? Request Body Types in Postman

? Quick Overview

In Postman, the request body is used to send data from the client to the server. Different APIs expect data in different formats. Postman supports multiple request body types, with the most commonly used being Raw JSON, form-data, and x-www-form-urlencoded.

? Key Concepts

Request body is mainly used with POST, PUT, and PATCH methods
Correct body type is essential for API to process data
Content-Type header changes based on body type
Postman auto-generates headers for most body formats

? Syntax / Theory

Each request body type has its own structure and use case:

Raw JSON → Structured data (most modern APIs)
form-data → Files + key-value pairs
x-www-form-urlencoded → Simple form submissions

? Code Example(s)

? Raw JSON

? View Code Example

// Sending JSON data in request body
{
  "username": "admin",
  "password": "123456"
}

? form-data

? View Code Example

// Key-value pairs with file upload support
username=admin
profile_image=photo.png

? x-www-form-urlencoded

? View Code Example

// URL encoded form data
username=admin&password=123456

? Live Output / Explanation

If the body format matches what the server expects, the API processes the request successfully and returns a response such as status 200 OK or 201 Created.

? Interactive Example

Try switching between body types below to see how the code and headers change based on your input.

?️ Live Request Simulator

JSON form-data x-www-form

Content-Type: application/json

? Use Cases

Raw JSON → REST APIs, mobile apps, SPAs
form-data → File uploads, images, documents
x-www-form-urlencoded → Login forms, legacy APIs

? Tips & Best Practices

Always confirm API documentation before choosing body type
Use Raw JSON for clean and readable requests
Avoid x-www-form-urlencoded for complex nested data

? Try It Yourself

Create a POST request using all three body types
Observe headers generated by Postman
Test same API with different body formats