Performance testing is done to ensure that you app or website can handle the load on system. Load testing tools are necessary for doing performance testing. Lightweight load testing tools are available, but there are also tools that are designed specifically for performance testing.
This article mainly talks about some basic features of performance testing tools and how to use them using few examples.
LoadNinja – Best for load testing with real browsers at scale
LoadNinja helps users diagnose web and API performance issues. It is simpler to use than conventional load testing tools and uses real browsers, which delivers a more accurate representation of load.
Creating performance tests via record and playback enhanced with AI can save around 60% of time vs traditional tools, and also reduces time maintaining tests as the application changes. Using real browsers at scale to generate load gives you the most accurate representation of load. Test results reflect true end-user experience and allow you to quickly diagnose bottlenecks and performance issues. The tool was designed with ease of use in mind, and is accessible to users of all skill levels.
Tool costs starting from $239/month for 100 virtual users. They also offer a free 14-day trial.Visit Website
WAPT – Employs a universal performance test design approach by recording real-life web sessions from a browser or a mobile application
WAPT lets users design or run tests locally or in the cloud. Users are enabled to create tests using a browser or a mobile application; employ remote, distributed and cloud-based testing; launch server and database performance monitoring; and more.
Some of the most exemplary elements of the software are the usefulness of auto-parameterization of most dynamic values, the extensibility via Javascript, and point-and-click recording capabilities.
The WAPT interface, as seen from the associated screenshot, comes across quite dated in the color, look, feel, and even text orientation. For those used to modern tech UI, it may be a bit of an eyesore; thus, they lost a few points per the UX review criteria.
WAPT starts at $700 and has a free trial.Visit Website
WebLOAD
This is an enterprise-scale load testing tool that can generate real-life and reliable load scenarios, even in most complex systems. Its smart analytics provide in-depth performance insights. The tool comes with built-in support for hundreds of technologies. It also integrates with several tools to support simpler monitoring.
The key features of this performance testing tool are as follows:
- It is available on the Cloud or as an on-premise deployment
- Readily extensible and supports all the major web technologies
- Creates a flexible test environment
- Native JavaScript based on smart scripting with validation engines, parameterization, and powerful correlation
- Detects bottlenecks automatically
WebLOAD is widely used by performance testing services with complex and heavy user load requirements. You can conduct stress and load testing on any web-based software by creating load from on-premise systems and the Cloud. It supports technologies including enterprise applications to web protocols. It supports integration with tools like Selenium, Jenkins, and many others to allow continuous load testing for DevOps.
Neotys Neoload starts at $6024/month and has a free 30-day trial.Visit Website
LoadView
LoadView is also widely popular with performance testing services. This is an on-demand and fully-managed load testing and stress testing tool. It is different from most other load testing tools in that testing is conducted in real browsers. The result is close emulation of real users and highly accurate data. It is fully cloud-based and is readily deployed in minutes. It allows creating multi-step scripts simulating user interaction with your application or website.
Some of the key features of LoadView are as follows:
- Supports advanced load testing features like global Cloud-based infrastructure, point and click scripting, and real browser testing
- Allows instant and easy creation of test scripts without the need for coding
- Supports Rich Internet Applications including Java, Flash, HTML5, Ruby, Silverlight, and PHMP among others
- Over a dozen global Cloud locations supported by Google Cloud Platform and Amazon Web Services
- Test compatibility with dozens of desktop and mobile devices and browsers
- Easy to share performance metrics and reports
- Identifies bottlenecks and supports scalability
StresStimulus
StresStimulus is popular with performance testing services because it is capable of handling scenarios that may be difficult to test using other tools. It works by automatically fixing playback errors using its unique autocorrelation feature. The tool records user actions before replaying them to emulate changing usage patterns. It also keeps track of load impact on the responsiveness of the software and the server infrastructure. It can also detect hidden concurrency errors and provides in-depth performance metrics.
The key features of this performance testing tool are as follows:
- Cloud or on-premise testing using multiple load generators
- End-to-end Test Wizard reduces the learning curve by covering all steps
- Option of manual scripting is available, but not required. The tool supports upto 3 scripting languages.
- Allows script export to Visual Studio test format
- Can be used as a Fiddler add-on or an independent tool
Apache JMeter
JMeter is a popular open source performance testing tool that is designed for load and performance testing. It can be used to analyze and measure the performance of a wide range of software, covering services including networks and servers. It is mostly used as a website load testing tool for different types of web service applications.
JMeter is a Java platform application that can be integrated with the test plan. It also allows you to create a function test plan besides a load test plan. Some of the key features are as follows:
- Supports multiple load injectors that can be managed using a single controller
- Doesn’t require advanced infrastructure for load testing
- Requires lesser scripting efforts relative to other API performance testing tools, as it has a user-friendly interface
- Supports all Java-based applications
- Easy analysis of key load based stats and resource usage monitors by presenting simple graphs and charts
JMeter supports the following protocols – HTTPS, HTTP, XML, Java-based protocols, SOAP, and FTP among others.
SmartMeter.io
SmartMeter.io is the preferred option for performance testing services who want to address the drawbacks of JMeter. The tool supports the creation of a simple scriptless test environment with its Recorder. It provides test reports and has features like automatic test criteria assessment and test runs trend and comparison analysis. The tool offers full support for CI/CD integration. Its key features are as follows:
- Create a scriptless test environment
- Advanced response body extractor
- Real-time results and GUI test runs
- Comprehensive reporting, automatic assessment, and test execution comparisons
- Supports CI/CD integration
The SmartMeter.io supports the following protocols – HTTP, FTP, LDAP, JDBC, JMS, and SOAP. There is no need for browser plugin or proxy setup. It has excellent capabilities in CI integration, distributed testing, and provides unmatched performance testing support when it comes to validating apps.
Rational Performance Tester
Rational Performance Tester from IBM is designed to create and run performance tests. It is also a powerful analysis tool. The tool allows you to verify the stability and scalability of web-based applications before they are deployed. This is an automated performance testing tool that develops a demo of the transaction process between the web service and the user.
It is capable of gathering all the information and analyses them to help improve efficiency. It makes it easy to detect and rectify any leakage in the application or server. Rational Performance Tester is widely used by performance testing services to develop error-free and effective cloud computing service. Some of the key features of this tool are as follows:
- Supports event-based and scheduled testing
- Supports scriptless testing
- Runs with large tests involving multiple users
- Supports real-time reporting that allows instant performance issue identification
- Supports automatic detection and identification of dynamic server response
- Supports automated test data variation
- Runs website load tests with HTML version of web pages opened during test recordings
The performance testing tool supports the following protocols – Web HTTP, Citrix, XML, SOA, Weblogic, Websphere, SOA, and Socket Recording.
Silk Performer
Silk Performer is an enterprise class stress and load testing tool. It is capable of testing application environments along with hundreds and thousands concurrent users. It comes with CloudBurst feature that enables QA teams to efficiently launch any kind of peak load performance test without worrying about complex infrastructure. You can execute tests from over 50 locations globally. It supports Google, AWS, Azure.
Here are the key features of Silk Performer:
- Components -> Workbench, Performance Explorer, and True Log Explorer
- Minimal hardware is required for virtual user simulation
- Simulates modifiable virtual users
- It supports integrated server monitoring
- Supports six models of workloads
- Stress test website with server side diagnostics
Silk Performer supports the following protocols: HTTP/HTML, HTTPS/HTML, HTTP/HTTPS, Flash, Email (SMTP/ POP), FTP, TCP/IP, LDAP, XML/SOAP, .NET and many more.
Gatling
Gatling is a relatively new open-source load testing tool that was created in 2012. It enables you to execute load simulation of concurrent users against the system via JMS, HTTP/S, or JDBC protocols. You can use this tool to simulate web users of a system to identify bottlenecks and optimize them.
It is compatible for all operating systems as it works on Java. Gatling has two executables: one is to record tests and the other one is used to execute them. All the tests are recorded in Scala. After the execution is completed, an immersive and graphical report of the test is generated.
Here are the key features of Gatling:
- It supports any operating system or browser
- Scripting language is Scala and has its own DSL
- Can execute tests in multiple test clouds
- Capable of scaling through Taurus with BlazeMeter or flood.io
Gatling supports the following protocols: HTTP/S, JMS, and JDBC.
Conclusion
When it comes to testing performance, load testing tools are not just good, they are essential. This is because load tests help in making an application able to sustain huge amount of traffic. And when you say massive traffic, you mean the massive traffic of tens, hundreds and even thousands of users who would want to access your website simultaneously.