Types of Performance Testing: Everything You Need to Know

Discover the various types of performance testing and understand their unique benefits. Learn about load, stress, throttle, peak, and scalability tests, and see how each one plays a vital role in boosting your systems to run smoothly and efficiently.

Performance testing is a key aspect of non-functional testing, which focuses on cross-cutting factors that impact the user experience. Understanding the various types of performance tests is essential for enhancing your applications to meet user expectations and perform reliably under diverse conditions.

These tests help identify scalability and stability issues, enabling developers to optimize the application’s performance and deliver a seamless user experience.

With the information we’re sharing in this article, you’ll be able to make informed decisions to improve your systems’ efficiency and reliability, delivering a better experience for all, in every single circumstance.

Looking for a Performance Testing Partner? Explore our Performance Testing Services! Our global client reviews on Clutch speak for themselves.

Distinguishing the Different Types of Performance Testing

In our examination of performance testing types, we will explore load testing, endurance testing, stress testing, throttle testing, peak testing, spike testing, and scalability testing.

Every test of performance provides insights into metrics like response times, throughput, and resource utilization. They also facilitate comparisons between different systems to determine which performs best and highlight necessary infrastructure and application enhancements.

By implementing the right performance testing environment, you can identify bottlenecks and make necessary infrastructure improvements.

Below, we share a figure that represents some of these performance tests and what the graph of active virtual users would be like throughout the testing time.

Now, let’s dive deeper into each type of performance test, starting with load tests.

Load Testing

What is Load Testing? Load tests are meant to simulate the maximum use of the system by checking how systems function under the projected number of concurrent virtual users performing transactions over a certain period.

For this, we must analyze the number of users (user traffic) that will have access and the operations that will be executed. When we hear our clients talking about the need to conduct performance testing before launching a product and also after shipping to production, most of the time they are referring to load testing.

There are many performance testing tools available in the market to execute a load test. You can find here our TOP Performance Testing Tools.

If you are looking for open-source software, a performance testing tool, or a free load testing tool, we recommend you to try JMeter DSL, an open-source project we support, focused on making performance testing developer-friendly.

Join us in this article to delve into the scope of API load testing.

Endurance Testing

Also referred to as soak testing, this type of performance test is designed to evaluate system performance over extended periods, typically 8 hours or more. The goal is to uncover issues that may arise from prolonged usage, such as memory leaks, and to analyze how the system behaves over time.

Conducted in a realistic test environment, soak testing verifies that the application maintains stability, reliability, and performance over prolonged use. It complements functional testing by focusing on long-term behavior, confirming the system remains operational and efficient during continuous operation.

By simulating long-term operations, these tests can reveal problems that might not be evident in shorter testing cycles, providing a more comprehensive assessment of system stability and performance.

Stress Testing

When it comes to stress tests, the purpose is to find the stepping-up breaking point by executing the most accessed transactions (typically) in an incremental manner as to the number of users, until the system fails.

A stress test will indicate the maximum number of users that the system can support, with the infrastructure in which it is installed, and how long it takes to recover regular functioning after the system has been down for a period.

We invite you to keep learning in this article: How to Stress Test a Website?

Throttle Testing

When speaking of throttle testing, we refer to a simulation of the load, with a limited speed of connection of virtual users (all of them or just a group) to analyze the response time obtained by those users connected through lower speed networks (3G, distant areas, through the Internet, etc.)

Speed simulators or traffic shapers are used in these tests, in addition to some tools that have this functionality included.

Peak Testing

This type of performance test is useful for analyzing how the system behaves when exposed to intensity peaks mixed with a regular load, showing the recovery following the increased load. Peak testing evaluates software performance under sustained high loads, similar to what might happen during a flash sale or a viral event.

By conducting peak testing, you can identify potential bottlenecks, validate if your system can handle high traffic volumes, and verify that it can maintain performance without significant degradation.

Spike Testing

Spike testing evaluates system stability when subjected to sudden and extreme load increases or decreases. This performance test type verifies that your system can recover gracefully and maintain functionality.

Spike tests are crucial for analyzing the system’s behavior in these scenarios, and understanding whether it can handle abrupt changes without crashing or experiencing severe performance issues. By performing spike testing, you can verify that your system can recover gracefully and maintain stability under unpredictable conditions.

Scalability Testing

As the name suggests, conducting performance testing, such as scalability testing, enables us to analyze how the system scales. Like other types of performance tests, it helps in identifying performance bottlenecks. For instance, it can indicate how many virtual users can be supported if another application server is added, or the improvements in timing when more CPU is allocated to the database server.

Running performance tests, including scalability tests, is crucial for understanding and enhancing the system’s ability to handle increased loads effectively.

If you are interested in learning more about the best continuous performance testing practices, we invite you to read this article.

Discover how we drive impact through performance testing—explore our case studies!

The Bottom Line – Performance Tests

Understanding and implementing various types of performance testing is essential for empowering your applications to handle real-world conditions and deliver a seamless user experience. By proactively identifying and addressing performance issues, you can enhance system reliability, optimize resource utilization, and maintain high user satisfaction.

Moreover, performance testing helps in making informed decisions about infrastructure improvements and resource allocation. It allows you to simulate different scenarios, validating if your system can scale efficiently and recover gracefully from unexpected spikes in traffic.

Not only does this proactive approach save time and costs associated with post-launch fixes but also builds trust with your users by consistently delivering high performance.

On top of that, this strategic investment in quality assurance ultimately leads to a more reliable product, higher user retention, and a stronger market position.

Want to keep on learning? Don’t miss our Continuous Performance Testing: A Comprehensive Guide!

FAQs – Different Performance Testing Types

What Is Performance Testing in QA?

Performance testing in QA evaluates how a software application performs under specific workloads. It measures speed, responsiveness, stability, and scalability to identify potential bottlenecks or areas for improvement. The goal is to enhance the user experience by fostering systems that meet performance expectations.

How Many Types of Performance Testing Are There?

There are several types of performance testing, each serving a specific purpose:

1. Load Testing: Assesses the system’s behavior under expected user loads. Keep learning in this article.
2. Stress Testing: Evaluates performance under extreme conditions or beyond normal capacity. Don’t miss this post to dive into this topic.
3. Scalability Testing: Examines the system’s ability to grow as user demands increase.
4. Endurance Testing: Verifies the system’s reliability over extended periods of use.
5. Spike Testing: Analyzes the system’s response to sudden and significant traffic spikes.
6. Volume Testing: Focuses on the system’s ability to handle large amounts of data effectively.
7. Configuration Testing: Evaluates performance under different hardware and software configurations.
8. Isolation Testing: Pinpoints performance issues by testing individual components or modules separately.

Note: Other types of performance testing might exist depending on specific industry practices or testing needs, such as latency testing or benchmarking. The types listed here represent the most commonly used categories in QA.

What Are Common Performance Metrics?

Performance metrics are key indicators used to evaluate the effectiveness of performance testing. Common metrics include:

1. Response Time: The time it takes for the system to respond to a user request.
2. Throughput: The number of transactions or requests processed within a specific timeframe.
3. Latency: The delay between a user’s action and the system’s response.
4. Error Rate: The percentage of requests that fail during testing.
5. CPU and Memory Utilization: The system resources consumed under different workloads.
6. Concurrent Users: The number of users accessing the system simultaneously.

We recommend reading this article: Top 3 Performance Testing Metrics Explained.

What Is an Example of a Performance Test?

An example of a performance test is simulating a high volume of users logging into an e-commerce platform during a sale. This test observes the application’s response time, server stability, and overall performance under peak traffic conditions to identify opportunities for improvement. You can check our performance testing case studies for more examples.

How We Can Help You

With over 16 years of experience and a global presence, Abstracta is a leading technology solutions company with offices in the United States, Chile, Colombia, and Uruguay. We specialize in software development, AI-driven solutions, and end-to-end software testing services.

We believe that actively bonding ties propels us further and helps us enhance our clients’ software. That’s why we’ve built robust partnerships with industry leaders, Microsoft, Datadog, Tricentis, Perforce BlazeMeter, and Saucelabs to provide the latest in cutting-edge technology. 

We can help with conducting spike tests to assess how quickly a system can scale, recover, and handle sudden and extreme increases and decreases in load.

Our holistic approach enables us to support you across the entire software development life cycle.

Contact us! Unlock scalability and cost-effectiveness with our Performance Testing Services.

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