NBomber
A distributed load-testing framework for .NET that tests any system regardless of protocol or semantic model using plain C# or F#.
What is NBomber?
NBomber is a distributed load-testing framework for .NET that allows developers to test any system—regardless of protocol or semantic model—using plain C# or F#. It simulates realistic production workloads, supports distributed clusters, and integrates with CI/CD pipelines. The framework solves the problem of validating system performance under load without being tied to specific protocols.
.NET developers, QA engineers, and DevOps teams who need to perform load, stress, and performance testing on HTTP APIs, WebSockets, databases, message brokers, and other systems.
Developers choose NBomber for its protocol-agnostic design, simple API that uses native C#/F# constructs, and powerful distributed testing capabilities. It eliminates the need to learn a new DSL and provides real-time reporting, making it a flexible and efficient choice for modern load testing.
Overview
Distributed load-testing framework for .NET. Create distributed load test scenarios entirely using plain C# or F#. It is designed to test any system regardless of the protocol or a semantic model (Pull/Push).
Use Cases
Best For
- Load testing microservices and distributed systems
- Performance validation of HTTP APIs and WebSocket services
- Stress testing databases like SQLite, Redis, or MongoDB
- Simulating production workloads for proof-of-concept projects
- Integrating load tests into CI/CD pipelines with xUnit/NUnit
- Testing message brokers like Kafka, RabbitMQ (AMQP), or MQTT
Not Ideal For
- Teams working outside the .NET ecosystem who need load testing in languages like Java or Python
- Organizations with strict budget constraints requiring free, open-source tools for commercial load testing
- Projects where quick, GUI-based test creation is preferred over code-heavy scenarios
- Simple HTTP load testing scenarios where lightweight tools like k6 might offer faster setup
Pros & Cons
Pros
NBomber supports testing any system regardless of protocol, including HTTP, WebSockets, AMQP, and databases, as evidenced by its 'Zero dependencies on protocol' claim and extensive protocol list in the README.
Developers can debug load tests directly in IDEs like Visual Studio or Rider, making integration with existing .NET workflows seamless, as highlighted in the 'Native Debug' section.
The framework allows running tests in a distributed cluster across multiple nodes, enabling scalable load simulation for large systems, detailed in the 'Distributed Cluster' documentation.
NBomber integrates with tools like InfluxDB and Grafana for live insights, and offers NBomber Studio for dedicated real-time reporting, as mentioned in the 'Realtime reporting' section.
Cons
While free for personal use, NBomber requires a paid license for organizational usage, which can be a barrier, as stated in the FAQ: 'For the organization usage, you should have a license.'
The framework is built solely for .NET, limiting its use to teams familiar with C# or F#, and excluding other programming environments, which restricts cross-platform adoption.
Setting up distributed clusters may involve additional configuration and infrastructure, as hinted by the need for a local dev cluster mode for free testing, potentially increasing overhead for beginners.
Frequently Asked Questions
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