Postman Flows

Postman Flows is a visual canvas for building API workflows. Instead of writing scripts, you drag blocks onto a canvas and connect them with lines. Each block performs a job, such as sending a request, filtering data, or making a decision. Flows suit testers, analysts, and developers who prefer pictures over code.

The Assembly Line Picture

A factory assembly line moves a product from station to station. Each station performs one task and passes the product forward. Flows works the same way: data travels from block to block along connecting lines.

  [Start] ──► [Send Request] ──► [Select Data] ──► [If Condition] ──┬─► [Output: Pass]
                GET /users        pick "email"       email valid?   │
                                                                    └─► [Output: Fail]

Common Blocks

Block	Job
Start	Begins the flow, manually or on a schedule
Send Request	Calls an API request from a collection
Select	Picks fields from a response
If	Chooses a path based on a condition
For Each	Repeats actions for every item in a list
Evaluate	Runs an expression or a small calculation
Output	Displays or returns a result

The available block names may change as Postman updates the feature, so check the block menu in your version.

Build a First Flow

1. Open Flows from the sidebar and click Create Flow.
2. Click the + button and add a Send Request block.
3. Choose a request, such as GET users, from your collection.
4. Add a Select block and connect it to the response output.
5. Pick the field to extract, for example the first user name.
6. Add an Output block and connect it to the Select block.
7. Click Run and watch the data move along the lines.

Handle Lists with For Each

A response often holds many items. The For Each block loops through them one by one.

  [GET /posts] ──► [For Each post] ──► [Send Request: GET /posts/{id}/comments]
                                              │
                                              ▼
                                    [Output: comment count]

Each post triggers one comments request automatically, which replaces a hand-written loop.

Make Decisions with If

The If block compares a value and sends data down the matching path.

  [Send Request: GET /health]
            │
        [If status = "ok"]
         │            │
        Yes           No
         │            │
   [Output: Healthy]  [Send Request: POST /alerts]

Flows Compared with Scripts

Aspect	Scripts	Flows
Skill needed	JavaScript knowledge	Drag and drop
Readability	Lines of code	Visual diagram
Best for	Detailed assertions	Multi-step workflows and demos
Sharing	Inside collections	Shareable canvas with teammates

Practical Use Cases

• Check an order status and notify a team when payment fails.
• Pull data from one API and push selected fields into another.
• Build a demo that shows stakeholders how three services cooperate.
• Generate a quick report from several endpoints without coding.

Design Tips

• Give each block a clear label so the canvas reads like a story.
• Group related blocks and keep lines from crossing.
• Test small sections before connecting the whole flow.
• Store credentials in environments or the vault rather than inside blocks.
• Duplicate a working flow before experimenting with changes.

Key Points

• Flows builds API workflows on a visual canvas.
• Blocks perform jobs and lines carry data between them.
• For Each loops over lists, and If chooses between paths.
• Flows suit multi-step workflows, while scripts suit detailed assertions.
• Clear labels and small tests keep flows maintainable.