# Install http_load with Homebrew Test throughput of a web server by running parallel fetches. Version 20160309 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-22. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:http_load ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install http_load ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:http_load - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 20160309 - **Source summary:** Test throughput of a web server by running parallel fetches - **Homepage:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** BSD-2-Clause - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-22T14:03:44-07:00 - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - http_load (cli) - http_load (alias) ## Dependencies - openssl@3 ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 20160309 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-22 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://www.acme.com/software/http_load/ - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage http_load is an ACME Labs command-line load tester for running many HTTP fetches in parallel from a single process. It is an older, small C-style web benchmarking utility focused on throughput and response timing rather than full browser simulation. ### Project history ACME's software page describes http_load as a multiprocessing HTTP test client and links a dated source tarball. An ACME Updates entry from 14 November 2001 announced a new version with features including settable timeout, HTTP response-code histograms, random source IP selection, and SSL cipher selection. ### Adoption history The Homebrew formula in the input metadata is the visible package-manager adoption point for this batch. The package's long-lived ACME Labs hosting and BSD-style source distribution place it among the small Unix web-testing utilities that predate many heavier benchmark suites. ### How it is used Users provide a file of URLs, choose whether to start requests by rate or simulated users, and choose whether to stop after a number of fetches or elapsed seconds. Optional flags cover checksums, throttling, random jitter, progress reports, HTTPS, and response-code reporting. ### Why package nerds care http_load is package-nerd significant as a compact historical benchmark tool from the ACME Labs web-software ecosystem. It is the kind of tiny package that persists because it has a narrow job, builds quickly, and fits shell-driven server testing. ### Timeline - 2001: ACME announced an http_load version with timeout, response-code histogram, random source-IP, and SSL cipher features. - 2006: The ACME source tarball naming shows a 12mar2006 release archive. - 2016: The ACME download link points to a 09Mar2016 source tarball. - 2026: Homebrew metadata in the batch includes http_load as a packaged formula. ### Related projects - ACME's page links related tools http_ping, http_get, and thttpd. Broader neighbors include ab, siege, httperf, wrk, curl-based scripts, and other command-line HTTP load-test tools. ### Sources - ACME Labs software page, ACME Updates archive, source tarball metadata, and Homebrew input metadata. ## Security Notes broad file, network, media, or database tool signal. - **Geiger risk:** blue / medium - broad file, network, media, or database tool signal ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** http_load - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 2 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** yes - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Related links - [Secret-risk packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/secret-risk-packages/) - Has protected-tool coverage, approval-gate, or non-low Geiger security signals. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Text processing packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/text-processing-tools/) - Matched text, document, or structured-data processing metadata. - [Developer build packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/developer-build-tools/) - Matched build, compiler, generator, or developer workflow metadata. - [openssl@3](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/openssl-3/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [httperf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/httperf/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: benchmarking, cli, developer-tools, http, performance-testing. - [ghz](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ghz/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: benchmarking, cli, developer-tools, load-testing, performance-testing. - [ghz-web](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ghz-web/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: benchmarking, cli, developer-tools, load-testing, performance-testing. - [weighttp](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/weighttp/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: benchmarking, cli, developer-tools, performance-testing, web-server. - [goku](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/goku/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: benchmarking, cli, developer-tools, http, load-testing. - [jmeter](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/jmeter/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, load-testing, performance-testing. - [siege](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/siege/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: benchmarking, cli, developer-tools, http, load-testing. - [tsung](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/tsung/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: benchmarking, cli, developer-tools, http, load-testing. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/http_load.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/http_load.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - cross-ecosystem install command graph