Pre-fill API Playground with OpenAPI Examples

[dzimiks]

Problem

Currently, when users click "Try it" in the API playground, all input fields are empty, even though the OpenAPI spec includes examples for each endpoint and field. This creates unnecessary friction as developers must manually copy-paste or type example values to test endpoints.

Proposed Solution

Auto-populate the API playground form fields with the example values defined in the OpenAPI specification when users click "Try it".

This should work for:

• Request body examples
• Query parameters with example values
• Header parameters with examples

Expected Behavior

1. User navigates to an endpoint
2. User clicks "Try it"
3. Form fields are automatically populated with the examples from the OpenAPI spec
4. User can immediately send the request or modify values as needed

Current vs Expected

Current: Empty form fields requiring manual input
Expected: Pre-filled form with working examples, allowing instant testing

Benefits

• Faster developer onboarding and API exploration
• Reduced friction in testing endpoints
• Better developer experience matching the quality of the documentation examples

This feature would significantly improve the developer experience by enabling immediate API testing without manual data entry.

[kum0r]

Came here to add exactly this to the feedback. This is especially an acute problem when the request is big and complicated. I'll upvote this with a +1

[dzimiks]

I accidentally discovered that Mintlify's team has already implemented this feature, but only for the default field.
If I add a default field to a schema property, it will be used in the API modal. This means you need to implement this small fix:

1. Use the example field to pre-populate the modal
2. If it doesn't exist, use the default field for the same purpose
3. If neither exists, leave the field empty

[adriencohen]

This workaround doesn't work for the code samples shown on the side of the endpoint page. It would be great to have it supported there as well. In "Try it" I was also only able to make it work by defining a default, which goes against the OpenAPI specification. It should always work with example if the field is required.

[jack-bliss]

Example request bodies is a well-supported feature of OpenAPI schemas, it would be great to have these be useable in Mintlify! Working around using defaults is often not particularly viable, especially when you're trying to give examples for required fields. Would be a really useful feature, massive +1.

[fakawazoe]

I also came here to add exactly this.

Using the default values to auto-populate the API Playground doesn't make sense

If I want my clients to be able to use the playground in one click, I would have to add a default value to fields that don't have a default value in my code. And that could be misleading to clients.

[dzimiks]

Exactly, that's the reason we all need this feature to be shipped. The example field should be pre-filled in the API playground modal.

[dzimiks]

Hi @handotdev and @hahnbeelee, it looks like many of us want this particular feature. Can you make it a higher priority, since it looks like it should be a small lift from your end?

It's the most requested feature, and we are still waiting for months. Do you need any kind of help or additional context to make it live? 🙏