gRPC CLI vs ProtoCall

gRPC CLI is a free, open-source command-line tool in the gRPC repository for inspecting services and calling remote methods. It can send unary RPCs, attach metadata to requests, display metadata received from a server, and handle common server authentication. With server reflection, it can list services and methods; when reflection is unavailable, local proto files can supply service definitions and request or response types. Requests can be read in proto text or wire form. Responses can be displayed as text or written to a file in wire form. Streaming RPC support is described as a desired capability, not part of the documented core functionality. The tool runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows, but must be built from repository source. The documented process uses CMake and the `make grpc_cli` build target. Its documentation describes the tool as not yet up to par in user-friendliness and says grpcurl is better maintained in its current state. The gRPC repository identifies its license as Apache-2.0.

ProtoCall is a cloud web app intended to simplify the steps of building APIs with gRPC. It runs in a browser without installation and organizes proto files into workspaces, where packages and imports resolve within one namespace. Users can create a workspace by importing proto files manually or bring in a GitHub repository they own, collaborate on, or can access through organization membership. Imports can track repository changes automatically. ProtoCall supports one repository per workspace, not a combination of repositories. The web app relies on ProtoCall Agent, a local webserver, for outbound requests that browsers cannot make directly because of CORS restrictions. The agent applies its own CORS rules and additional authentication to restrict communication from unauthorized non-browser processes. The agent runs through a Docker container on Windows and macOS, and as a binary executable on Linux. The Free plan costs nothing and supports GitHub imports and manually created workspaces. Listed platforms are Linux, macOS, web, and Windows.