API Load testing

Does Your Project need API Load Testing?

The client-server principle is standard for any application to run. The Client and server are connected through the API which transfers data between them. API can be tested by accessing the app concurrently by multiple users. Any software is not beneficial if it is not scalable and can not handle more users. So you need to verify if your app is able to manage the users and for this, you have to do load testing and increase the performance of the app by dodging some major unexpected problems. Let us learn more about API Load Testing.

API load testing is done when many users access the app from several systems concurrently. With the increasing number of users, the performance of the app is tested. It is tested by sending requests to one endpoint to check the behaviour of the system under load conditions. Through multithreading, we can send many requests from one workstation. It generally takes place after the first testing cycle and at this stage, the system should be having a good performance.

Advantages of load testing

Stability

If the applications terminate when multiple users request or use the app then people will leave your app and will not prefer to use it further. As they already got many options you need to show that your applications differ from the other applications that are trending in the market by providing better performance and by fulfilling the user’s requirement. So the performance of API plays a major role in the working of the app.

Fast Performance

Most of the people leave the website if it takes more than 5 seconds to load so it is important that you have to be concerned about having proper API testing as it leads to defiling the reputation of your business if not tested properly. If the app is tested by considering different test cases there are chances that more errors can be identified and improved.

Comprehensive statistics

There is a need to gather the statistics of the time taken by the app to load with the growing requests during the API load testing. Some providers require the API response time to be less than 2 seconds. There are some KPI lie the minimum, average and maximum response times, request processed for an equal interval of time etc with this information you an estimate the performance of the app.

How to create an API load test

There are several tools and methods to do load testing. It depends on the project requirements and the choice of the testing team.

Planning for outlines

As the first step for any testing process includes planning. Some information is gathered during the project planning by which the performance is checked. Based on which test cases are prepared. There are two approaches by which we can perform load testing. The volume testing where the system is made to handle a huge workload for a limited time and the other method is where a medium workload is subjected to the system for a long time. By these test, the bugs can be detected. Load testing gives the idea of how many apps or processes can be run at the same time by taking the required use cases and feasible modifications in API request traffic.

Gatling or Apache JMeter are generally used to perform load testing

Gatling helps us to create new load test scenarios as the script runs creating an informative HTML report recording the response time of every request.

Apache JMeter has a graphical user interface mode that allows us to make test plans manually or by selecting from the templets. Also, GUI mode provides debugging and enables us to look through the test results. we can also use non-GUI mode to execute the load test from the command line if we have a plan ready.

Load testing

During the load testing, the information collected during the planning is tested. Also, the correlation is applied to understand which server is responding dynamically and which of the server is static. It is vital to uses correlation to handle dynamic content and can be ignored when testing pages with content like homepages etc. After completing the load testing the data is connected and is made ready for further developments and the test is done. In case the system. Database and processes could not meet the requirements then the power can be increased and tested until it meets the demands of the customers. You need to be very careful during the Performance Testing of an API.

Gatling is an open source and performance testing tool. Here are some reasons to prefer Gatling

  • You can use various local servers as well as cloud servers to prepare and run tests it runs on any system.
  • Your tests can be stored in a version control system that facilitates collaboration, save all work and keeps the record os all the changes.
  • There is no need for any extra plugins as it provides informative dashboards
  • It has advanced and high-quality architecture.

JMeter is an advanced open- source load testing tool which can imitate a huge load on a server by making requests. It has its own advantages.

  • Usability
  • Ability to run on any operating system
  • Effective reporting
  • Logic controllers for setting up tests.

Tools used

Some specific tools are used to perform load testing.  These tools help us to analyse the following:

  • It allows the developers and QA specialists to interact and collaborate
  • It shortens the built cycle which helps in providing the high-level performance to the application.
  • Helps in setting up performance testing within the software supply chain.
  • Using the appropriate tools we increase the user continues to a point where the system fails or simultaneously loads the users.
Closing words

In case you know your servers ability then you need not go for load testing else you need to load testing to increase the performance of the app. We should consider the limitations make it available for the expected number of users.

At Krify we are well experienced in Automated API Testing Services we provide API Testing Services for Web Applications and also Automated API Testing Services for Mobile. Krify is one of the best API load testing services in India. Also, we provide API load testing services in the UK. You can reach us here.

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