Gatling Studio

Product Introduction

1. Gatling Studio is a desktop application designed to convert real browser user journeys into executable Gatling load tests through automated recording and code generation. It enables users to capture web interactions, refine test scenarios, and export production-ready test code compatible with Gatling Community or Enterprise Edition. The tool eliminates manual scripting by transforming browser sessions into structured performance tests within minutes.
2. The core value lies in accelerating test creation while ensuring accuracy by mirroring real user behavior. It bridges the gap between exploratory testing and load test implementation by automating code generation and noise reduction. This reduces setup time from hours to minutes while maintaining compatibility with developer workflows and enterprise-scale execution environments.

Main Features

1. Browser Session Recording: Launches a controlled browser instance to capture all HTTP/HTTPS interactions, including headers, payloads, timings, and response data. Supports both live recording sessions and HAR file imports for existing traffic data.
2. Scenario Refinement Tools: Automatically filters out non-essential requests like third-party trackers and static assets while allowing manual editing of request sequences. Provides domain-based filtering and pause duration adjustments between user actions.
3. Code Generation & Export: Converts cleaned scenarios into Java-based Gatling tests with Maven project structure, complete with realistic pacing, parameterized requests, and modular scenario organization. Exports directly to IDEs or integrates with Gatling Enterprise for cloud-based load injection.

Problems Solved

1. Manual Test Creation Overhead: Addresses the inefficiency of writing load tests from scratch or reverse-engineering complex user flows by automating the recording-to-code pipeline. Removes dependency on specialized scripting expertise for initial test setup.
2. Target User Group: Primarily serves performance engineers and QA teams requiring rapid test prototyping, along with developers integrating performance testing into CI/CD pipelines. Secondary users include product managers validating real-user workflow performance.
3. Typical Use Cases: Accelerating proof-of-concept test creation for new features, replicating production traffic patterns for capacity planning, and converting Postman collections or browser recordings into load test scenarios.

Unique Advantages

1. Gatling Ecosystem Integration: Unlike generic recorders, it generates code optimized for Gatling’s async architecture and integrates natively with Gatling Enterprise for distributed load testing. Maintains compatibility with existing Gatling DSL extensions and plugins.
2. Noise Reduction Algorithms: Proprietary filtering automatically removes non-system-critical requests (e.g., analytics, CDN calls) while preserving authentication flows and dynamic API calls. Context-aware grouping organizes related requests into logical transactions.
3. Enterprise-Grade Output: Produces clean, maintainable Java code with proper correlation handling and dynamic parameter injection points. Supports immediate execution in developer environments without post-processing, unlike tools requiring intermediate translation layers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Do I need Gatling Enterprise Edition to use Studio? Yes, a Gatling Enterprise account (including free trial) is required for authentication, though exported tests can run locally with Community Edition. Enterprise integration enables cloud execution and advanced reporting.
2. Can Studio replace the traditional Gatling Recorder? It serves as the next-generation replacement, offering browser-level recording instead of proxy-based interception, improved noise filtering, and direct Enterprise workflow integration while maintaining backward compatibility.
3. What languages/frameworks does the exported code support? Current versions generate Java-based Gatling tests using Maven. Future updates will add Scala and Gradle support, with Kubernetes deployment templates for Enterprise users.
4. How does Studio handle dynamic parameters like CSRF tokens? Automatic correlation detects and parameterizes session-dependent values during recording, with manual override options in the refinement interface to adjust extraction logic.
5. Is team collaboration supported in Studio? Scenarios can be exported as shareable project files, but real-time collaboration requires integration with Gatling Enterprise’s centralized test repository and version control systems.