Use NeoLoad Web

NeoLoad Web is a centralized platform where your team runs performance tests at scale, shares results, and collaborates from a web browser. You design tests in NeoLoad, the desktop application, and run them through NeoLoad Web.

This topic explains what NeoLoad Web is, why you'd use it, and how to get started. For the full NeoLoad Web documentation, see the NeoLoad Web documentation.

Why use NeoLoad Web

When you run tests locally in NeoLoad, the results live on your machine. Only you can see them, and you're limited to the hardware on your desk. That works for small tests, but it doesn't scale.

NeoLoad Web solves the following problems:

  • Results stay on one machine: NeoLoad Web stores results centrally. Everyone in your workspace can access them from a browser. No more emailing reports or sharing screenshots.

  • Limited load generation capacity: NeoLoad Web distributes load across multiple load generators in cloud, on-premise, or hybrid zones. You can simulate thousands of users without the hardware constraints of a single machine.

  • Manual test runs: NeoLoad Web lets you schedule tests, reserve resources in advance, and trigger tests automatically from your CI/CD pipeline. No one needs to sit and wait.

  • No historical comparison: NeoLoad Web keeps every test result. You can compare runs side by side, track trends over time, and spot regressions before they reach production.

How NeoLoad and NeoLoad Web work together

The two products complement each other. You use NeoLoad to create and you use NeoLoad Web to run and share:

  • NeoLoad: Record user interactions, design test scripts, configure scenarios, and define populations. This is where you build your tests.

  • NeoLoad Web: Upload projects, run tests at scale, monitor execution in real time, analyze results through dashboards, and share insights with your team.

When you run a test through NeoLoad Web, the desktop application pushes test data to the platform. Your team can then view results through a web browser without needing NeoLoad installed.

Key concepts

Before you start, here are the key concepts you'll encounter in NeoLoad Web:

  • Workspace: A shared space where your team organizes tests, results, and infrastructure. Think of it as a project folder that everyone on your team can access.

  • Zone: The location where your test runs. A zone groups the controllers and load generators that execute your test. NeoLoad Web supports cloud zones managed by Tricentis, static zones on your own servers, and dynamic zones provisioned on demand.

  • Controller: The component that orchestrates your test. It manages the scenario, coordinates load generators, and collects results. Every test run needs exactly one controller.

  • Load generator: The component that simulates virtual users and generates traffic against your application. A test can use one or many load generators spread across different zones.

  • Reservation: A pre-allocated time slot with dedicated resources. Reservations guarantee that your test has the controller, load generators, and virtual users it needs. No one else can claim those resources during the reserved time.

The test workflow

Running a test through NeoLoad Web follows these steps:

  1. Design in NeoLoad: Record user interactions, design your test, and configure a scenario that defines the load profile.

  2. Upload to NeoLoad Web: Export your project from NeoLoad and upload it to NeoLoad Web. You can upload as a zip file or connect through Git.

  3. Configure the test: In NeoLoad Web, select your project, choose a scenario, and pick a zone. Adjust virtual user counts and duration if needed.

  4. Run the test: Start the test manually, schedule it for later, or trigger it from your CI/CD pipeline. NeoLoad Web allocates the infrastructure and runs the test.

  5. Analyze results: Review performance metrics in the Results view. Check response times, throughput, error rates, and SLA compliance. Build dashboards to visualize trends and share findings with your team.

Ways to run tests

NeoLoad Web supports multiple ways to run tests. Choose the approach that fits your workflow:

  • Ad-hoc run: Start a test manually from the NeoLoad Web interface. Best for quick, one-off tests during development.

  • Reserved run: Create a reservation to lock resources for a specific time slot. Best when multiple teams share infrastructure and you need guaranteed capacity.

  • Scheduled run: Combine a reservation with an automatic test start. Best for recurring tests like nightly regressions or weekly load tests.

  • CI/CD-triggered run: Use the NeoLoad Web API and an access token to trigger tests from your build pipeline. Best for continuous performance testing as part of every release.

Connect NeoLoad to NeoLoad Web

To send test data from NeoLoad to NeoLoad Web, you need to configure the connection in the desktop application:

  1. Go to Edit > Preferences in NeoLoad.

  2. Select the NeoLoad Web panel.

  3. Choose your deployment type: SaaS or On-premise.

  4. Enter your access token to authenticate. You can generate a token from your NeoLoad Web account settings.

  5. Select Verify to confirm the connection works.

For detailed information about all connection settings, see NeoLoad Web connection settings.

What's next

Now that you know what NeoLoad Web is, here's where to go: