Is there any difference between load testing and performance testing?

Posted by Hruska William
6
Computers
Nov 23, 2022
555 Views

Performance testing and load testing are two of the important testing types that determine the application’s behaviour under specific load conditions. Load testing evaluates the maximum load capacity of a software product or application. Performance testing is a superset of load testing. Identifying performance bottlenecks is one of the key objectives of performance testing. In this article, you will get to know the differences between load testing and performance testing. 

What is Load testing?

It is a testing method that ascertains how an application behaves under expected loads. The expected load for the application needs to be analysed. Once it is known, the load testing process for the application can be initiated. In most of the load testing scenarios, every 30 seconds, 100 extra requests hit the application. The next step is where the number of requests needs to be increased up to the expected load for the application.

Once the expected load has been reached, hitting the application continuously by the testing engineers is preferred for a few more minutes, so that possible memory or CPU issues can be detected. Once the application is hit, these kinds of issues may pop up.

Benefits of load testing:

  • A better understanding of the application’s load capacity 

  • Proper insights are provided into the CPU time and memory usage of the application

  • Those specific limits are understood that reduces the risk of failure.


What is Performance testing?

This testing method analyses the performance of an application or system under varying workloads. The different aspects of a system or application such as reliability, resource usage or scalability are validated. Following are the metrics that are tested through performance testing:

  • Scalability: The application’s behaviour is ascertained under different types of loads

  • Response time: The average response time for requests is measured

  • Stability: The memory and CPU usage is measured

  • Reliability: The error rate is determined and how the error changes under higher loads is also considered.


Benefits of Performance testing:

  • The software stability is properly measured 

  • The application’s behaviour is assessed under normal and varying workload conditions

  • The performance bottlenecks are identified early on in the software development process

  • When the performance is measured, it helps in further performance improvement and helps tailor configurations for components in order to streamline them.


Following are the differences between load testing and performance testing:

Load testing 

Performance testing 

The system or application’s sustainability is tested during load testing 

The reliability, stability, scalability and speed of a system or application are tested

The operating capacity of the application or system is validated 

The system or application’s performance is validated

The system’s behavior is checked under extreme load

The system’s behavior is checked under a normal load

It is the process of ascertaining the system’s behavior when multiple users access it at the same time 

It is the process of ascertaining the system’s performance that includes reliability and speed under varying  loads

The main objective of this testing method is to increase the load on a web application 

The main objective of this testing method is to ascertain how an application functions under typical conditions

The load limit is the threshold of a break

The load limit is both above and below the threshold of a break

Load testing is useful in ascertaining the number of concurrent users that an application can handle, finding bugs like memory leaks etc., finding the adequacy of current infrastructure in running the applications, checking the application’s scalability for accommodating more users etc. 

Performance testing is useful in validating the application’s functionality, checking the adequacy of hardware for load handling, analysing, finding and fixing performance issues etc. 




Conclusion: If you are looking forward to implementing load testing or performance testing for your specific project, then do get connected with a world-class software testing services company that will provide you with specific testing strategies that can justify your project specific requirements.
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