Performance testing is a type of non-functional software testing that looks at how well an application’s stability, speed, scalability, and responsiveness perform under a certain load. It’s an important step in guaranteeing software quality, but it’s typically seen as an afterthought, to be done after functional testing and, in most cases, after the code is ready to release.
What is Performance Testing?
Performance testing is a type of software testing that ensures that the application is performing well under stressful conditions. The goal of performance testing is to determine the performance bottlenecks and to measure the quality attributes of the system. It helps the performance of the software in terms of speed, response time, scalability, resource usage, and stability under workload conditions.
What are Performance Testing Tools?
Performance testing tools help to perform performance testing on the software to check the speed, reliability, response time, resource usage, and other performance metrics under the expected workload.
- These tools help to validate the software’s basic features.
- Helps to identify the issues that need to be fixed before launching the site or app.
- They also help to detect scalability issues.
Types of Performance Testing
Below are the 6 types of performance testing:
- Stress Testing: Stress testing is a type of performance testing that determines the robustness of software systems by testing under pressure conditions.
- Spike Testing: Spike testing is a type of performance testing that is done by a sudden increase or decrease in load. The goal here is to determine the behavior of the software under extreme variations in traffic.
- Load Testing: Load testing is a type of performance testing where the system’s behavior is determined under both normal and extreme load conditions. The goal here is to determine the maximum operating capacity of the system and the component that is causing the degradation.
- Endurance Testing: Endurance testing is a type of performance testing where the system is tested with a load, extended over a significant period of time to monitor the behavior of the software under sustained use. The goal here is to determine whether the application can resist the processing load it is expected to have to endure for a long period.
- Volume Testing: Volume testing is a type of performance testing where the software is subjected to a huge volume of data. The goal here is to check the system performance with an increased volume of data in the database.
- Scalability Testing: Scalability testing is a type of performance testing where
Benefits of Performance Testing
Below are some of the benefits of performance testing:
- Meet customer expectations: Performance testing helps to meet the desired software features and keep customers happy as no customer will like to use slow laggy software. Performance testing helps to identify performance bottlenecks and thus enhances customer satisfaction.
- Improve code quality: Detecting the issues and fixing them early helps to maintain the quality of the code, delivering expected speed, reliability, scalability, and stability.
- Enhance software optimization capability: With performance testing, one can optimize the software in such a way that helps the software withstand high numbers of concurrent users.
- Identifying issues in the software: siteThis helps to identify the issues that can be corrected before launching the app or site, thus developer can focus on improving the technology instead of resolving the issues after the release.
- Measure software’s performance metrics: Performance testing helps to measure the metrics like speed, reliability, scalability, scalability, and other metrics that affect the performance of the software under the workload. Testing and monitoring these factors helps to identify how the application will behave under pressure conditions.
Factors determine to Consider While Selecting a Performance Testing Tool
The following are some factors that should be considered before selecting a performance testing tool:
- License cost and type: Review and be aware of the license of the tool before using it as commercial tools offer better protocol support but with certain restrictions. Check and compare the prices of the paid tool with other tools in the market and select the one that meets your requirements and falls within your budget.
- Desired protocol support: Choose a tool based on the nature of the application protocol you would like to utilize as different vendors offer different protocols such as HTTP, HTTPS, etc.
- Hardware/ Software requirements of the automation tool: It is important to consider the hardware and software requirements of the automation tool to keep the cost of the software testing within budget.
- Languages for writing scripts: It is better to choose a tool that supports many different common languages like Java, and Python for writing the test scripts. Tools that require special skill development before using it may appear less user-friendly in comparison to the tools that use common languages for scripts.
- Option to record or playback: The record and playback option helps to run the test cases without programming knowledge.
- Online forums and vendor assistance: Commercial vendors generally offer high-quality support through various channels of communication.
- Ease of use: The performance testing tool chosen should be easy enough to use for the testers.
- Test environment: The performance testing tool must access enough network and hardware resources. If the selected tool cannot generate a test environment to simulate an expected amount of network traffic then it might not be suitable to meet the company’s requirements.
- Tool efficiency: The tool efficiency is more if it needs fewer devices and produces large-scale tests. It must be capable of generating an expected number of virtual users on the current hardware and software setup.
- Seamless Integration: The performance testing tools work best when integrated with other tools like defect management. This will help the tester to get an idea of how to track tests and find defects easily.
Performance Testing Tools:
- WebLOAD
- LoadNinja
- LoadRunner
- Apache JMeter
- NeoLoad
- LoadUI Pro
- LoadView
- StormForge
- LoadComplete
- Gatling
1. WebLOAD
Web application load and performance testing tool for enterprises. WebLOAD is the tool of choice for organizations with high user traffic and sophisticated testing needs. It enables you to load and stress test any internet application by simulating load from the cloud and on-premises machines. WebLOAD’s benefits are its versatility and ease of use, allowing you to quickly define the tests you require using capabilities such as DOM-based recording/playback, automatic correlation, and the JavaScript scripting language. The tool gives a detailed study of your web application’s performance, identifying flaws and bottlenecks that may be impeding you from meeting your load and response requirements.WebLOAD supports hundreds of technologies, ranging from web protocols to corporate applications, and offers built-in connections with Jenkins, Selenium, and many other tools to enable DevOps continuous load testing.WebLOAD testing tool supports HTTP, HTTPS protocols and Enterprise applications, Network Technology as well as Server Technologies.
Key Features:
- Correlation: Automatically correlates dynamic data such as session IDs, allowing scripts to run on different virtual clients.
- Protocols supported: HTTPS, HTTP, and XML are all supported protocols.
- Integration: Works with technologies like Selenium, Jenkins, and others.
- Customer Service Representatives- You can contact them by phone, fax, or through a contact form.
2. LoadNinja
It enables you to construct advanced load tests without using scripts and cuts testing time in half. It also replaces load emulators with real browsers and provides actionable, browser-based analytics at ninja speed. LoadNinja enables teams to expand test coverage without sacrificing quality by eliminating the time-consuming tasks of dynamic correlation, script translation, and script scrubbing. It supports HTTP, HTTPS, SAP GUI Web, WebSocket, Java-based protocol, Google Web Toolkit, and Oracle forms. Engineers, testers, and product teams may use LoadNinja to focus on designing apps that scale rather than load-testing scripts. Client-side interactions can be easily captured and debugged in real time, and performance issues can be identified quickly. LoadNinja enables teams to expand test coverage without losing quality by automating dynamic correlation, script translation, and script scrubbing.
Key Features:
- Automated test: Automated tests utilizing bespoke CI/CD plugins or a REST API.
- Customer Support: You can get answers from the LoadNinja user community or by reading their extensive documentation and FAQs.
- Protocol Supported: HTTP, HTTPS, SAP GUI Web, WebSocket, Java-based protocol, Google Web Toolkit, Oracle forms.
3. LoadRunner
Micro Focus LoadRunner is a software testing tool. It is used to test programs, as well as to measure system behavior and performance under load. It can mimic thousands of users utilizing application software at the same time. Load Runner is a performance testing tool that is used to test the load on an application. In the load basically, there are three application processes; the Controller, Load Generators, and Load Analyzers.LoadRunner supports all the protocols. It reduces hardware and software expenses by precisely forecasting system capacity. LoadRunner rapidly and accurately identifies the fundamental cause of application performance problems. It has effective tool utilization tracking, browser-based access to worldwide test resources, and optimized load generator farm utilization.
Key Features:
- It will support XML, which means we’ll be able to see and manipulate XML data in the test scripts with ease.
- It supports a wide range of applications, which cuts down on the time it takes to comprehend and interpret reports.
- We may generate extensive performance test reports with this tool.
- The expense of distributed load testing will be reduced.
- It will serve as an operational tool for tracking deployments.
- Protocol Supported: All Protocols are supported.
4. Apache JMeter
JMeter is an open-source performance and load-testing tool that can be used to analyze and measure the performance of a wide range of services. This tool is mostly used in online and web service applications. It’s a Java platform program that’s an open-source load-testing tool. It’s primarily used for performance testing, although it can also be combined with a test strategy. In addition to the load test plan, you can create a functional test plan. This tool can be installed on a server or network to evaluate its performance and see how it performs under various conditions. It was originally created to test web applications, but its capabilities have subsequently grown. It’s perfect for testing the functioning of Servlets, Perl Scripts, and Java objects. You’ll need JVM 1.4 or higher to operate it. Requirements for the system: It is compatible with both Unix and Windows operating systems.It supports HTTP,HTTPS,XML,SOAP,Java-based protocols and FTP protocols.
Key Features:
- PHP, NodeJS, ASP.NET, database, MOM, LDAP, Java objects, TCP, and other technologies are supported.
- Correlation: this allows you to extract data from popular response formats like HTML, XML, and JSON with ease.
- Extensibility: It can be used with pluggable samplers, Groovy-scriptable samples, pluggable timers, data visualization, analysis plugins, and more.
- Integrates with open-source libraries like Jenkins, Gradle, and Maven, among others.
- Customer Service: You can interact with a vast community of developers and contributors. They’ve also kept tutorials up to date so you can get a better understanding of the product.
- Protocols Supported: HTTPS, HTTP, SAOP, XML, FTP, and Java-based protocols are supported.
5. NeoLoad
NeoLoad is the most automated performance testing platform for enterprises that need to test applications and APIs on a regular basis. NeoLoad offers testers and developers automated test design and management, the most realistic user behavior simulation, quick root cause analysis, and built-in integrations with the whole SDLC toolchain. From functional testing tools to analytics and metrics from APM tools, NeoLoad allows you to reuse and share test files and results. To meet all testing needs, NeoLoad supports a wide range of mobile, online, and packaged apps, such as SAP. Schedule, manage and disseminate test resources and findings across the organization on a regular basis to ensure application performance. System Requirements: This tool is compatible with Microsoft Windows, Linux, and Solaris operating systems.
Key Features:
- It works with HTML, Angular, HTTP/2, WebSocket, and other web frameworks and protocols, as well as packaged apps from Salesforce, SAP, Oracle, and IBM.
- Dynamic parameters are linked to automatic handling, and app-specific parameters are detected using established criteria such as.Net, Siebel, and JSF.
- SOAP/REST support, Selenium, Tricentis Tosca, Dynatrace, Azure, Jenkins, Git, and other DevOps tools; SOAP/REST support, Selenium, Tricentis Tosca, Dynatrace, Azure, Jenkins, Git, and other DevOps tools.
- Protocols Supported: HTTP, HTTPS, SOAP, REST, Flex Push, AJAX Push.
6. LoadUI Pro
LoadUI allows you to build and edit test cases as they run. The focus on usability through its visual interface and easy design, combined with the flexibility that comes with the ability to make changes during the test, is what makes load UI so strong. LoadUI Pro enables you to rapidly construct sophisticated load tests without using scripts, distribute them on the cloud using load agents, and track the performance of your servers as the demand for them increases. You can get thorough reports and automate your load tests rapidly.
Key Features:
- Compatibility: Mac OS, Windows, and Linux are all supported.
- Test Reuse: You can save time by reusing functional tests that already exist in your pipelines.
- Integration: Works with SoapUI, a functional testing tool.
- Protocols Supported: HTTP, REST, SOAP, JSON, API Blueprint, JSON Schema, XML Schema.
7. LoadView
Using LoadView’s enterprise-level platform, enable your IT team to stress-test your websites, APIs, and web applications with thousands of simultaneous connections in real browsers. LoadView’s cloud network is managed by AWS and Azure, allowing you to create multiple tests on even the most complicated projects. Utilizing load injectors from 30 worldwide locations spanning the US, South America, Canada, APAC, and Europe, you may define users, duration, and behavior using various scenarios and realistically imitate people. To analyze traffic spikes, scalability, and infrastructure restrictions, the tool includes three load curves: Load Step curve, Dynamic Adjustable curve, and Goal-based curve.
Key Features:
- LoadView has dedicated IPs that you may allow and control, so you can run tests behind a firewall.
- Video recording: Use video recording to capture the rendering of a website or app for better inspection and assessment.
- Reference servers, thorough waterfall charts, dynamic variables, and load injector controls are among the other features.
- Protocols Supported: Flash, Silverlight, Java, HTML5, PHP, Ruby.
8. StormForge
StormForge enables you to execute load testing for the speed and scalability of your apps at a minimal cost, right within your CI/CD workflow. It enables you to boost application uptime, throughput, latency, and application faults while also allowing you to scale to additional users. The application provides all of these capabilities while using fewer resources, requiring no manual processes, promoting environmental sustainability, and assisting you in lowering your monthly cloud expenditures. To ensure that the test reflects real-world traffic patterns, you can capture real-world traffic. It operates on an open-workload model, accurately models real-world scenarios, and solves error detection issues.
Key Features:
- Use Performance Testing as Code in your CI/CD process to make it more repeatable.
- Cloud-native: On Kubernetes, it works nicely.
- Java, Nginx, Go, and Python is among the supported programming languages.
- Integration: It works seamlessly with your ecosystem, including cloud providers (AWS, DigitalOcean, GCP, IBM, Azure), monitoring tools (Prometheus, Dynatrace, Datadog, New Relic, and Circonus), and DevOps tools (Prometheus, Dynatrace, Datadog, New Relic, and Circonus) (Jenkins, Puppet, Chef, and Rancher Labs).
9. LoadComplete
It’s yet another tool for performance (load) testing. It’s used to build and perform automated tests for web services and servers. It works with all browsers and web services. When we have a large load, it will examine the performance of our web server. Throughout the test runs, we can use this program to monitor numerous server metrics such as CPU utilization.
Key Features:
- It will allow us to produce a big load for stress testing by providing load modeling for performance testing.
- We may record and playback our actions in the web browser using this.
- It works on a variety of platforms, including Windows and UNIX.
- During load testing, template-based criteria will be used to evaluate the server message body, ensuring that the server is running properly.
- It can test Flash, Flex, Silverlight, and Ajax apps, among others.
- It will generate load test reports, which will contain user interface customization.
- Protocol Supported: AMP, SOAP(XML), WebSocket, Binary XML, JSON Format.
10. Gatling
Gatling is an open-source performance and load-testing tool for online services, mostly apps, that was launched in 2012 and built-in Scala. It allows you to minimize crashes by anticipating crashes and poor response times, as well as to detect issues early on to save time to market, improve user experience, and grow your business. Gatling’s code-link scripts make it simple to manage and automate test scenarios. It’s designed for continuous load testing and may easily be integrated into your development cycle. A web recorder is also included.
Key Features:
- Readable DSL: Their domain-specific language (DSL) makes it simple for anyone to read test scenarios.
- Analysis: Simulate thousands of user requests per second with ease and get very accurate stats in a colorful and dynamic report.
- Protocol Supported: HTTP, WebSockets, Sever-sent events, JMS.
