Performance vs. Load vs. Stress Testing

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This conversation (er, debate) comes up a lot.  What's the difference between performance, load and stress testing?  I'm sure there's tons of *official* definitions.  At the end of the day, I think about them like this:

  • Performance - is about response, time lapses, duration ... etc.
  • Load testing - is about test behavior under normal/peak workload conditions.  Load is more about characterizing / simulating your actual workload.
  • Stress testing - is about surfacing issues under extreme conditions and resource failures.

I could say more, but sometimes less is better.  If you want to read more, check out our patterns & practices Performance Testing Guidance Project on CodePle  or browse through Scott Barber's exhaustive collection of performance testing articles.