Apache JMeter vs IBM Rational Performance Tester comparison

Apache JMeter is an open-source Java application that tests load and functional behavior and performance in applications. Created initially to test web applications, it has expanded its functionality to test other functions. For instance, you can test a server to see how efficiently it works and how many user requests can be handled simultaneously.

You can use JMeter to test functional performance and regression tests on different technologies. This Java desktop application has an easy-to-use graphical interface which uses the Swing graphical API. You can run JMeter on any environment that accepts a Java virtual machine, such as Windows, Linux, and Mac.

What protocols does JMeter support?

• Web - HTTP, HTTPS
• Web services - SOAP/XML-RPC
• Email service - POP3, IMAP, SMTP
• FTP service
• Database via JDBC drivers
• LDAP
• Native commands or shell scripts
• TCP
• Java objects

How does JMeter work?

JMeter sends requests to a target server by simulating a group of user requests. Then it collects and calculates statistics on the performance of the target. This target can be a server or an application.

You can test the performance of static resources, such as JavaScript or HTML, and dynamic resources, such as JSP, Servlets, and AJAX. It is also helpful to determine how many concurrent users your website can handle.

There are two main tests you can carry out with JMeter: load test and stress test. The load test models expected usage of a server by simulating multiple users accessing the web server simultaneously. The stress testing aims to find the maximum load capacity of the server or application.

Apache JMeter Key Features

• JMeter enables fast test plan recording, building, and debugging via a featured test IDE (integrated development environment).
• Command-line mode allows carrying out load tests from any OS compatible with Java.
• JMeter can extract data from most popular response formats, such as HTML, JSON, XML.
• JMeter is entirely portable.
• A multithreading framework allows you to simultaneously test multiple samplings and separate thread groups.
• Thanks to the caching feature, you can conduct offline analysis or replay test results.

Apache JMeter Benefits

• As open-source software, it is freely available and continuously improved.
• The setup is user-friendly, and no installation is needed.
• The GUI (graphic user interface) is intuitive and easy to use.
• You can write your own tests and use the visualization plugins to extend the testing.
• It is a platform-agnostic tool. For example, JMeter can work with Linux by clicking on the JMeter shell script. On Windows, you can call up JMeter by starting the jmeter.bat file.
• Since the test plans are stored in XML format, you can generate a test plan using any text editor.
• You can simulate a heavy load on a server, a group of servers, a network, or an object. Use JMeter to test an application or server's strength and performance under different load types.

The JMeter extensible core has numerous benefits:

• Unlimited testing capabilities via pluggable samplers.
• You can choose multiple load statistics with pluggable timers.
• Visualization plugins and data analysis enable customization.
• Continuous integration via third-party open-source libraries (Maven, Gradle, and Jenkins).

Reviews from Real Users

Stephen B., I.T. Architect, Analyst, and Developer at an educational organization, says, "The scripting ability is most valuable. It is easy to use. There is a UI, and you can go in there and figure those things out. After you've got a good set of tests, you basically have a scripted document that you can grab and execute in a pipeline. It is pretty quick to set up, and you can scale it and version control it."

"I like the fact that JMeter integrates well with other tools," adds the Founder and Principal Consultant at a tech services company.

A Quality Engineering Delivery Leader at a financial services firm says, “The performance of the solution is excellent. They have designed the product so that it is very easy to configure. You can basically do anything you like with the product. It's not very restrictive. We like the fact that the technology is open-source.”