Performance testing and load testing are two common testing types, familiar to automation engineers across the globe. However, many of the vaster audiences do not know the differences between these two testing methodologies. Truth be told, there are considerable differences between them, and as a developer or a QA tester it is important to understand the difference between both.
Performance Testing
Performance testing is done via a set of tests that determine how the system performs. It ensures that systems/applications keep performing under the required parameters such as reliability, scalability, etc.
Performance testing helps performance testers analyze critical data such as number of hits, response time, and latency. Unlike other software testing methods, performance testing does not find defects in the system. Instead, it establishes benchmarks for it. These benchmarks then define the features and standards of the system. These values help performance testers identify bottlenecks in the system and help figure out different bugs and errors.
Performance tests should ideally be run at least once before every release and should be monitored carefully. However, for agile methodology, these tests should be run consistently.
Load Testing
Load testing is a subset of performance testing. Load testing determines how many users can visit or access a system at one time. To be specific, the test measures how much load the system can handle.
Its main purpose is to assign the largest load it can handle to the system. This helps test the durability and stability of the feature. The main tested features include server response time, maximum user hits, and how many processes are running parallel to each other. The main goal is to break the system and analyze post-crash results.
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Load testing helps testers:
- Determine upper limits of the system components like network, database, or hardware.
- Find defects related to memory leaks, network issues, and memory.
The different tools that are used to perform load testing are:
- Load Ninja
- JMeter
- WebLoad
- LoadRunner
Conclusion
Even though there are many similarities between performance and load testing, they are still vastly different. AlphaBOLD’s QA experts have expertise in both these testing methods and can help companies easily decide which one to opt for based on their needs. To avail of any of these services, schedule a free discovery call with us!
