This tutorial is the kickoff of our in-depth coverage on JMeter performance testing. We have meticulously explained the crucial JMeter concepts in a 3-segment text tutorial and a 23-segment video tutorial series.
=> You can browse the full JMeter tutorials series here.
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In this particular tutorial, we will delve into performance testing, the advantages of using JMeter, how to download and install JMeter, and a comparison between JMeter and HP LoadRunner.
JMeter Performance Testing:
Performance testing is immensely valuable in today’s fast-paced world. Nobody wants to use an application that lags, particularly in such a high-speed environment.
In the competitive market today, performance testing is pivotal for making sure your application meets the expectations of your clients and users.
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of JMeter and its installation process, let’s first comprehend what performance testing is and how JMeter can be utilized as a tool for performance testing.
Performance: Just like students need to excel to progress to the next level, your application (whether mobile, web, or desktop) needs to perform exceptionally to thrive in a market teeming with competitors.
Performance testing assesses how effective your application functions under various workloads. Various parameters are taken into consideration to determine if the server under load test is operating optimally, and we will explore these in more detail later in this tutorial.
- Consider this straightforward example. I typed “www.facebook.com” in my browser, and it loaded Facebook’s home page in roughly 10 seconds. Now, suppose 1000 people type “www.facebook.com” and hit enter simultaneously, causing the home page to take more than 10 seconds to load.
- The performance varies under different workloads (number of users). This type of testing is paramount because regardless of how excellent the design and functionalities of your application are, if it’s underperforming, you might lose your prospective audience.
For better understanding, please refer to the diagram below:
Performance Testing generally takes into account the following parameters:
- Throughput– It signifies the number of transactions per second. For instance, suppose a bank’s customer care department can handle only 30 calls at a time, so the remaining callers get queued. That would mean the Throughput is 30.
- Response Time – This is the duration taken by the user to get a response from the server.
- Latency is the duration it takes for the first byte of information to reach the user end. For instance, if a user sends an HTTP request to fetch a web page, the time it takes for the first byte of that webpage to be received is the latency of that request.
- Scalability – It refers to the peak load an application can handle.
- CPU Load, Memory Usage, and Resource Usage
What You Will Learn:
What is JMeter?
JMeter was originally developed by Stefano Mazzocchi of Apache Software. It’s a Java-based desktop application that employs the Swing graphical API, rendering it platform-independent and capable of running on different operating systems like Windows, Linux, Mac, and more. The current version used widely is Apache JMeter 3.1, with more improvements planned for the future.
Below we present some of the protocols supported by JMeter:
- HTTP, HTTPS
- FTP
- JDBC
- SOAP
- SMTP, IMAP
- LDAP
- TCP
Why opt for JMeter?
With an array of performance testing tools accessible in the market, like LoadRunner, Rational Performance Testing, VSTS, and more, why does JMeter stand out? Here are few reasons why many organizations and QA teams choose JMeter as their primary tool for performance testing.
Below are a few factors that make JMeter a favorable choice in the market:
- Free and Easily Accessible – JMeter is a free tool that can be conveniently downloaded from the Apache website.
- Intuitive Interface – JMeter features a remarkably user-friendly interface, and testers can quickly get acquainted with its components. Comprehensive documentation for each component is available within the tool itself.
- Highly Expandable – Users can create their custom sampler (a request type), using JSR223, and several plugins are available for samplers, which enable testers to boost their testing capabilities.
- Offers Support for a Variety of Protocols – JMeter supports not only application performance testing but also all significant protocols such as FTP, HTTP, JDBC, LDAP, SOAP, among others.
- Robust Recording Feature – JMeter integrates an inbuilt HTTP(S) Test Script Recorder that can record all actions from a website or mobile app and then emulate load to test performance under different conditions. A chrome extension is also available to record actions, which can then be imported into JMeter for load scaling.
- Integration with Selenium – JMeter can be integrated with Selenium for Automation testing.
- Effortless Installation Process – Installing JMeter is a breeze. All you need is to ensure Java is installed on your machine, download JMeter, and run the .bat file.
- Comprehensive Reports – JMeter gives various representations of test results, like trees, graphs, and tables, which can be customized to match your project’s demands.
JMeter Installation
The process of installing JMeter is pretty straightforward. However, before commencing the JMeter installation, make sure you have satisfied the following prerequisites:
- Confirm that Java is installed on your machine. To verify the installed version of Java, open the command prompt and type java – version
If Java is Not Installed:
- If Java isn’t installed, visit https://java.com/en/download/ to download the latest JDK version, then install Java using the package installer.
- After Java has been installed, you’ll need to set the JAVA_HOME variable.
Follow these steps to set your JAVA_HOME:
- Check the directory where Java has been installed. Ordinarily, it’s installed in “C:Program FilesJavajdk1.8.0_112”
- Right-click on “My Computer” to open the properties window
- Proceed by clicking the “Environment Variables” button
- In the System Variables section, click “New”
- Input “JAVA_HOME” in the variable name text field
- In the Variable Value text field, type in the JDK/JRE installation path. For example, “C:Program FilesJavajdk1.8.0_112”
- Click OK to save the changes
Below is a screenshot for reference:
(Note: You can click on any image to enlarge it)
- Now, open http://jmeter.apache.org/download_jmeter.cgi.
- Select the .zip file and commence the JMeter download
- Extract the folder on your computer
- Navigate to the Bin folder in your JMeter directory and execute the .bat file
- The batch file will execute momentarily, after which the JMeter UI will open. Refer to the screenshot below as a reference
- These steps wrap up the JMeter installation process. However, bear in mind not to shut the .exe file since it will also close the JMeter UI.
Common Errors During JMeter Installation
Though the JMeter installation process is relatively straightforward, users generally do not encounter any problems until they download and extract the folder. Typical issues crop up when launching JMeter using the .bat file.
A regular error seen is “Unable to