Postman Collections and Folders

A collection is a saved group of related API requests. Instead of retyping a URL every time you test an API, you save all your requests into a collection and run them with a single click. This topic teaches you how to create, organize, and use collections effectively.

Why Collections Matter

Imagine testing an online store API. You have dozens of requests — get products, add a product, update a product, delete a product, log in, check orders, and so on. Without collections, you lose each request the moment you close the tab. Collections save your work permanently and organize it in a structure that makes sense.

Collection Structure Diagram

📁 Online Store API  (Collection)
│
├── 📂 Authentication
│   ├── 🔵 POST Login
│   └── 🔵 POST Refresh Token
│
├── 📂 Products
│   ├── 🟢 GET All Products
│   ├── 🟢 GET Product by ID
│   ├── 🔵 POST Create Product
│   ├── 🟡 PUT Update Product
│   └── 🔴 DELETE Product
│
└── 📂 Orders
    ├── 🟢 GET My Orders
    └── 🔵 POST Place Order

A collection holds folders. Folders hold requests. This hierarchy keeps everything neat and easy to find.

Create a New Collection

1. Click the Collections tab in the left sidebar
2. Click the + icon at the top of the sidebar or click New Collection
3. Type a name for your collection, for example: JSONPlaceholder Practice
4. Click Create

Your new collection appears in the sidebar. It is empty at first.

Add a Request to a Collection

Method 1: Save from a Request Tab

1. Build your request in a tab (URL, method, headers, body)
2. Click Save (or press Ctrl+S)
3. Give the request a descriptive name
4. Select the collection to save it in
5. Click Save

Method 2: Add Directly in the Sidebar

1. Hover over your collection name in the sidebar
2. Click the three-dot menu (...) that appears
3. Select Add Request
4. A new request tab opens already linked to that collection

Create Folders Inside a Collection

1. Hover over your collection name in the sidebar
2. Click the three-dot menu and select Add Folder
3. Name the folder (for example: Users or Posts)
4. Drag existing requests into the folder, or save new requests directly into it

Collection-Level Settings

A collection can hold shared settings that apply to every request inside it. Click the collection name to open the collection editor.

Authorization

Set an API key or token once at the collection level. All requests inside inherit it automatically. No need to set auth on each request individually.

Variables

Define variables at the collection level, such as a base URL. Every request in the collection can use this variable.

Scripts

Write pre-request or post-request scripts that run for every request in the collection. Useful for setting tokens or checking responses automatically.

Duplicate, Rename, and Delete

Right-click any collection, folder, or request in the sidebar to see options:

• Rename — change the name of the item
• Duplicate — creates an exact copy you can modify
• Delete — removes the item permanently
• Export — saves the collection as a JSON file you can share

Export and Import Collections

Collections are portable. You can export a collection as a JSON file and import it on another machine or share it with a teammate.

Export a Collection

1. Click the three-dot menu on the collection
2. Select Export
3. Choose Collection v2.1 format
4. Click Export and save the file

Import a Collection

1. Click the Import button near the top of the sidebar
2. Drag and drop the JSON file or click to browse and select it
3. Click Import

The collection appears in your sidebar instantly with all its folders and requests intact.

Fork a Collection

Forking creates a personal copy of someone else's collection. You can edit a fork without changing the original. Use this when a teammate shares a collection and you want to experiment safely.

1. Click the three-dot menu on the shared collection
2. Select Fork
3. Choose your workspace and click Fork Collection

Best Practices for Organizing Collections

Summary

Collections save and organize your API requests in a reusable, portable format. Folders within collections group related requests by feature or resource. Collection-level settings for auth and variables apply to every request inside, saving you repetitive setup. Exporting and importing collections makes sharing and backup simple.