Performance testing is a testing technique that determines the speed, scalability, and stability of an application under a given workload. It helps to ensure the quality of the software and makes the application ready to be released into the market.
Speed - The speed at which the application responds.
Scalability - The maximum user load that the application can handle.
Stability - The condition of the application under varying loads.
Types of Performance Testing
Volume testing - The main objective of volume testing is to check the performance of the application in different database volumes. The behavior of the application is monitored by populating varying volumes of data into the database.
Stress testing - The main objective of stress testing is to identify the main breaking point of a software application. This is done by testing the application under extreme workloads to gauge its performance under high traffic or data processing.
Scalability testing - The main objective of scalability testing is to determine whether the application can scale up effectively in the event of user overload. This testing also helps you to plan capacity addition to your application for the future.
Load testing - The main objective of load testing is to identify performance bottlenecks or the application’s ability to perform under anticipated user loads.
Performance Testing Process
Step 1: Identify the Testing Environment
Step 2: Identify the Performance Metrics
Step 3: Plan and Design Performance Tests
Step 4: Configure the Test Environment
Step 5: Implement the Test Design
Step 6: Run the Tests
Step 7: Analyze, Tune and Retest
Benefits of Performance Testing
- Identifies issues at an early stage and helps development teams find errors before the release
- Monitors the speed, stability, and accuracy of the application in normal as well as critical scenarios
- Increases customer satisfaction by measuring the application’s response from the customers
- Validates the functional features of the new software
- Improves load capacity and helps organizations increase their user volumes
Performance Testing Tools
- LoadNinja
- JMeter
- HP LoadRunner
- WebLoad
