Elevate Your LLM Applications with promptfoo: A Comprehensive Guide to Contribution and Usage

Jul 30, 2025

Introduction to promptfoo

promptfoo is an innovative tool designed for testing and evaluating Large Language Model (LLM) applications. With a robust architecture and a community-driven approach, promptfoo empowers developers to enhance their LLM applications through effective testing and evaluation.

Main Features of promptfoo

  • Comprehensive Testing: Evaluate LLM applications with a variety of tests and assertions.
  • Community Contributions: Engage with a vibrant community to improve the tool and share insights.
  • Flexible Architecture: Built with TypeScript, allowing for easy modifications and enhancements.
  • Documentation and Examples: Extensive documentation and examples to help users get started quickly.

Technical Architecture and Implementation

The promptfoo codebase consists of 2859 files and 601527 lines of code, showcasing its extensive functionality. The project is structured to facilitate easy navigation and contribution, with a clear separation of concerns across its various components.

Key components include:

  • Core Logic: The main logic for testing and evaluating LLM applications is encapsulated in well-defined modules.
  • Providers: Support for various LLM providers, allowing users to integrate different models seamlessly.
  • Assertions: Custom assertions can be defined to validate the output of LLM applications against expected results.

Setup and Installation Process

To get started with promptfoo, follow these steps:

  1. Fork the repository from GitHub.
  2. Clone your fork locally:
    git clone https://github.com/[your-username]/promptfoo.git
    cd promptfoo
  3. Set up your development environment:
    # Ensure Node.js version >= 18
    nvm use
    npm install
  4. Run the tests to ensure everything is working:
    npm test
  5. Build the project:
    npm run build
  6. Run the project:
    npm run dev

    This will start the express server on port 15500 and the web UI on port 3000.

Usage Examples and API Overview

promptfoo provides a flexible API for testing LLM applications. Here’s a simple example of how to define a test:

const test = {
  input: 'Hello, world!',
  expectedOutput: 'Hello, world!'
};

const result = promptfoo.evaluate(test);
console.log(result);

For more detailed usage examples, refer to the official documentation.

Community and Contribution Aspects

promptfoo thrives on community contributions. Here’s how you can get involved:

  • Submit Pull Requests: Fork the repository and submit your changes.
  • Report Issues: Help improve the tool by reporting bugs or suggesting features.
  • Improve Documentation: Contribute to the documentation by fixing typos or adding examples.

Join our community on Discord for discussions and support.

License and Legal Considerations

promptfoo is licensed under the Apache License 2.0. This allows for both personal and commercial use, provided that the terms of the license are followed. For more details, refer to the Apache License.

Conclusion

promptfoo is a powerful tool for developers looking to enhance their LLM applications through effective testing and evaluation. With a supportive community and extensive documentation, getting started is easy. We encourage you to contribute and help us make promptfoo even better!

Additional Resources

For more information, visit the promptfoo GitHub repository.

FAQ

What is promptfoo?

promptfoo is a tool designed for testing and evaluating LLM applications, providing a framework for developers to ensure their models perform as expected.

How can I contribute to promptfoo?

You can contribute by submitting pull requests, reporting issues, or improving documentation. Join our Discord community for support and guidance.

What license does promptfoo use?

promptfoo is licensed under the Apache License 2.0, allowing for both personal and commercial use under certain conditions.