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Transforming Natural Language into Performance Tests with Grafana Assistant

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In the world of performance testing, writing scripts can be a tedious and error-prone task. Grafana Assistant addresses this pain point by allowing you to generate test scripts from natural language descriptions. This feature leverages your existing observability data in Grafana Cloud, making it easier than ever to create effective performance tests without deep coding knowledge.

The k6 Script Authoring feature works by taking your natural language input and converting it into a complete performance test script. For instance, if you specify, 'Generate a load test for https://api.example.com. Test the GET /products and POST /orders endpoints with 20 virtual users for 5 minutes,' Grafana Assistant will produce structured JavaScript code that includes checks, thresholds, and proper URL grouping to manage cardinality. It also offers optional hooks for Grafana Cloud Traces and Grafana Cloud Profiles, enhancing your testing capabilities.

To get started, ensure that k6 Script Authoring is enabled in your Grafana Cloud instance. This feature is a game-changer for teams looking to streamline their performance testing processes. However, be aware that while it simplifies script generation, you should still validate the generated scripts to ensure they meet your specific testing needs.

Key takeaways

  • Leverage Grafana Assistant to convert natural language into k6 test scripts.
  • Utilize structured JavaScript output that includes checks and thresholds.
  • Manage cardinality effectively with proper URL grouping in generated scripts.
  • Incorporate optional hooks for Grafana Cloud Traces and Profiles.
  • Enable k6 Script Authoring in your Grafana Cloud instance to start generating scripts.

Why it matters

This capability significantly reduces the time and effort needed to create performance tests, allowing teams to focus on analyzing results rather than scripting. It empowers engineers to quickly adapt tests based on evolving requirements.

Code examples

plaintext
Generate a load test for https://api.example.com. Test the GET /products and POST /orders endpoints with 20 virtual users for 5 minutes.

When NOT to use this

The official docs don't call out specific anti-patterns here. Use your judgment based on your scale and requirements.

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