Orval is a code generator that produces TypeScript API clients with type signatures from OpenAPI v3 or Swagger v2 specifications in YAML or JSON format.
The tool solves the problem of manually writing and maintaining type-safe API client code by automatically generating it from your API specification. It parses valid OpenAPI or Swagger definitions and outputs TypeScript clients with full type coverage, eliminating the gap between your API contract and the code that consumes it. This approach keeps client code synchronized with API changes and reduces boilerplate while ensuring type safety across your application.
Orval suits teams building TypeScript applications that consume REST APIs defined in OpenAPI or Swagger. It works well in projects where API specifications are already in place or actively maintained, since the generator depends on having an accurate, up-to-date specification to work from. The tool integrates with popular frameworks and HTTP clients including Angular, React, React Query, and Axios, making it adaptable to different architectural choices. Teams should adopt it when they want to eliminate manual client code maintenance and ensure their TypeScript types always match their API contract.
The project shows consistent development activity with regular updates to the codebase. Maintenance is responsive to issues and pull requests, indicating active stewardship. The tool has accumulated a broad feature set including support for generating mock data with Faker and Mock Service Worker integration, suggesting the maintainers have expanded beyond basic code generation to support testing workflows. Documentation is maintained alongside the code, and the project sustains engagement with its user community through issue resolution.
