Performance Testing with JMeter and k6: Load Answers Before Launch

Load (expected peak), stress (find the break point), soak (leaks and drift over hours), and spike (sudden surge behavior) — each answers a different operational question.

Bottleneck identified (usually database or a third-party call) → fix → retest → record the new ceiling as capacity-planning input — a loop, not a one-off report.

Skipping the discipline this article describes until an incident, audit, or stalled project forces it — every practice above is cheaper adopted early than retrofitted under pressure.