Websites have evolved significantly since the inception of the internet from simple pages that conveyed information to interactive entities that users can manipulate and utilize for many different purposes. As websites evolved and became more complicated so did the possible interaction between web users and websites giving websites more and more complicated programs, applications, and coding. The increased functionality of websites made them more useful for visitors but also created more ways for the new more complicated programming to fail. This evolution coupled with the soaring numbers of internet users requesting web pages at one time necessitated the development of load testing tools.

JMeter is an open source load testing tool that allows webmasters to asses the ability of their website to handle continuous loading. JMeter tests the applications that a website uses to interact with visitors to assess its ability to handle multiple requests and loading. JMeter allows developers to determine if their website will be able to function correctly even when it is loaded to its limit with multiple user requests.

JMeter was developed by Apache Jakarta and is an open source application which means that it is free to download and use. JMeter is compatible with most Operating Systems and is written using Java. JMeter is designed to show designers the capability of their websites and this information is very important if you want a website that functions properly and can handle multiple requests. JMeter is not the only load testing tool available and there are pros and cons to using it to test you website.

One of the biggest reasons that JMeter is a good choice for a load testing tool is because it is free. The high price of many commercially available load and software testing programs prevent the owners of small websites to purchase them. JMeter is also easy to use, intuitive, and because it is open source if you have the technical knowledge you can modify it to better fit your needs.

JMeter’s open source status while being one of its best qualities in terms of price and customization is also one of its worst features. Because it is an open source software JMeter users cannot be guaranteed that they will be able to get support for the program if they have issues or need help and in the future JMeter may not continue to be developed.

Choosing a load testing tool for your website is an important decision because knowing the capabilities of your website will ensure that it functions properly for all of your visitors. Carefully consider the pros and cons of each available load testing tool before choosing one.