LoadForge allows you to upload, create, and manage files for your load tests. You can upload CSV, JSON, or TXT files (maximum 5MB) to use in your test scripts.

A file being managed in LoadForge

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How Files Work in LoadForge

Files are automatically uploaded to your load generators and stored in the files/{file_name} directory. This makes it easy to access your data files from within your load test scripts. This feature is particularly useful for:

  • Large user lists for authentication testing
  • Test datasets for API or form submissions
  • Configuration files for complex test scenarios
  • CSV data for data-driven testing

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Uploading Files

You can upload files through the LoadForge interface:

  1. Navigate to the File Management section
  2. Click Upload File or Create Blank File
  3. Select your file or create a new one
  4. The file will be available in the files/ directory on all load generators
Name the file correctly to get better editing capabilities. For example, .csv files load a CSV editor.

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Using Files in Locust Tests

Here are some examples of how to use uploaded files in your Locust test scripts:

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Loading a JSON User List

import json
import random
from locust import HttpUser, task, between

class UserBehavior(HttpUser):
    wait_time = between(1, 5)
    
    def on_start(self):
        # Load the user credentials from the uploaded JSON file
        with open('files/userlist.json', 'r') as f:
            self.users = json.load(f)
        
        # Select a random user from the list
        user_data = random.choice(self.users)
        self.username = user_data['username']
        self.password = user_data['password']
        
        # Log in with the selected user
        self.client.post("/login", {
            "username": self.username,
            "password": self.password
        })
    
    @task
    def view_dashboard(self):
        self.client.get("/dashboard")

Example userlist.json file:

[
  {"username": "user1", "password": "pass1"},
  {"username": "user2", "password": "pass2"},
  {"username": "user3", "password": "pass3"}
]

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Reading CSV Data for Test Scenarios

import csv
import random
from locust import HttpUser, task, between

class DataDrivenUser(HttpUser):
    wait_time = between(1, 3)
    
    def on_start(self):
        # Load test data from CSV file
        self.test_data = []
        with open('files/test_data.csv', 'r') as f:
            reader = csv.DictReader(f)
            for row in reader:
                self.test_data.append(row)
    
    @task
    def submit_form(self):
        # Pick a random data row for this request
        data = random.choice(self.test_data)
        
        # Use the data in a POST request
        self.client.post("/api/submit", {
            "name": data['name'],
            "email": data['email'],
            "message": data['message']
        })

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Using a Configuration File

import json
from locust import HttpUser, task, between

class ConfigDrivenUser(HttpUser):
    wait_time = between(1, 5)
    
    def on_start(self):
        # Load configuration from JSON file
        with open('files/config.json', 'r') as f:
            self.config = json.load(f)
        
        # Set up the test based on configuration
        self.api_endpoints = self.config['endpoints']
        self.headers = self.config['headers']
    
    @task
    def call_api(self):
        for endpoint in self.api_endpoints:
            self.client.get(
                endpoint['url'],
                headers=self.headers,
                name=endpoint['name']
            )

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Best Practices

  • File Size: Keep files under 5MB for optimal performance
  • File Format: Use structured formats like JSON or CSV for easy parsing
  • Error Handling: Always include error handling when reading files
  • Caching: Load files once during startup rather than for each request
  • Random Selection: For user credentials, randomly select from a large pool to simulate realistic behavior

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Need Further Assistance?

If you have questions about using files in your load tests or need help with a specific implementation, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re here to help you get the most out of LoadForge.