> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.loadforge.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Adding Custom Sleep Intervals

> Incorporate user-like delays in your load tests using custom sleep times.

## Overview

While testing, it's crucial to simulate user behavior as realistically as possible. One key aspect of this simulation is introducing waits or pauses that a typical user might experience, like reading a webpage or waiting for some data. By default, LoadForge's `wait_time` attribute allows you to set such pauses. This guide will delve deeper into customizing these waits and understanding their applications.

## wait\_time vs. time.sleep

There are two primary ways to introduce waits in your tests:

1. **`wait_time`**: This attribute specifies the pause between tasks. For example, once `load_page` concludes, the simulated user would wait for the duration specified by `wait_time` before initiating the next task. In our example below, after the `load_page` task concludes, a user will pause for a duration anywhere between 10 to 20 seconds.

2. **`time.sleep`**: This function allows for more specific pauses, right at the point it's called within your test. So if you want a user to pause immediately after a particular HTTP request and before another, `time.sleep` can be used.

## Example Code

Here's an example:

```python theme={null}
import random
from locust import HttpUser, TaskSet, task, between
import time

class AwesomeUser(HttpUser):
    # User waits between 10 to 20 seconds after completing each task.
    wait_time = between(10, 20)

    @task(1)
    def load_page(self):
        self.client.get('/page1')

        # Here, the user waits between 10 to 60 seconds, 
        # simulating a pause on page1 before navigating to page2.
        time.sleep(random.randint(10, 60))

        self.client.get('/page2')

        # This simulates that a user pauses on page2 for exactly 20 seconds.
        time.sleep(20)
```

This test will simulate a user accessing `/page1`, waiting for a duration between 10 to 60 seconds (perhaps reading content or interacting with elements), and then navigating to `/page2`, where they pause again for a fixed 20 seconds.

<Note title="Utilizing Locust for Test Examples">
  LoadForge leverages the power of the open-source `locust` library. This means that if you're already a locust user, you can directly port this script. If you wish to amplify your testing capabilities, consider importing your script into [LoadForge](https://loadforge.com)!
</Note>