Everything You Need To Know About Mobile App Continuous Performance Testing

In this tangled yet useful web of digitalization, smartphone users can't escape the regular use of mobile applications. While mobile apps have been the biggest boon for users across the globe, a dissatisfactory performance can tarnish the entire UX. Just one little glitch and the end user won't delay in pressing the dreaded uninstall button. 

With competitors less than seconds away, customers have a ton of options. It makes continuous testing of mobile app performance crucial. But since it is time-consuming and seemingly expensive, some businesses avoid it altogether. However, if you compare its cost to losses, good performance testing tools are a worthwhile investment for mobile applications. 

This post will look at mobile app continuous performance testing in detail. We will start with what performance testing is and its importance. Then we will move on to continuous performance testing, strategies, and best practices. Let us dive into the details.

What is Performance Testing?

Performance testing is a parameter testers need to consider to determine how a mobile application fares under different workloads. It is a non-functional testing type that facilitates the analysis of stability responsiveness, speed, and other similar system indicators. Performance testing deals with performance bottlenecks before the software goes out in front of users.

Software Performance Testing for Mobile Apps: Why Is It Important? 

If there were a nickel for each time a company lost revenue because of a sudden application crash or an inconsistent interface, we would be Ritchie Rich. Not only do performance lacunas cost in terms of money, but they also have the power to ruin a business's reputation. Here are some more reasons why software performance testing for mobile apps is essential.

1. Facilitates Scalability

Businesses must realize that the digital space is an ever-evolving one. That is why one must always upgrade mobile apps in real time and develop scalable software products. Once performance testing identifies weaknesses and exposes vulnerabilities, making changes and upgrades doesn't negatively impact an application.

2. Better User Satisfaction

An app that gives excellent performance leads to more satisfied users and better customer loyalty. Performance testing creates a scenario where the end user doesn't get a chance to pinpoint the remaining errors since testers already rectify them in the previous stages!

3. Improved Product Quality and Brand Reputation

Here it goes. Performance testing ensures better stability, accuracy, and speed. Since it eliminates issues before the product is released, it improves product quality. When a business presents users with a fast and reliable application, it enhances brand reputation.

Mobile App Continuous Performance Testing

The current day testing scenario poses challenges due to the constant demand for updates, integrations, and new versions. It makes following the traditional waterfall model unsustainable in the long term. Moreover, it takes ample time to deliver results. 

Therefore, it is a good idea to equip your CI pipeline with performance testing to be prepared for any impact changes might have on app performance. It involves breaking down tests into small chunks of feedback loops. This way, developers can identify and fix bugs easily and quickly.  

Select KPIs and organize data before writing a performance test. After choosing an appropriate test bed environment, execute the tests in the pipeline. You can also parallelly run test suites to fasten feedback further and promote pipeline optimization. Continuous performance testing results in faster resolution of issues, fewer outages, and reduced time to market.

Mobile App Performance Testing Best Practices

Now that we know why performance testing is crucial for mobile applications, it's time to realize that you have to do it right to avail all the benefits. Let us take a look at the top best practices.

1. Start Early 

Timely delivery and cost-cutting are the two key benefits of the shift left testing approach. When you incorporate the process of performance testing early and combine it with unit testing, developers can get faster feedback from test results. It enables them to make corrections in the early phases of the software testing life cycle.

2. Be User-Centric

While performance testers must focus on their test parameters, nothing beats listening to the end user. Involve users early on and adopt a proactive approach to validating performance test cases. Involving users can go in the form of launching a beta version, conducting a private beta, and getting to know what customers think through surveys.

3. Choose The Right Tools 

With an agile framework becoming mainstream in the software testing industry, choosing the right tools has become essential. Projects are fast-paced, and testers need appropriate tools to expedite performance testing using different parameters. Not to mention, the incorporation of Artificial Intelligence in some software testing tools has increased the efficiency of performance testing to a manifold. Overall, the choice of your mobile app performance testing tool can make or break the outcome of the entire process.

Summing It Up

Everything should be spick and span before it reaches the hands of the end user. No one likes a faulty app filled with bugs that keep on crashing every other minute. Continuous performance testing is an essential part of the mobile application testing pipeline. The performance of a mobile app can make or break a business.  

The mobile application market has conquered almost every industry, from education to entertainment. Considering the pace at which digitalization is accelerating, this trend will likely dominate the need for the long haul. Users will yearn for smooth navigation and optimum functioning of mobile apps more than ever. Now with millions of apps out there, is no shortage of choices for customers.

When the performance of an app is optimum on all devices, networks, and servers, you can deem it fit for release. Performance testing is a vast field that needs checking of various parameters. The process can get a bit elaborate. But once a business achieves a regular flow of loyal customers, it is all worth it. All you need is a versatile performance testing tool that offers AI-based testing insights, and you're good to go!