Testing is an integral part of software development and is used as a way to assess the quality of a software product’s delivery. Different kinds of testing are used to evaluate different features and developers find themselves using a mix of various testing methodologies. Each testing approach has its own unique strengths and weaknesses. In this article, we will dive into each and compare load testing vs performance testing vs stress testing for developers.
In general, load testing involves evaluating the application’s behavior and performance when it is exposed to certain loads. For example, a piece of software may be designed to service X users and when it crosses the limit, how it responds is checked.
The goals of load testing determine if the current build is ready to be deployed or not. Load testing assesses anticipated loads in terms of requests per second as well. It falls under the umbrella of performance testing and goes hand-in-hand with stress testing which is also a part of performance testing.
Some examples of load tests are:
A stress test evaluates an application’s error handling capabilities and checks how it responds when it exceeds its normal operational limits. It assesses the robustness of applications, overall availability, and endurance under normal and irregular conditions.
Stress tests even analyze how systems perform under extreme conditions and is known by names such as torture testing and endurance testing.
Real-world examples of stress testing include:
Performance testing focuses on different aspects such as evaluating application response times, loads, and stability. Load testing falls directly under it and performance tests are used to detect any performance issues that may occur with applications.
The goal of performance testing is to determine if the application is working fine or stable after development. It is a non-functional testing strategy and not always needed.
Here are some main differences between performance testing vs. load testing vs. stress testing:
Performance Testing |
Load Testing |
Stress Testing |
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Encompasses both load testing and stress testing finds, analyzes, and fixes performance issues |
Ensures that the application can handle expected loads and achieve the right performance point |
Tests systems in situations of failures and under extreme conditions |
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Validates hardware designed to deal with anticipated loads |
Determines operating capacity of applications and analyzes the current infrastructure used for running loads |
Checks if unforeseen system failures compromise application security and ensures that system data gets saved before crashing or otherwise |
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Performance testing example is checking ideal response times and HTTP connections |
Load testing example is analyzing changes in large volumes of data being processed by applications |
Stress testing example is analyzing application responsiveness when it’s exposed to loads beyond its accepted threshold limit. It can casually shut down and restart ports of large networks. |
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Performance testing uses regular application parameters |
It generates increased loads for applications which may be randomized |
Stress testing causes a sudden spike in loads for a considerable duration to see if the server crashes or not |
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Common attributes validated are resource usage, availability, and product reliability. |
Peak performance, response time, and server quantity are common attributes that are checked |
Stress tests mainly examine stability response times and behaviors |
It is ideal to run load tests early and regularly instead of waiting for the software development to be near completion. A load test can help developers make applications bug-free, error-free, and catch issues in the pre-production phases before they escalate and turn into major issues. It will also help resolve coding issues faster throughout the software development lifecycle. The goal of a load test is to determine if the application remains stable throughout its operation.
When to stress test? Stress tests can better prepare your applications to handle unexpected traffic spikes and big events. It also gives developers time to identify and address any bottlenecks. You put the application through different scenarios and use cases that test it beyond its normal limits and analyze for optimal working function.
Performance testing is best suited if you are adopting the waterfall model for software development. It mainly checks the performance of databases, networks, and website servers.
Load testing identifies system weaknesses that can result in improving the application’s overall resiliency and makes it capable of handling unexpected incidents. It analyzes system performance under heavy loads and uses a large volume of users to represent the test data.
Stress testing deals with how quickly an application recovers from failure after a major incident. It identifies how systems cope with increasing workloads and checks for attributes such as stability response times, bandwidth capacity, and more. Stress testers can determine key security issues, memory leaks, and effectively test the system’s robustness. Key metrics analyzed during stress tests are - pages per second, throughput, rounds, application hit and response times, time to the first byte, page time, failed connections, failed hits, etc.
Performance tests are usually run once the functional testing process is complete. These tests evaluate the speed and responsiveness of applications, aiming to identify and resolve all performance bottlenecks. The goal of performance testing is to improve the user experience and ensure more positive outcomes during task execution and navigation.
Different performance testing scenarios can be transferred between live environments and these tests may be conducted in lab or production environments. Performance tests are a great way to analyze how to allocate computing resources and verify vendor claims. It provides important information to stakeholders about application build releases and can draw a comparison between two or more systems.
Here is a list of the top software testing best practices for developers and teams in organizations:
Software development teams should define and set actionable business goals. The testing phase is a component of a clear roadmap and should have SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound) milestones.
Testing should be integrated early on at the start of the development phase and provide exhaustive coverage. It will reveal bugs during pre-production that can help cut down maintenance costs.
Using various automation testing tools can speed up testing processes. It is imperative that organizations try out different solutions and find out which ones work best for them. Every automation tool has different benchmarks and can help improve testing accuracy and provide instant feedback.
Common test-oriented development practices adopted by most organizations are - pair programming and test-drive development (TDD). Pair programming follows knowledge sharing and ensures higher code quality overall as errors are caught early on. Two coders work together where one writes code and the other gives inputs or suggestions.
In the test-driven development (TDD) cycle, a test case is created. The developer writes the code and refactors it after it passes through the application. The goal is to make the code work and eliminate any redundancies throughout the process.
All tests must be well-documented along with the necessary observations and precautions taken in the testing report. The test report should be clear, concise, and include elements such as bug recreation steps, screenshots and videos, and clear solutions for fixing bugs that crop up during the testing phases.
It should include the descriptions for how functions behave in applications. Test reports check and report application functionality, UI/UX performance, and security challenges.
There is no right or wrong method of testing but every tester should aim to understand the differences between these tests and use them correctly. Choosing the right practice is important for analyzing appropriate metrics and it’s crucial to ensure that the tests used align with business goals.
To try out software testing and QA services, contact Clarion Technologies today.