artillery
Artillery is an open-source load testing platform that supports HTTP, WebSocket, gRPC, and Playwright-based browser testing. It runs distributed tests on AWS Lambda or Fargate with built-in integrations for monitoring and CI/CD, requiring no infrastructure setup.
Key facts
Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Repository | artilleryio/artillery |
| Owner | artilleryio |
| Primary language | JavaScript |
| License | MPL-2.0 — OSI-approved |
| Stars | 9k |
| Forks | 558 |
| Open issues | 483 |
| Latest release | artillery-2.0.33 (2026-06-16) |
| Last updated | 2026-06-16 |
| Source | https://github.com/artilleryio/artillery |
What artillery is
Node.js-based distributed load testing framework with plugin architecture, cloud-native execution on AWS Lambda/Fargate, support for multiple protocols (HTTP, WebSocket, Socket.io, gRPC), and Playwright integration for headless browser load testing. Includes workload modeling via request chains, transactions, and custom JavaScript extensions.
Get the artillery source
Clone the repository and explore it locally.
git clone https://github.com/artilleryio/artillery.gitcd artillery# follow the project's README for install & configurationNeed it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.
Best use cases
Implementation considerations
- Requires AWS account and IAM permissions for Lambda/Fargate execution; test cost scales with volume and duration.
- Test scenarios defined via configuration files or JavaScript; learning curve for complex workload modeling (chains, transactions, custom logic).
- Node.js 14+ required; integration with CI/CD typically via command-line invocation or platform-specific plugins (20+ integrations available).
- Playwright integration assumes headless browser capability; resource overhead higher than HTTP-only tests due to browser instantiation.
- Monitoring and observability require separate tool configuration (integrations listed but not bundled); no built-in result visualization.
When to avoid it — and what to weigh
- On-premise or non-AWS cloud infrastructure required — Azure-specific modules require a commercial license for production use (BSL license applies). Distributed execution heavily favors AWS; non-AWS environments may require workarounds or custom deployment.
- Protocol support outside stated scope — Limited to HTTP, WebSocket, Socket.io, gRPC, and Kinesis. Proprietary binary protocols or highly specialized messaging systems not listed may require custom plugin development.
- Zero JavaScript/Node.js expertise available — Extension and customization rely on Node.js plugins and JavaScript. Teams without JavaScript competency will face barriers to advanced customization or troubleshooting.
- Strict commercial license requirements for Azure — Azure usage for production/commercial purposes is explicitly restricted to evaluation and POC only under BSL. Production Azure deployments require a separate commercial license.
License & commercial use
Primary codebase licensed under MPL-2.0 (Mozilla Public License 2.0), a copyleft license permitting commercial use with source disclosure obligations. Azure-specific modules use BSL (Business Source License), restricting commercial/production Azure usage to licensed customers only; evaluation and POC allowed without license.
MPL-2.0 permits commercial use with copyleft requirements (source code modifications must be shared). However, Azure-specific functionality is explicitly licensed under BSL: commercial or production Azure deployments require a commercial license agreement. AWS and other cloud deployments under MPL-2.0 are commercially usable. Legal review recommended for Azure deployments or if bundling Artillery proprietary modules.
DEV.co evaluation signals
Editorial assessment — not user reviews. Directional, with an explicit confidence level.
| Signal | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Maintenance | Active |
| Documentation | Adequate |
| License clarity | Clear |
| Deployment complexity | Low |
| DEV.co fit | Strong |
| Assessment confidence | High |
MPL-2.0 copyleft obligations apply to derivative works. Azure BSL modules impose additional license compliance burden. Load testing from AWS Lambda/Fargate requires IAM role scoping to minimize blast radius. No inherent encryption, secrets management, or authentication mechanisms described; integration with external secret stores and observability tools required. Test payloads and credentials should be managed via environment or secure configuration, not hardcoded.
Alternatives to consider
JMeter (Apache)
Java-based, mature, UI-driven test design, extensive plugin ecosystem. Better for teams seeking GUI-first workflows; less cloud-native out-of-the-box than Artillery.
Locust (Python)
Python-based, distributed by default, low code overhead. Preferred if team expertise is Python-centric; less integrated cloud provider support than Artillery.
k6 (Grafana)
JavaScript-based (Go runtime), cloud SaaS platform with built-in results dashboards, strong Kubernetes support. Consider if managed SaaS and Kubernetes-native deployment preferred; different pricing model than Artillery's free AWS integration.
Build on artillery with DEV.co software developers
Evaluate Artillery's AWS integration, Azure licensing restrictions, and plugin architecture against your infrastructure and compliance requirements. Review MPL-2.0 and BSL terms for your use case.
Talk to DEV.coRelated on DEV.co
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artillery FAQ
Can Artillery run on non-AWS cloud providers?
What protocols does Artillery support?
Is source code modification allowed under MPL-2.0?
Does Artillery include result dashboards or visualization?
Work with a software development agency
DEV.co helps companies turn open-source tools like artillery into production software. Our software development services cover the full lifecycle — architecture, web development, integration, and maintenance — delivered by software developers and web developers who ship. Engage our software development agency to implement or customize it for your open-source testing stack.
Ready to implement Artillery?
Evaluate Artillery's AWS integration, Azure licensing restrictions, and plugin architecture against your infrastructure and compliance requirements. Review MPL-2.0 and BSL terms for your use case.