Timeline storage

Manual Noodle sends store response history for each request under <collection>/.timeline/. One file per request, mirroring the request ID structure.

Directory Layout

.collection/
├── .timeline/
│   ├── get-users.yml          # Timeline for request "get-users"
│   ├── get-users.yml.bodies/  # Compressed bodies larger than 10 KB
│   │   └── <entry-id>-response.gz
│   └── users/
│       └── login.yml          # Timeline for request "users/login"

File Format

Each timeline file is a YAML array of entries. Max 50 entries, newest first (prepended on save). Request and response bodies larger than 10 KB are stored in a sibling .yml.bodies/ directory as gzip-compressed sidecars, so the full textual body remains available without bloating the YAML file. Binary responses retain redacted metadata only, with no body or sidecar. CLI automation and the TUI Runner do not create timeline entries.

- timestamp: 1783374564216
  envName: development
  request:
    id: users/get-users
    name: Get Users
    method: GET
    url: https://api.example.com/users
    headers: {}
    params:
      - name: page
        value: "1"
    auth:
      type: inherit
  response:
    status: 200
    statusText: OK
    headers:
      content-type: application/json
    body: "[...]"
    timeMs: 56.27
    size: 27520

Cancelled manual sends show cancelled in Timeline and carry cancelled: true. If HTTP completed before cancellation interrupted response processing, the entry retains that response alongside the cancellation error and completed diagnostics. Cancelled attempts do not affect folder success rates or timing averages. Legacy entries without the flag remain readable.

Entry Structure

Field	Type	Description
timestamp	number	Unix timestamp in ms
id	string	Unique entry ID used to name body sidecars
envName	string	Active environment name when sent
cancelled	boolean	Optional true for an interrupted manual send
request	object	Snapshot of the request at send time
response	object	Completed HTTP response, including when later processing was cancelled
error	object	Error or cancellation data; may coexist with a completed response
scripts	object	Optional bounded, redacted pre/post diagnostics, persistence outcomes, origins, and child-call summaries
tests	object	Optional bounded, redacted scripted-test results, logs, block errors, and origins

Response Fields

Field	Type	Description
status	number	HTTP status code
statusText	string	HTTP status text
headers	map	Response headers
body	string	Text response body, when stored inline
bodyKind	string	binary for metadata-only binary history
contentType	string	Normalized MIME type for binary responses
filename	string	Optional redacted binary filename
bodyRef	object	Reference to a gzip sidecar for a body larger than 10 KB
timeMs	number	Response time in milliseconds
size	number	Response body size in bytes

Script diagnostics

The optional scripts: { evaluated, results } group keeps executed phases in pre/post order, including status, duration, redacted logs/errors, and persistence outcomes. Blocks include their scope ID, inline/external source kind, declaring YAML path, and collection-relative JavaScript path when external. Child calls retain concise summaries without bodies or separate timeline entries. Timeline details render these with the same expandable Results rows. Individual diagnostic text and each serialized log array are capped at 10,000 bytes with [TRUNCATED] markers. Script source, capture results, and RunScope values are excluded. Legacy entries without diagnostics remain readable.

Scripted tests use an optional tests: { evaluated, results, logs, error?, errors?, invocations? } group. Each result retains name, passed, message, and durationMs, including completed tests before a later script error. Optional source labels identify the originating collection, folder, or request file. invocations retains block diagnostics even when a source declares no tests. errors retains all block errors and legacy error remains the first error. The same text and log bounds apply. Historical Results shows expandable test rows and group diagnostics. Test source and runtime values are excluded. See Scripted Tests.

Error Fields

Field	Type	Description
message	string	Error description

Security

New timeline entries resolve ordinary environment variables and redact declared environment secrets, proxy/TLS secrets, request credentials, OAuth tokens and signatures, and known captured secrets. Response status text, headers, bodies, assertion results, script and test diagnostics and logs, network messages, and errors receive known-secret redaction. Sensitive headers such as Set-Cookie are masked by field, and body redaction happens before compression into sidecars. The live response view stays available for inspection.

The snapshot uses the environment selected when the request was sent. Changing environments, marking a variable secret, or updating a stored secret does not rewrite older entries. Clear existing history if it contains data that should no longer be retained. Unknown server data and public variables can still be sensitive, so do not commit .timeline/.

Body Sidecars

When a request or response body exceeds 10 KB, the corresponding body field is omitted and replaced with a bodyRef:

bodyRef:
  file: <entry-id>-response.gz
  encoding: gzip
  size: 27520

The file path is relative to that request’s .yml.bodies/ directory. Noodle removes sidecars when entries are evicted by the 50-entry limit or when the timeline is cleared. Treat sidecars as application-managed files.

Useful Queries

Agents and scripts can analyze timeline data:

• Average response time: Exclude entries with cancelled: true, then sum response.timeMs / response count
• Success rate: Exclude entries with cancelled: true, then count successful responses / completed attempts
• Recent errors: Filter entries where error is present
• Response size trend: Compare response.size across entries
• Environment usage: Which envName was used per entry