diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 845ccbb..485df16 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -14,5 +14,5 @@ colored = "3.1.1"
 dirs = "6.0.0"
 reqwest = { version = "0.13.2", features = ["blocking", "query"] }
 rustyline = "18.0.0"
-serde = "1.0.228"
+serde = { version = "1.0.228", features = ["derive"] }
 serde_json = "1.0.150"
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 2aeddce..53b1420 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -60,6 +60,9 @@ fn run_repl(ctx: Rc<RefCell<ShellState>>) {
                             match handle(cmd, &mut state, rl.history()) {
                                 Ok(ControlFlow::Continue) => {}
                                 Ok(ControlFlow::Exit) => {
+                                    if let Err(e) = state.save() {
+                                        eprintln!("Failed to save state: {}", e);
+                                    }
                                     break;
                                 }
                                 Err(e) => {
@@ -83,6 +86,9 @@ fn run_repl(ctx: Rc<RefCell<ShellState>>) {
 
                         Parsed::Exit => {
                             println!("{}", "Bye!".dimmed());
+                            if let Err(e) = ctx.borrow().save() {
+                                eprintln!("Failed to save state: {}", e);
+                            }
                             break;
                         }
                     },
@@ -94,16 +100,24 @@ fn run_repl(ctx: Rc<RefCell<ShellState>>) {
             }
 
             Err(ReadlineError::Interrupted) => {
+                if let Err(e) = ctx.borrow().save() {
+                    eprintln!("Failed to save state: {}", e);
+                }
                 println!("^C");
                 continue;
             }
 
             Err(ReadlineError::Eof) => {
-                println!();
+                if let Err(e) = ctx.borrow().save() {
+                    eprintln!("Failed to save state: {}", e);
+                }
                 break;
             }
 
             Err(err) => {
+                if let Err(e) = ctx.borrow().save() {
+                    eprintln!("Failed to save state: {}", e);
+                }
                 eprintln!("Error: {:?}", err);
                 break;
             }
@@ -155,7 +169,7 @@ fn main() {
 
     match args.as_slice() {
         [] => {
-            let ctx = Rc::new(RefCell::new(ShellState::new()));
+            let ctx = Rc::new(RefCell::new(ShellState::load()));
             run_repl(ctx);
         }
 
diff --git a/src/request.rs b/src/request.rs
index 3cbebcc..76051ca 100644
--- a/src/request.rs
+++ b/src/request.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct Request {
     pub method: Method,
     pub path: String,
@@ -33,7 +34,7 @@ impl Request {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Clone)]
+#[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub enum Method {
     GET,
     POST,
diff --git a/src/state.rs b/src/state.rs
index 7a909b8..051b7b9 100644
--- a/src/state.rs
+++ b/src/state.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
-use std::collections::HashMap;
+use std::{collections::HashMap, fs, path::PathBuf};
+
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
 use crate::request::Request;
 
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct ShellState {
     base_url: Option<String>,
     headers: HashMap<String, String>,
@@ -43,6 +46,36 @@ impl ShellState {
         Ok(())
     }
 
+    fn state_file_path() -> PathBuf {
+        let home = dirs::home_dir().expect("could not determine home directory");
+        home.join(".reqsh_state.json")
+    }
+
+    pub fn save(&self) -> Result<(), String> {
+        let path = Self::state_file_path();
+        let json = serde_json::to_string_pretty(self)
+            .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to serialize state: {}", e))?;
+        fs::write(&path, json).map_err(|e| format!("Failed to write state file: {}", e))?;
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    pub fn load() -> Self {
+        let path = Self::state_file_path();
+        if path.exists() {
+            let contents = fs::read_to_string(&path).unwrap_or_default();
+            match serde_json::from_str(&contents) {
+                Ok(state) => return state,
+                Err(e) => {
+                    eprintln!(
+                        "Warning: Failed to parse state file: {}. Starting fresh.",
+                        e
+                    );
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        Self::new()
+    }
+
     pub fn get_request(&self, name: &str) -> Option<&Request> {
         self.saved_requests.get(name)
     }
@@ -183,4 +216,57 @@ mod test {
         assert!(saved.is_some());
         assert_eq!(saved.unwrap().path, "/test");
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn save_and_load_state_roundtrip() {
+        use crate::request::Method;
+        use std::fs;
+
+        let temp_dir = std::env::temp_dir();
+        let temp_file = temp_dir.join("reqsh_test_state.json");
+
+        let _ = fs::remove_file(&temp_file);
+
+        let mut state = ShellState::new();
+        state.set_base_url("https://api.test.com");
+        state.set_header("Auth".to_string(), "Token123".to_string());
+        state.set_variable("user".to_string(), "admin".to_string());
+        state.set_timeout(60);
+
+        let req = crate::request::Request::new(Method::POST, "/login".to_string());
+        state.set_last_request(req);
+        state.save_request("login_req".to_string()).unwrap();
+
+        let json = serde_json::to_string_pretty(&state).unwrap();
+        fs::write(&temp_file, &json).unwrap();
+
+        let loaded_json = fs::read_to_string(&temp_file).unwrap();
+        let loaded_state: ShellState = serde_json::from_str(&loaded_json).unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(loaded_state.get_base_url(), Some("https://api.test.com"));
+        assert_eq!(
+            loaded_state.get_headers().get("Auth"),
+            Some(&"Token123".to_string())
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            loaded_state.get_variable("user"),
+            Some(&"admin".to_string())
+        );
+        assert_eq!(loaded_state.get_timeout(), Some(60));
+
+        assert!(loaded_state.get_request("login_req").is_some());
+
+        let _ = fs::remove_file(&temp_file);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn load_missing_file_returns_default_state() {
+        let temp_dir = std::env::temp_dir();
+        let temp_file = temp_dir.join("reqsh_nonexistent_state.json");
+        let _ = std::fs::remove_file(&temp_file);
+        let contents = "";
+        let state: Result<ShellState, _> = serde_json::from_str(contents);
+
+        assert!(state.is_err());
+    }
 }