perfload

No script HTTP load testing

What is perfload?

perfload is a self-hosted, no ~~script~~ approach to HTTP load testing — no k6 scripts, no code to write. You build a test from a curl command or a simple form, and perfload handles the rest. Under the hood, it runs each test with k6. It runs locally (or on a server you control) via Docker and gives you two views: a Workbench for authoring detailed test definitions, and a Dashboard for quick one-off runs and reviewing past results.

Installation

perfload runs entirely via Docker — no Chrome extension required. The Chrome Extension below is just an optional shortcut for opening the Workbench tab.

1. Run the container:

docker run -p 3000:3000 -v perfload-runs:/app/runs perfload/perfload-runner:latest

2. Open the Workbench:

http://localhost:3000/load-tester.html

Watch it in action

A quick walkthrough of installing perfload and running your first test:

Workbench

Write or paste a curl command directly, then layer a load profile on top of it:

Save, clone, import, and export named test projects
Set duration, peak virtual users, ramp-up period, and pause between requests
Define headers, auth, and variables — including auto-extracting values from responses to feed into later requests
Validate responses by content type

perfload Workbench showing a curl command being turned into a load test

Dashboard

A lighter-weight form for quick tests without setting up a saved project:

Pick a method, target URL, virtual users, duration, pause, and request timeout
Attach JSON headers and body, plus response validation
Review past runs alongside the form

perfload Dashboard with a quick test form and past runs panel

Powered by k6

Both the Workbench and the Dashboard hand your test off to k6 to actually run it. While a test is in progress, perfload links out to k6's own live dashboard for real-time metrics — request rate, duration, virtual users, and transfer rate — and every run's results are backed by k6's output.

k6 live dashboard showing HTTP request rate, duration, VUs, and transfer rate for a running test

AI-friendly

perfload ships two built-in skill files — /skills/workbench.md and /skills/dashboard.md — that let AI browser tools — like Claude in Chrome — drive each view directly from a prompt, instead of you clicking through it yourself.

Run tests with a prompt

The /skills/workbench.md skill describes how to operate the Workbench. Point an AI browser tool at it, describe the test you want in plain language, and it fills in the form and starts the run for you — then reads back the results.

Claude in Chrome side panel using the perfload workbench skill to run a load test from a prompt, with the finished run's latency chart and metrics shown in the browser

Compare runs with a prompt

perfload can already export a PDF report for any single run. The /skills/dashboard.md skill covers the Dashboard's run history — ask it to compare two or more runs, and it pulls in each one's results, works out the delta on every metric, and hands you back perfload's own report format with the comparison included.

Claude in Chrome side panel using the perfload dashboard skill to compare two test runs and generate a PDF report, with the resulting metric-by-metric latency comparison

Chrome Extension

The Perfload Workspace Launcher is a one-click shortcut that opens your perfload Workbench in Chrome, grouped under a "perfload" tab group. Add it from the Chrome Web Store, or see the extension page for details, requirements, and permissions used.

perfload Cloud Coming soon

A hosted control plane for perfload, with a runner that deploys inside your own VPC for last-mile access to internal and private test targets — no need to expose them publicly. See the perfload Cloud page for details, and to get notified when it ships.

Support

Questions, bug reports, or feature requests — reach out at support@perfload.io.