How to Load Test Mobile Apps

Ready to start load testing your apps? BlazeMeter provides a series of handy options to simulate the work of users with various mobile devices.

As always, we start by creating a test script - we are using Apache JMeter. But, before the script development we need to configure our mobile device, which will be used for test recording. JMeter records all actions using its own proxy. That is why we need to configure our internet connection in a specific way.

Configure Mobile Device

Open JMeter and add the “HTTP(s) Test Script Recorder” to “Test Plan”. As a proxy hostname, you will need to set the IP address of the computer on whichever JMeter application is open.

So, follow these steps:

1. Run JMeter application on your computer.

2. Add to “Test Plan” node the “HTTP(s) Test Script Recorder” as shown below:

3. In the HTTP Proxy Server component’s global settings, set the port to listen (for example 8089); and click on the Start button to start configured proxy.

4. Get your computer’s IP address. For more details how to do it you can refer directly to the help documentation of whichever operating system that you’re using. If you are using MS Windows we can suggest open a “cmd” shell and launch below command line:

if connected to cable LAN -> netsh interface ip show address "Ethernet" | findstr "IP Address"

if connected to WiFi LAN -> netsh interface ip show address "WiFi" | findstr "IP Address"

5. Under network configuration of your mobile device, set the computer’s IP address as the proxy IP and port that you had set in JMeter.



For Android devices:

a. Go to Options – Wi-Fi, long tap on the current network connection and choose the “Modify Network” popup menu item;

b. Check “Show advanced options” checkbox;

c. Set parameter “Proxy settings” to “Manual”;

d. In the field “Proxy hostname” type the IP of the computer (for example, 10.2.0.89), into the field “Proxy port” our port – 8089;

e. Save changes.

Step a. Step b. Steps c.–e.

Note that Android supports only HTTP proxy. If your application uses an HTTPS connection, then you may use an additional application that performs with HTTPS proxing.

Run Mobile Web Application

Now you can open the web application you want to test and use it as you usually do. For example, we chose an application that streams news. While using the application, you must perform the same actions that are performed by actual users (login, scroll, comment, click varying links, search information, etc.)

Upon completion of work with the mobile application we can stop recording session into JMeter and configure the mobile network configuration back to normal mode. Moreover we need to stop the JMeter recording, open “HTTP(S) Test Script Recorder” and press the "Stop" button. Another way to stop recording is via “Transactions Control” popup that appears during recording procedure.

After recording actions from the mobile device and final correction of the load script, we can run load test using BlazeMeter's capabilities.

Create load test and run, analyze results

Log into your BlazeMeter account and use the 'Add Test' link at the top of the main account page. Set up general test settings and upload the necessary script file.

BlazeMeter provides users with the possibility to simulate the use of mobile networks by setting a special group of parameters in the test configuration. On the test configuration page, expand the 'Network Emulation' group and select the network type to emulate or set your own parameters.

After the creation of the new test, we can run it and obtain load testing results of our application.

After the test run, we can see all results and make summary conclusions about the web application’s stability and quality of service in general. BlazeMeter provides us with the graphical analysis of performance.

BlazeMeter can be used to simulate a heavy load on an application to test its strength or to analyze overall performance under different types of load.

Given results are stored on your account and may be used to compare with tests results in future.

Want to start load testing your website and mobile applications with BlazeMeter? Just put your URL in the box below to instantly create your free BlazeMeter account, and your test will start in minutes.