes, writing and formatting. Especially for people who spend a lot of their day writing.

Aaron O'Leary, Content Writer at Product Hunt, even said, "As a writer, I learned markdown because it’s easier than using my toolbar. It's 10x'd my writing speed, every writer that learns it never goes back."

Here's what you thought about Stashpad Docs’ markdown support.

The line between minimalism and being feature-rich is thin

Throughout this process of building Stashpad Docs, we've stayed committed to simplicity. It’s important we don't compromise on that, so as we evaluate adding new features we're considering if the benefits of this feature outweigh the risk of making Stashpad less simple.

We received feedback that for some users, Stashpad Docs doesn’t yet have enough functionality. And while we are in the early days of building Stashpad Docs and will strategically add enhancements, we want to do this in a way that keeps the product simple.

We've received a bunch of feature requests, including the ability to clean up docs you’re done with, spell check, organize with folders, and more. As we evaluate these requests, our goal is to keep a really high bar when it comes to adding features. We certainly see the value and simplicity in being able to clean up the docs you’re done with, so we’ve already delivered the archive.

One area where we feel we can add value without bogging down the experience is through integrations with your other favorite apps.

The first type of integration we'll be adding is around making it even easier to create docs. People love being able to type 

 in their browser and want more easy ways to create a stash, like from Raycast, Script Kit, Slack, and from personal markdown editors like Bear and Obsidian. Another integration we'll likely add is making it easy to push todos to tools that specialize in action items like Todoist and Linear.

We received such great feedback during the launch, that we want to share a few other quotes that stood out to us. We also wrote a blog on how to use Stashpad Docs to collaborate with external stakeholders. 

Darrian loves how easy it is to share a Stashpad Doc.


We're not setting out to be Google Docs. We're setting out to change the entire experience of using collaborative docs. Fast. Lightweight. Easy to share.

Try Stashpad Docs right now. No download. No login required. Just type 

What We Learned From You: Reflecting on the Stashpad Docs Launch

Four weeks after the Stashpad Docs launch, we're talking about what we learned from you and how we’re moving forward.

Many software development teams are given Google Docs as a default platform to take notes, organize thoughts, and capture documentation.


Just because it's the default though, it doesn't necessarily make it a good experience for developers.

On that note, we set out to create an alternative to Google Docs that's a better fit for development teams.


Enter, Stashpad Docs. A minimalist alternative to Google Docs that streamlines collaboration with a developer-centric approach. Turning simple actions like highlighting text from a multi-click feat to a simple markdown keyboard command.

Now, let's get into the difference in how to highlight text in Google Docs vs Stashpad Docs.

The first step is to click and drag your cursor over the text you want to highlight.


Then along the toolbar, look for the icon that looks like a highlighter pen. Click on it.

You'll see a panel open up, which will allow you to choose from a range of colors or to add a Custom color.

To choose a custom highlight color in Google Docs, you can either:

Select the color picker and hover over an image to choose a color within the image that you want to select.

Or, use the plus icon to enter hex code or RGB code.

Once you've chosen your highlight color, use your cursor to drag over the text you'd like highlighted.

To remove a highlight, re-select the incorrectly highlighted text. Go back to the toolbar and reselect the highlighter pen. And click 'none'.

Keep in mind that you can select white to remove the highlighter, but a white highlight will show up on any background that isn't pure white (#ffffff). We recommend using the 'None' option when removing a highlight, especially when a document will be printed, converted to a pdf, or on the web.

Because Stashpad provides a developer-centric experience, highlights are made using markdown.

Simply surround the text you want to highlight with 

Stashpad Docs, an alternative to Google Docs

Stashpad Docs is a minimalist alternative to Google Docs that streamlines collaboration with a developer-centric approach.

It’s the fastest way to start collaborating - it just takes a single click to jump into a new doc. No more permission dances or nine-click battles, just a fast and easy experience.

, an alternative to Google Docs, for free today.

How to highlight text in Google Docs vs. Stashpad Docs

Learn how to highlight text in Google Docs, and how much easier it is to do in Stashpad Docs

Doug McIlroy (who was head of the Computing Techniques Research Department at Bell Labs) said:

"This is the Unix philosophy: Write programs that do one thing and do it well."

Development on the Unix operating system started in 1969 at Bell Labs. In an era when operating systems consisted of "

 with lots and lots of functionality built in", Unix was designed around the ideas of modularity and simplicity. This design has led Unix to have tremendous staying power: it would come to play a central role in the development of Linux and macOS. Its impact has been remarkable.

Today, we live in a world of Superapps and all-in-one solutions. Much of the software we use on a daily basis is filled with features that most of us don't use or need. It’s the norm that tools are difficult to learn and still cumbersome to use even once you're familiar with them. The proliferation of features slows you down by getting in the way, and tends to go hand-in-hand with literal slow-downs and lag. Even experiences with leading, state-of-the-art software are too often frustrating and overwhelming.

Somewhere along the line, we lost the lesson of the Unix Philosophy. The idea that software works better when it’s simple - when it has a single, well-defined purpose and does a great job at it. 

Today, it's difficult to identify any examples of modern software that match this description.

That's what we aim to do at Stashpad. In the spirit of the Unix Philosophy, we're building software tools for work that embrace 

. Each of our tools has one job, and we are working hard on making sure it does that job exceptionally well. An important part of this is stripping away all the excess that just gets in the way, so that only what's essential is included.

So far, we have tools for Lists and Docs. In the future, rather than undermining these tools with clutter and complexity, we’ll consider building other new tools that have their own reason for being.

But first, we'll make sure our existing tools are as good as they can be before we embark on something new. This involves going deep on optimizing performance, so that you always get a delightfully snappy experience. It also means making sure our tools do have the non-negotiables so that they fully deliver on their intended purpose, which requires careful weighing of tradeoffs.

Simple, beautiful, and fast – these are the things you should expect from a Stashpad product.

Minimalism. No learning curve, no superfluous elements, excellent at what it does. This is what our favorite kind of tool is like. We'd love for more tools like this to exist!

We're setting out to demonstrate that minimalism can be attained in modern software.

Do One Thing and Do It Well: Embracing the Unix Philosophy at Stashpad

Theo Marin

No learning curve, no superfluous elements, excellent at what it does. That’s our goal at Stashpad.

If you've ever had to work on a project or initiative with external collaborators, you'd know that document sharing can be a bit of a nightmare. Tools like Google Docs can make sharing a document feel like you’re trying to break someone into Fort Knox, and unnecessarily so.

While security is extremely important, there's a time and place for strict permissions, like when dealing with sensitive, competitive or private personal information. However for most of us, the majority of our day-to-day work doesn't involve this level of sensitivity. And when working with external folks, having cumbersome document permissions processes can make everyone's lives harder.

Complicated collaborative document permissions can result in serious slow downs in collaboration and productivity. In our minds, collaborating with external folks should just run smoothly. It can already be complicated enough, why add annoying permissions to the mix?

We like to take a more measured approach to access controls here at Stashpad. We use Nano IDs to create unique URL-based identifiers for our collaborative docs app. This allows for an (optionally) login-free and permissions-free experience, so sharing documents with collaborators is as simple as copying and pasting a link. We still maintain security of documents as 

Nano IDs are almost virtually impossible to guess

A recent conversation with one of our investors, 

Charles Hudson, Managing Partner at Precursor Ventures

, who uses Stashpad for his work, opened our eyes to some powerful scenarios where a login-free and permissions-free experience improves productivity and streamlines processes.

1. When working with groups of collaborators and you don't know their emails

When communicating in more 'personal' messaging or social media apps, you may know all of the people you’re collaborating with, but not their emails. Some apps use phone number based logins or don't provide access to see the person's email (like in LinkedIn or WhatsApp.)


If you're chatting with a group of people on one of these platforms, but are ready to begin working on a collaborative doc together, getting everyone into a Google Doc could become time consuming. You could waste hours of high-value time asking for everyone’s email and manually entering it into the permissions settings.


With an app like Stashpad Docs, you can easily just copy the doc link and paste it into the group chat. The added benefit is that if people in the group aren’t familiar with working in Google Docs, they won’t face a steep learning curve before they can jump in. They can open the doc and immediately start contributing in a user-friendly interface.

2. When sharing documents containing 'public secrets'

Blog

Notes from the Stashpad team and community.

My favorite Insomnia features and shortcuts

Introducing the Bear integration with Stashpad

How to Showcase Your Contributions: Brag Sheets for Software Developers

How to Use Code Blocks in Google Docs

What We Learned From You: Reflecting on the Stashpad Docs Launch

How to highlight text in Google Docs vs. Stashpad Docs

Do One Thing and Do It Well: Embracing the Unix Philosophy at Stashpad

Why and When to Use a Login-free Docs App with External Collaborators

How to enable dark theme for Google Docs

How Secure is a Nano ID?

Make your Work
Note-Worthy

My favorite Insomnia features and shortcuts

Introducing the Bear integration with Stashpad

How to Showcase Your Contributions: Brag Sheets for Software Developers

How to Use Code Blocks in Google Docs

What We Learned From You: Reflecting on the Stashpad Docs Launch

How to highlight text in Google Docs vs. Stashpad Docs

Do One Thing and Do It Well: Embracing the Unix Philosophy at Stashpad

Why and When to Use a Login-free Docs App with External Collaborators

How to enable dark theme for Google Docs

How Secure is a Nano ID?

Make your Work Note-Worthy

Make your Work
Note-Worthy