Performance engineering and load testing

Performance engineering and load testing are essential components of modern software development, focusing on understanding an application's capacity, identifying bottlenecks, and enhancing scalability. Companies increasingly dedicate teams and resources to these processes, with tools like the New Relic platform offering comprehensive monitoring and analysis capabilities. The blog post outlines a 12-step process using New Relic for conducting methodical load testing and root-cause analysis, which is divided into setting baselines, isolating bottlenecks, and tuning performance. It emphasizes the iterative nature of performance engineering, where ongoing testing and adjustments are necessary due to the dynamic nature of software applications. The author, Rebecca Clinard, a seasoned expert in web application performance, shares insights based on her extensive experience, noting that the views expressed are her own and not necessarily those of New Relic.