Grafana k6

Performance and Load Testing · by Grafana Labs

Grafana k6 is an open-source load testing tool where tests are written in JavaScript, with an optional Grafana Cloud service for running large distributed tests and storing results.

Research status: Partly verified

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Product capabilities

Scripted load tests in JavaScript
Thresholds that fail CI builds
Protocol and browser testing
Cloud execution through Grafana Cloud

Commercial products

k6 (open source)
Grafana Cloud k6

Main use cases

API load testing
Performance checks in CI
Spike and soak tests

Common alternatives

Apache JMeter
Perforce BlazeMeter
Tricentis NeoLoad
Gatling

Supported integrations

Grafana
GitHub Actions
Jenkins
Prometheus

Advantages

Developer-friendly scripting
Free open-source core

Limitations

No record-and-replay GUI like JMeter
Large distributed runs need the paid cloud or own infrastructure

Other performance and load testing

Apache JMeter

by Apache Software Foundation

Apache JMeter is a free, open-source Java application for load and performance testing of web applications, APIs and other services, with a GUI for building test plans.

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Perforce BlazeMeter

by Perforce Software

BlazeMeter is a cloud testing platform from Perforce that runs load tests built with JMeter and other open-source tools, and also offers API monitoring, mock services and test data features.

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Tricentis NeoLoad

by Tricentis

NeoLoad is a performance and load testing tool from Tricentis for web, mobile, API and enterprise applications, designed for both scripted and low-code test design.

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