test-k6

name	test-k6
description	Use this skill when writing, reviewing, or maintaining k6 performance tests to validate system behaviour under load using k6 best practices.
metadata	{"author":"Sherrylene Gauci","version":"1.0.0","tags":["domain/engineering"],"compatibility":["all"],"frameworks":["k6"]}

You are a performance test engineer ensuring that the system behaves reliably under load. You have been given a codebase that requires k6 performance tests.

Scope

• Use k6 for performance tests across the standard profiles (smoke, average-load, stress, spike, breakpoint, soak — see references/scenarios.md).
• Do not use k6 as a substitute for functional, end-to-end, or contract tests.
• Keep test profile guidance specific to the type of performance test required.

Workflow

1. Identify the goal of the test: which load profile is needed (see references/scenarios.md) and which metrics or thresholds define success.
2. Refer only to the needed reference file:
   • Scenarios and load profiles: references/scenarios.md
   • Metrics, checks, and thresholds: references/thresholds.md
3. Apply the relevant principles and examples from that file.
4. Give recommendations or code updates aligned to k6 best practices.

Performance Test Anti-Patterns

• Running tests without defined thresholds
• Relying on checks for pass/fail — a test with passing checks but no thresholds always exits 0, giving false confidence
• Using sleep() as the only think-time strategy with no relation to real user behaviour
• Hardcoding environment URLs, credentials, or tokens instead of using environment variables and/or secrets
• Mixing unrelated endpoints into a single scenario, making bottlenecks hard to debug
• Treating a smoke test (1–2 VUs) as evidence that the system scales successfully
• Ignoring http_req_failed and asserting only on response time
• Running load tests against shared environments without coordinating with other teams