This week, we welcome our most recent k6 champion, Ziv Kalderon, to the program! Ziv is an Engineering Team Lead at ActiveFence, based in Tel Aviv, Israel, and has been advocating k6 via speaking at local meetups. This year, he will also be one of the speakers at an upcoming conference, Hands-On Testing. We’re excited to see how Ziv can help us connect to different communities.
Now, let’s get to know him more!
Tell us a little bit about yourself
Over the past 11 years, my professional experience has revolved around software development and engineering management. I have worked at large multinational corporations and much smaller startups based in Israel. During the most recent 3.5 years, I have been at ActiveFence, a startup dedicated to delivering scalable Trust and Safety solutions.
What do you do outside of work?
Coding is a passion of mine, and I find great satisfaction in continuing to develop my skills, even outside of work. Additionally, I love running, orienteering, and hiking to explore nature’s beauty. I am also an avid traveler and enjoy broadening my horizons and immersing myself in new experiences. When I'm not outside or coding, I am particularly fond of baking pizzas and crafting sourdough bread, finding joy in the process and the delicious results.
What made you decide to become a k6 Champion?
I had the opportunity to present at a meetup where I discussed the ease and effectiveness of using k6 for scaling code testing. The positive reception and interest from the audience left me inspired to further promote awareness and knowledge about this powerful testing tool.
How are you currently helping the k6 community?
I have been actively involved in speaking at local meetups in Israel, where I focus on assisting individuals to get started with performance testing. Sharing my knowledge and helping people navigate this area has been a rewarding experience. I also maintain a blog on Medium, which I intend to expand with more content specifically related to k6. I aim to provide valuable insights and resources to those interested in leveraging k6 for their performance testing needs.
What do you love about k6?
The k6 scripting language is primarily based on JavaScript, making it highly readable, maintainable, and compatible with various environments such as Kubernetes (k8s), local execution, and the k6 cloud. This flexibility allows for seamless execution across different platforms. Moreover, one of the standout features of k6 is its ability to create diverse load scenarios, offering a wide range of options to simulate different types of loads. The user-friendly nature of k6's scenario creation makes it straightforward to utilize while delivering excellent performance results.
What’s your most favorite k6 feature?
One of the standout features of k6 is the ability to set thresholds directly within the test scenarios. This functionality allows for seamless integration into your nightly build process, enabling you to continuously verify that your performance meets the Service Level Objectives (SLOs) you have defined.
By incorporating performance thresholds into your test scenarios, you can effectively monitor critical metrics and ensure that your application’s performance remains within the desired parameters. This automated validation process within your nightly builds adds an extra layer of confidence that your system is continuously meeting the expected performance standards.
The ease of integrating k6's threshold checks into your regular build pipeline makes it a powerful tool for maintaining performance levels and identifying any potential regressions early on. It streamlines the performance verification process, allowing you to proactively address any issues and ensure that your application consistently meets its performance goals.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to become a k6 Champion?
Once you dive into running performance tests, you’ll quickly develop an appreciation for k6 and its capabilities. The wealth of metrics and insights it provides is invaluable, allowing you to comprehensively understand your system’s performance. The challenges that arise during the testing process add an exciting element to the experience, motivating you to overcome obstacles and optimize your application further.
As you embark on this journey, it is important to document and share your experiences with others. Writing about your insights, discussing them with peers, and actively engaging with the community are all fantastic ways to spread knowledge and contribute to the world of performance testing. By sharing your experiences and findings, you can inspire and help others in their performance-testing endeavors, fostering a collaborative and supportive environment.
About the k6 Champions Program
The k6 Champions Program aims to recognise performance testing experts within our community from across the globe and amplify their contributions. To learn more about this program, check out our launch blog post or visit our official k6 Champions Program landing page.