There is a limit to loading capacities for every web application. If the load on the app crosses the capability of an application to bear the load, the app will become slow or it might even start producing some errors. So, all in all, beyond loading capacity, the app will become pretty much useless.
It is of utmost importance for the developers to conduct load testing as a part of the QA process. And one of the most reliable tools to undertake such an operation is JMeter.
There is a certain way to do things and that’s why you have to execute these tests step by step. Now, in this article, we will be discussing JMeter load testing. So let us begin with its basics and then we shall move on to the step-by-step procedure to perform JMeter load testing. But to understand it better, we have to know what load testing is. So, let us dive in.
What Is Load Testing?
Load testing is one of many types of performance testing. It is conducted to verify how well the system functions under various real-life scenarios. The primary goal behind this test is to observe how much load a system can handle. It helps in verifying whether the software or a device can handle the load as per the user’s requirements.
Moreover, conducting load testing also allows you to identify the maximum operating capabilities of any software or device. This helps you determine whether the current version of the product is capable of running the app. Along with it, you can also identify how much users can work on your software concurrently.
When it comes to determining whether your developed product will be able to satisfy the users and fulfill all their requirements, you have to perform load testing using tools like WebLOAD, LoadRunner, LoadNinja, Apache JMeter, LoadUI, NeoLoad, and more.
What Is JMeter?
JMeter is one of the most popular open-source load testing tools available in the market for web and enterprise application testing. It is one of the most popular and widely used load tools in the industry.
It is used to test websites and other applications that require heavy loads. JMeter allows you to simulate real-world conditions for your application and also provides a variety of ways to measure performance.
Why Do We Use JMeter for Load Testing?
JMeter has several built-in load tests that you can use to test different types of applications. You can start with the basic ones, such as HTTP GET, HTTP POST, and HTTP HEAD requests, which help test your application’s functionality in data retrieval and processing.
The JMeter software can be installed on any computer that has an internet connection. You can download it from its official website or use the built-in installation program on Windows, Linux, or Mac OS X systems.
JMeter comes with an extensive set of features that will allow you to carry out different types of load testing. The tool has been designed primarily for web applications but can also be used for enterprise applications as well as for networked applications like Microsoft Exchange Server, Citrix XenApp/XenDesktop, and Oracle RAC environments.
JMeter provides three different types of load testers: basic load tester, advanced load tester, and graphical user interface (GUI) load tester. Other simplistic reasons that appeal more to use JMeter are:
- Free of cost
- Independent platform
- Supports other non-functional tests too.
- Recording and playback options are provided
- Customizable
How to Perform JMeter Load Testing?
JMeter is a free open-source Java application that allows you to perform load testing and performance testing. It is very easy to use, just follow the steps below:
- Download JMeter from http://jmeter.apache.org/download.html
- Uncompress JMeter-3.0.7-bin-windows-x86-64-smali.jar and run it with the following command: java -jar JMeter-3.0.7-bin-windows-x86_64-smali.jar
- On the left pane, click on “Load Test” and create a “Test Plan”.
- Now click on “Run” and wait for a few seconds until it starts running test cases for your application(s).
You can also create your custom test cases for your application by following these steps:
- Define your test cases by creating a new configuration file with the name “jvm_configuration”;
- Add all the scripts you want to run at run time in this configuration file;
- Create a Run Script Task (RST) under the Test Plan submenu in JMeter UI.
Conclusion
After reading this article, I hope you would have come to understand how to perform JMeter Load testing. But this was just the basic method to perform a test. With the varying test cases, you have to create different kinds of test plans. You will get the hang of it as you start using it. Out of all the load testing tools, JMeter is used extensively. So, it’s obvious for developers and QA analysts to learn how to use this tool.