gRPC CLI

gRPC CLI is a command-line utility for inspecting gRPC services and making remote calls. It suits developers comfortable building from source who need service discovery or unary requests. Its focused command-line capabilities come with a meaningful trade-off: streaming calls are not part of its current core functionality.

Overview

gRPC CLI brings service inspection and basic request-and-response calls into one command-line tool. Reflection can reveal a server’s services and methods, while common authentication and metadata support help with routine calls. The source-build requirement and acknowledged shortcomings in user-friendliness make it a better fit for developers already comfortable with the gRPC build process than for people looking for a polished, ready-to-run client.

Key features

• Service discovery: Server reflection lets the tool list services and methods, which is useful when inspecting a server without separately supplying its definitions. Most commands depend on reflection; local proto files can supply service definitions and request or response types when reflection is unavailable.
• Unary RPCs and metadata: It can send unary calls, attach metadata, display received metadata, and handle common server authentication. That covers basic request-and-response work, but not streaming workflows.
• Proto message formats: Requests can be read in text or wire form. Responses can be displayed as text or written in wire form to a file, offering practical options for inspecting payloads and saving encoded output.
• Build and maturity: Building requires the gRPC repository source, CMake, and the make grpc_cli target. That prerequisite adds setup work, and the tool is not yet up to par in user-friendliness. Streaming support is described as a desired capability, not a current core feature.

Pricing

gRPC CLI is open source and free, with an Apache-2.0 license. The free plan costs nothing and covers building from source and unary RPC calls. There is no trial to evaluate separately; the main cost is the effort of building it yourself, and its current scope excludes core streaming support.

Platforms

gRPC CLI is listed for Linux, macOS, and Windows as a desktop tool. Its documented build procedure uses CMake and the gRPC repository’s grpc_cli target, so platform availability does not remove the need to build from source.

Who it's for

This is a sensible choice for developers inspecting gRPC services or calling remote methods from a terminal, especially when reflection is enabled and unary calls are enough. Local proto files provide a fallback for service definitions when reflection is unavailable. Look elsewhere if you need streaming calls or want a more user-friendly tool that does not require a source build.

Pros and cons

• Pros
  • Reflection-based discovery can list services and methods, helping with inspection before making a call.
  • Unary calls, metadata, and common authentication support cover several routine command-line tasks in one tool.
  • Local proto files and text or wire message formats provide alternatives for defining requests and handling responses.
  • Free and open source under Apache-2.0.
• Cons
  • Building from repository source with CMake adds setup work before use.
  • Most commands need server reflection unless local proto files supply definitions.
  • Streaming is not among its current core capabilities, and the tool is acknowledged as not yet up to par in user-friendliness.

Alternatives

For a broader directory of related options, see gRPC Tools. The documentation describes grpcurl as better maintained than gRPC CLI in its current state, making it the more compelling option for readers who prioritize maintenance. Choose grpcui if its listed Linux, macOS, Windows, self-hosted, and web platforms better suit your setup. Kreya is a freemium option with a free plan for individuals whose request history is limited to the latest request; it also offers a free trial. protoc-gen-doc is another free option. sabledocs is a free static generator requiring Python 3.11 or later and a Protobuf descriptor file. Bandura offers a free plan for personal and commercial use with no account, paid seats, or feature tiers. FintX has a free open-source plan with unlimited gRPC clients, request saving, import and export, tabs per method, a JSON editor, and projects. grpcmd is a free option that supports sending requests, starting a server, reflection, method listing and description, and JavaScript scripting. ProtoCall offers a free app with GitHub imports and manually created workspaces.

Verdict

Choose gRPC CLI if you are comfortable building from source and want a free terminal tool for inspecting reflected services and making unary calls with metadata or common authentication. Its main advantage is a focused set of command-line inspection and request features; its main reason to look elsewhere is the combination of source-build friction, limited user-friendliness, and no core streaming support.