k6
Metrics as of , from the GitHub or GitLab API of each repository. Refreshed monthly.
What k6 is
k6 is a load-testing tool from Grafana Labs in which tests are written as JavaScript scripts. Scripts execute on a JavaScript engine embedded in k6. Documented protocols include HTTP, WebSockets, gRPC and browser testing. Extensions add support for further protocols and use cases. Scripts define virtual user stages, checks on responses and thresholds that codify service level objectives. Tests run from the CLI, in CI pipelines or across a Kubernetes cluster. Results are available as summary statistics or as granular metrics exported to an external service. A separate desktop application, k6 Studio, generates scripts without writing code.
Written from the project's README, read .
- Category
- Performance and load testing
- License
- AGPL-3.0
- Language
- Go
- Changelog
- Releases on GitHub
Repository metrics
Status
activeLast commit within 90 days of the fetch date.Computed from the last commit date and the archive flag on the fetch date. See the status rules.
Alternatives
Listed performance and load testing tools, same primary language first, then by GitHub stars. Each line gives one fact from the tool's documentation where it differs from k6's, with its source. See also k6 alternatives.
Vegeta: Protocols: HTTP, with HTTP/2 to servers that support it and h2c. source: README
hey: Protocols: HTTP, including HTTP/2 endpoints. source: README
ali: Protocols: HTTP, including HTTP/2 where the server supports it. source: README
Fortio: Protocols: HTTP, gRPC, TCP, UDP. source: README
ghz: Protocols: gRPC. source: README
Lighthouse: Test authoring format: Config file via --config-path; custom audits and gatherers written as extensions. source: README
Locust: Protocols: HTTP; other protocols and systems through user-written clients. source: README
oha: Protocols: HTTP 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, 2 and 3 (HTTP/3 behind an experimental build feature). source: README
Comparisons
Questions
Is k6 open source?
Yes. k6 is released under AGPL-3.0, an OSI-approved license, as reported by the GitHub API on 2026-09-22.
Is k6 maintained?
On 2026-09-22, the last commit to the default branch was on 2026-09-22, so the listed status is active. Rule: Last commit within 90 days of the fetch date.
How many GitHub stars does k6 have?
31,548 stars on 2026-09-22, from the GitHub API. The number is refreshed at each monthly update.
What language is k6 written in?
The repository's primary language, as reported by the GitHub API, is Go.
Sources
- GitHub REST API: repository, read
- GitHub REST API: commits, read
- GitHub REST API: latest release, read
- GitHub REST API: contributors, read
- README, read