Why Performance Testing Companies Will Continue to Trend

Many firms stick to functional testing solely, which tests the features of a software against the functional requirements. By not paying attention to performance testing, that determines the responsiveness, throughput, reliability and scalability of a system under a given workload, these firms run the risk of major failures.

For example, in 2013, healthcare.gov website failed to work upon release. This was because it was not load tested until a couple of weeks before launch. Similarly, the store Macy’s website and mobile app crashed under high load in 2016. In the same year, Pokemon Go game’s website ran into problems upon a surge in user demand. All these integration failures have created an awakening amongst businesses about the significance of performance testing, especially of earlier and regular testing.

We look at some advantages of performance testing that mark a promising future for companies that invest in it:

1.   Speed Monitoring

Performance testing gives a measure of software speed, which will allow developers to make informed decisions on necessary changes. Customers do not have time to wait for a website that loads slowly. The faster a software, the more revenue it will generate. If the response is slow, efforts will be directed to making the response faster. Further, with performance testing, two systems can be compared to evaluate better performance.

2.  Stress Checking

Performance testing determines the reliability of the software to cope under high stress. If the user load is exceptionally high for a website, for example on a Boxing Day holiday, the organization having conducted stress and load tests will not suffer from a crash. It would be aware of the level of users their system can cope with and have built additional infrastructure to support the system under increased traffic. Limitations of hardware (like CPU maximization) are also gauged and addressed with load testing. Reliability tests involve running the system at high load levels for longer periods of time than load and stress tests, allowing for detection of defects like memory leaks. All these tests collectively check the system’s resilience, to be in a position to make amends for a higher quality product.

3.  Scalability measurement

Performance testing figures scalability of a system i.e. its ability to function with changes in volume. This testing ensures that the application can handle increase in users. If data flow is interrupted due to increased workload, it is an indication of insufficient capacity. This assessment leads experts to remove bottlenecks in a timely way. With a strong foundation of software, businesses can focus on expansion, higher quality standards and new markets for growth.

4.  Resolution of Issues

Once a product is released, issues are difficult to resolve, requiring for a rework of previously conducted processes. With performance testing, bugs are detected that could not have been identified otherwise. This prevents issues from magnifying upon reaching the end user. The business earns happy, satisfied and loyal customers, building a reputation of excellence and reliability.

Performance testing companies are thus likely to stay afloat in the market, given the increasing need for this crucial step of the software development lifecycle.