JMeter Load Testing: Guide to Load Testing and its Process

What is JMeter?

JMeter continues to be one of the foremost popular open-source applications for functional and cargo testing that’s available on the market today. It’s a load testing solution that’s both cost-effective and highly configurable, and it supports a large range of protocols, including HTTP/S, SOAP, REST, FTP, LDAP, SMTP, POP3, and IMAP, among many others. Performance testing engineers and teams can profit from its wide selection of protocol support.

In addition, because it’s a Java-based application in its entirety, JMeter is platform-independent and might care for a large range of various platforms. Additionally, JMeter is being actively maintained and supported by its developers. Users of JMeter have access to a large sort of plugins that will assist them with the customization of their tests, in addition to a large user support community that will provide testing guidance and assistance if needed.

JMeter Load Testing: Disadvantages

Despite all of the wonderful advantages we discussed above, JMeter load testing does have some significant drawbacks that are particularly important.

Tests of Loading supported Protocols

The very first limitation is that it can only run tests at the protocol level. If developers want to check applications that are supported by JavaScript, like Angular, Ember, or Knockout, amongst others or applications that are supported by AJAX, they’ll find a unique solution. When attempting to realize an understanding of how well a website or application performs, one crucial consideration to stay in mind is the prevalence of contemporary browsers that rely heavily on JavaScript and AJAX. Because JMeter is unable to render HTML in the same way that a browser does, there’s a big knowledge gap regarding the user experience when the system is under load.

System Restrictions and Capabilities of the Hardware

Because JMeter must be installed on an area machine, users must first make sure that their computers meet the software and hardware requirements before proceeding with the installation. This could be a time-consuming process and should necessitate the acquisition of additional hardware. Once you run tests on an outsized scale, you increase the likelihood of encountering errors or running out of system resources, which might happen very quickly. And since tests are run from a neighborhood machine and network, performance engineers are unable to measure performance under load from different geographic locations or from where users are based. This can be an important component of comprehending how well your websites or applications perform under real-world circumstances.

Interface that’s Complicated

JMeter, as a concluding point, maybe a sophisticated load testing solution. It’s not as user-friendly as a number of the opposite options for load testing that are currently available on the market. For first-time users, simply getting started with learning or comprehending all of the software’s features can be an awesome and impossible task. Before diving into the method of building and running tests, you ought to first acquire a deeper level of data and comprehension regarding the various components, functions, and properties that are involved. Despite the very fact that every one of this information is learned with experience, it presents a challenge for engineers and developers who want to easily target testing and be able to quickly and simply founded and configure load testing.

How to Conduct Load Testing Using JMeter Software

How to Construct a Test Plan Utilizing JMeter

The load testing process requires your time spent researching and planning. You cannot just start writing scripts or developing an idea out of nothingness and expect to be ready to construct your test on the fly. You should, ideally, build out your test requirements, scope, criteria, etc., well before you start putting in your load test. This may allow you to maximize the effectiveness of your test. This could require you to gather data from a range of sources, like analytics tools for data on traffic, session duration, and therefore the number of holidaymakers during peak hours. Alternatively, you’ll have to review data from previous campaign efforts so as to urge a much better idea of what quantity load, or concurrent users, you’re visiting test against your website or application.

The most important thing is to plot a method that’s visiting corresponds to your surroundings and replicate real-life situations as accurately as you will. As soon as you have got everything prepared, you’ll be able to start configuring your test plan in JMeter. This plan will include a variety of various components. A Test Plan, a Thread Group, and Samplers frame the basic components of a JMeter load test.

Develop a Test Plan Using JMeter

The fundamental actions and prerequisites for establishing a JMeter Test Plan are outlined in the following paragraphs.

1. The Creation of a brand new Thread Group

The Thread Group is supposed to represent all of the concurrent users that are necessary for the load test. Right-clicking the Test Plan, selecting Add > Thread (Users), then selecting Thread Group from the context menu will grant you access to the Thread Group.

You can also set the subsequent properties by using the dialogue box that’s found within the Thread Group properties:

• The total amount of threads (Users)
• Ramp-up period (in seconds)
• Loop Count (how many test iterations)
• Extra actions, like delays, test start and stop times, and actions to require after a Sampler error are added.

You also have the choice of beginning the method by selecting a test template from a group instead of beginning with the Thread Group. To do this, navigate to the File menu and choose Templates > Select Templates, or select the Templates icon from the toolbar.

You will be able to see all of the available template options to select from when you navigate to this page. These options include templates for web services tests, the Web Test Plan, functional tests, and many more. These templates incorporate all of the essential components, sections, and fields that will be utilized in the process of building out the test plan automatically.

2. Adjust the settings on the Sampler

Samplers are what make it possible for JMeter to send a wide variety of requests, including HTTP (for a website, application, or API), FTP, SMTP, and TCP requests, amongst other types of requests. You can gain access to the Samplers by right-clicking on the Thread Group and selecting the Add > Sampler menu option. Once there, you can choose the Sampler that is most suitable for the requirements of your test.

You are presented with the option of entering additional details such as the following when you click the Configure Sampler field on the left.

Protocol (also known as HTTPS)

Server Address or IP Address

Path (for specific web page)

When testing the load on an API, the type of request (GET, POST, HEAD, PUT, etc.) is important.

3. How to Setup and Customize Listeners

Listeners provide you with the opportunity to look over the results of the Sampler. To get to the Listeners, go to Thread Group, then Add, then Sampler, and finally Listener.

You have the option of picking from among more than 15 Listeners. The Listeners each hold the same information, but the way that information is presented visually differs between each Listener. In addition, the JMeter Test Plan supports the addition of multiple Listeners at the same time. You will encounter a variety of Listeners, including the following types:

Report Condensed Here

Graph of Aggregate Data

Look at the Results Tree here.

Look at the Results in the Table

Simple Data Writer

BeanShell Listener

And many more

4. Instructions for the Recording of Load Test Scripts (Optional)

If you are only interested in running a simple HTTP load test, also known as a protocol-level load test, then you can proceed to the next step and run your JMeter load test. However, if you need to configure a test that needs to simulate specific user actions and paths, you will need to use the HTTP(S) Test Script Recorder. This is because it is the only tool that can do what you need it to do. Keep in mind that you are just capturing HTTP traffic and not recording your script from a real browser. The following is a list of the steps that you need to follow:

Include the Recording Controller in the mix (located in the Thread Group)

Explore your website or application from start to finish.

Your activities will be recorded as HTTP/S requests.

You also have the option to make use of the JMeter Proxy Server if you prefer. You can record scripts directly from your browser using this option; however, the setup process can be time-consuming. Take the following steps in order to use the JMeter Proxy Server:

Proceed to the settings for the proxy on your system.

Import the certificate for the JMeter program.

Configure the settings for the proxy.

5. Run Your JMeter Test

After you have finished configuring your Listener(s), your JMeter Test Plan will, at last, be complete, and you will be able to start your JMeter load test. Your JMeter test can be executed in a few different ways, but before you do so, you must make sure that you have first saved your test plan.

Option 1: To begin the test, select the green triangle with an arrow through it.

Option 2: In the toolbar, select the button labeled “Run.”

6. Go through the results of your JMeter tests and analyze them.

You are able to view the results of your JMeter tests while the tests are still running. If you chose to view the results in a table, for instance, you would be able to observe the progression of the display of the results as each user or run is carried out. The following additional metrics will also be included in the report of the research’s findings:

Time (in milliseconds)

Status (shows valid responses and errors)

Bytes and the Number of Bytes Sent

Latency

The Time to Connect

You will be able to see, based on these results, where any errors occurred as well as any areas that may have slow load times. In addition to this, you will be able to evaluate your JMeter test plan in relation to the results of the test and make use of the data obtained to improve and optimize the system’s overall performance. In addition to this, you have the option of running additional load tests with a higher total amount of load.

However, as was pointed out in some of the drawbacks that we discussed earlier, JMeter has its limits and is unable to carry out tests on a large scale. This means that the scale of your load tests cannot be accurately measured using JMeter.

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