How can you test the performance of your applications?
More and more companies are setting up web applications. Whether they are intended for customers or internal employees, these applications need to be stable and efficient. Read all our advice on using IT monitoring.
Traditional testing protocols
Application development phases
There are three phases in the life cycle of an application:
- the development phase, led by the developers: the people who do the coding
- the quality assurance (QA) phase: those who test the application
- the production phase: the application is available to users, known as General Availability.
Testing in the production phase
Basically, the stages are designed to follow one another in order. But market pressure means that companies are looking to shorten their production timescales in order to launch their products more quickly. In some cases, tests are only carried out during the production phase. The application is already available, although it has not yet been tested.
The risk of disappointing through haste
While it is a good idea to continue testing an application that has already been launched on the market, as proposed by the Neosense monitoring solution for example, it is still advisable to test it beforehand. Rushing this stage certainly saves time, but it also runs the risk of having a disappointing effect. If performance problems occur, users will turn away from the solution. And it will be difficult to win them back, even after the technical aspect has been resolved.
New test protocols
Testing earlier
The time constraint is indisputable. To be competitive, companies need to reduce their time-to-market and launch their applications more quickly. Rather than rushing through the stages, it's a good idea to carry them out in parallel. Methods such as shift left and DevOps have been developed with this in mind. They enable the subject of performance to be integrated earlier in the development cycle.
Encouraging collaboration
The challenge is to break down the barrier separating developers and testers. The aim is to work together and simultaneously, to identify technical problems as early as possible and defuse them. To achieve this, performance testing tools offer a common interface for developers and testers. Some are even designed to be sufficiently accessible to allow developers to test the product themselves. This is the case with Neolad, a monitoring tool and the second solution published by Neotys. Its intuitive ergonomics make it accessible to beginners.
Facilitating the development of test scripts
The principle is simple: the test software simulates concrete use cases by creating virtual users. The aim is to observe the behaviour of the application and its response time when several users are connected. This analysis provides precise statistics on server behaviour. It can be used to carry out a load test to assess the application's performance in real-life situations. The reports are clear and facilitate the rapid implementation of appropriate corrective measures.
What are the benefits for the company?
Improved responsiveness
Test software solutions encourage an iterative approach to development. Companies can no longer spend months developing and testing a product. By the time it's released, it will be obsolete. Everything is moving faster, and it's all about being responsive. By optimising its development cycle, the company can respond to market conditions at any given moment.
More comprehensive testing
When tests are easier to implement, the company is better able to operate on a just-in-time basis. Tests are less restrictive, so they are carried out more often, and more things are tested. Unlike silo-based performance analyses, the approach is more global. All the scenarios tested contribute to designing a high-quality, efficient user path.
Satisfying customer users
An application that performs better attracts customers and builds loyalty. And this loyalty is often at the heart of the commercial offer. Take an online betting company like PMU. Everything happens live. Punters have to access the interface to place their bets right up to the last minute. And the results of the races must be revealed to all of them instantly. The challenge of the application's load and performance in crowded conditions is central.
Optimising operational efficiency
Users of BtoC e-commerce applications are customers for the company. That's why they need special care. But applications for internal use are also a key to success that should not be overlooked. The RATP's iBus application, for example, is a work tool at the heart of its operations. Drivers log on, consult their schedules and enter their times. There's a huge influx of people all at once when they start their shift. The tool needs to be stable and fluid enough to ensure optimum response times.
Conclusion
Applications have a huge performance challenge. Expectations of them are high: they must be fluid, accessible at all times and high-performing. For each activity, we need to work out the likely scenarios for meeting these expectations and getting users on board. These tests should be carried out as early as the pre-prod phase, in the form of simulations, to optimise your time-to-market and the success of your applications downstream.
Article translated from French