> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/grafana/k6-docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# k6 Studio

> Desktop application for recording and generating k6 test scripts

# k6 Studio

k6 Studio is a desktop application that helps you quickly generate k6 test scripts using a visual interface. It's designed to accelerate test creation by recording browser interactions and converting them into k6 code.

## Key features

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Browser recording" icon="circle-dot">
    Record user flows from browser interactions and generate HAR files.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Test generation" icon="file-code">
    Convert HAR files into customized k6 test scripts.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Script customization" icon="sliders">
    Use rules to quickly iterate on script creation and refinement.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Visual debugging" icon="bug">
    Test and debug k6 scripts with request/response inspection.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Getting started

<Steps>
  <Step title="Download k6 Studio">
    Download the latest version for your operating system:

    * [macOS](https://github.com/grafana/k6-studio/releases)
    * [Windows](https://github.com/grafana/k6-studio/releases)
    * [Linux](https://github.com/grafana/k6-studio/releases)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Install and launch">
    Install k6 Studio and launch the application.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start recording">
    Click **Record** and configure your browser proxy to capture traffic.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Generate your test">
    Stop recording and generate a k6 script from the captured HAR file.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Recording user flows

<Info>
  k6 Studio records browser traffic through a proxy to capture all HTTP requests and responses.
</Info>

### Recording workflow

<Steps>
  <Step title="Configure proxy">
    k6 Studio automatically configures your system proxy settings when you start recording.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Perform user actions">
    Navigate your application in the browser, performing the actions you want to test.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Stop recording">
    Click **Stop** in k6 Studio to end the recording session.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review captured traffic">
    Review all captured requests and responses in the Studio interface.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### What gets recorded

k6 Studio captures:

* HTTP/HTTPS requests and responses
* Request headers and bodies
* Response headers and bodies
* Timing information
* Cookies and authentication

## Generating test scripts

After recording, k6 Studio helps you convert the HAR file into a k6 test script:

### Customization options

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Filtering">
    Remove unwanted requests:

    * Static assets (images, CSS, JS)
    * Third-party domains
    * Specific URLs or patterns
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Correlation">
    Automatically detect and correlate dynamic values:

    * Session tokens
    * CSRF tokens
    * Dynamic IDs
    * Timestamps
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Parameterization">
    Replace hardcoded values with variables:

    * User credentials
    * API keys
    * Test data
    * URLs and endpoints
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Think time">
    Add realistic delays between requests:

    * Fixed sleep times
    * Random delays
    * Based on recorded timing
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

### Rules for script generation

k6 Studio uses rules to transform HAR files:

```javascript theme={null}
// Example: Filter out static assets
{
  "type": "filter",
  "pattern": "\\.(css|js|png|jpg|gif)$",
  "action": "exclude"
}

// Example: Correlate session tokens
{
  "type": "correlate",
  "extract": "sessionToken",
  "from": "response.body",
  "pattern": "token=([^&]+)"
}
```

## Visual debugging

k6 Studio provides a visual interface for testing and debugging scripts:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Request inspection" icon="magnifying-glass">
    View detailed information for each request in your script.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Response analysis" icon="code">
    Inspect response headers, bodies, and status codes.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Variable tracking" icon="function">
    See how variables change throughout test execution.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Error detection" icon="triangle-exclamation">
    Identify and fix issues before running full tests.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Example workflow

Here's a typical workflow using k6 Studio:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Record login flow">
    Start recording and perform a login sequence in your application.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Generate initial script">
    Stop recording and generate a k6 script with default settings.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Customize with rules">
    Add rules to:

    * Extract the session token from the login response
    * Parameterize the username and password
    * Filter out static assets
  </Step>

  <Step title="Test the script">
    Run the script in k6 Studio to verify it works correctly.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Export and enhance">
    Export the script and add:

    * Custom thresholds
    * Multiple virtual users
    * Load ramping configuration
  </Step>

  <Step title="Run in k6">
    Execute the final script with the k6 CLI or in Grafana Cloud k6.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Common use cases

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="API testing">
    Record API calls from your application and convert them into load tests:

    1. Use your application normally
    2. k6 Studio captures all API requests
    3. Generate a test focusing only on API endpoints
    4. Add multiple VUs to simulate load
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Authentication flows">
    Capture complex authentication sequences:

    1. Record login process
    2. Extract authentication tokens
    3. Parameterize credentials
    4. Reuse tokens in subsequent requests
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Multi-step transactions">
    Test complete user journeys:

    1. Record checkout process
    2. Correlate order IDs and session data
    3. Add checks for successful completion
    4. Scale to multiple concurrent users
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Quick prototyping">
    Rapidly create test scripts:

    1. Record a user flow
    2. Generate a basic script
    3. Use as a starting point for customization
    4. Iterate quickly with rules
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Best practices

<Tip>
  Record the minimal user flow you want to test, then use k6 code to add variations and load patterns.
</Tip>

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Clean recordings">
    * Close unnecessary browser tabs
    * Disable browser extensions that make background requests
    * Focus on the specific flow you want to test
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Iterative refinement">
    * Start with a simple recording
    * Generate a basic script
    * Gradually add rules and customizations
    * Test after each change
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Manual enhancement">
    k6 Studio generates a starting point. Enhance scripts manually to:

    * Add realistic think time
    * Implement complex logic
    * Add custom metrics
    * Configure advanced scenarios
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Version control">
    * Save rules and configurations
    * Track script changes in git
    * Document customizations
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Limitations

<Warning>
  k6 Studio records HTTP traffic only. WebSocket, gRPC, and other protocols require manual scripting.
</Warning>

* Limited to HTTP/HTTPS protocols
* Cannot capture client-side JavaScript execution
* Binary protocols need manual implementation
* Some dynamic content may require custom correlation logic

## Documentation

For detailed k6 Studio documentation:

[grafana.com/docs/k6-studio](https://grafana.com/docs/k6-studio/)

## Related resources

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="HTTP requests" icon="globe" href="/using-k6/http-requests">
    Making HTTP requests with k6
  </Card>

  <Card title="Correlation" icon="link" href="/examples/correlation-and-dynamic-data">
    Extracting and using dynamic data
  </Card>

  <Card title="API testing" icon="code" href="/testing-guides/api-load-testing">
    Load testing REST APIs
  </Card>

  <Card title="Grafana Cloud k6" icon="cloud" href="/cloud/overview">
    Cloud-based test execution
  </Card>
</CardGroup>