Impulse is Airbnb's internal load-testing framework designed to enhance the reliability and efficiency of system-level testing. It features a range of tools including a load generator, dependency mocker, traffic collector, and testing API generator, enabling engineers to conduct self-service load tests that integrate seamlessly with CI/CD pipelines. This decentralized architecture allows for context-aware testing, accurate simulation of production conditions, and better management of system performance under varying traffic scenarios.