Here are some common challenges faced during performance testing:
Resources Utilization
If a heavy load is put on the server using the limited resources of the laptop in which JMeter is installed, this issue arises. Due to limited resources like CPU, memory, and RAM, scalability and the scope of performance testing can be restricted and in the end, our test result won’t be accurate.
Running performance tests with a larger number of users on the target server from a single machine is not recommended
Realistic Test Scenario
Creating test scenarios that accurately simulate real user behavior might be challenging or complex sometimes, but it’s important for generating meaningful results. If the test scenarios do not represent real user behaviors, the results will be inaccurate and it won’t be of any use.
Test Environment Configuration
Configuring the test environment like production conditions is critical. Differences between the test and production environments, such as hardware, configuration, or software, can affect the accuracy of the tests.
Monitoring Analysis
Properly monitoring the application under performance tests and accurately analyzing the data can be challenging. Expertise is needed to identify bottlenecks that can cause performance issues and interpret these problems.
Non-Functional Requirement
Sometimes, non-functional requirements are not well-defined or understood, leading to ambiguity in test objectives and criteria.
Scalability Testing
Testing the application's ability to scale under increasing loads can be challenging. Identifying at what point the system starts degrading in performance or determining the maximum capacity can be complex.
Third-Party Dependencies
Many applications rely on external services or APIs. Testing the performance when these dependencies fluctuate or experience downtime can be challenging as it’s beyond the tester's control.
Dynamic and Evolving Systems
When there are frequent updates are released or there are frequent code changes than doing performance test and maintaining consistency in result is a challenging task.