From 0 to 1: How to Start With Load Testing
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From 0 to 1: how to start with load testing

A nine-step path from picking what to test to making load testing a permanent part of how you ship.

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PHASE 01

Plan

01

Identify what you need to test

Load testing everything at once is unnecessary and often counterproductive. Instead, focus on the application or API that handles critical traffic or revenue.

  • checkIdentify the application or service you want to evaluate
  • checkList the most important user journeys (login, search, checkout, etc.)
  • checkIdentify the APIs or endpoints used in those journeys
  • checkDetermine which flows generate the most traffic in production
  • checkConfirm which failures would have the largest business impact
flagDone when: You have clearly defined the application, APIs, and user journeys that your first load test will focus on.
02

Define how you will evaluate performance

Before running a load test, define what "good performance" means for your system. Without clear targets, test results are difficult to interpret and teams may disagree on whether performance is acceptable.

  • checkDefine the service level objectives (SLOs) for the system, including response time targets
  • checkEstimate the traffic volume the system must support in production
  • checkDefine the acceptable error rate under load
  • checkDefine how long the system must sustain this traffic level
  • checkWrite a clear performance objective that combines these metrics
flagDone when: The team agrees on the defined performance targets, expected traffic, and acceptable error rate that will determine whether the test passes or fails.
03

Define ownership and process

Load testing is most effective when responsibility is clearly assigned. Without ownership, tests are often created once and never updated. Defining who owns the tests and how they fit into the development workflow ensures the practice becomes sustainable.

  • checkIdentify the team responsible for load testing
  • checkStore test scripts in a shared Git repository
  • checkDefine how simulations will be maintained over time
  • checkDecide when tests should run in the delivery pipeline
  • checkDefine how results will be shared with other teams
flagDone when: A team owns the tests, scripts are stored in version control, and the testing process is documented.
PHASE 02

Design and prepare

04

Design your performance test

Now translate your performance objectives into a test scenario. The goal is to simulate realistic traffic patterns so the system behaves as it would in production.

  • checkDefine the scenario based on user journeys or API requests
  • checkEstimate the traffic volume to simulate
  • checkDefine the distribution of user actions and API requests during the test
  • checkSelect the injection pattern (load test, spike test, stress test...)
  • checkDefine how traffic will ramp up and down during the test
flagDone when: You have a documented test scenario describing the traffic volume, user actions, and load pattern.
05

Prepare the test environment

Load testing results are only reliable if the environment closely resembles production. This step ensures the infrastructure and monitoring tools are ready to support realistic testing.

  • checkRun tests in a staging or pre-production environment
  • checkEnsure infrastructure configuration matches production as closely as possible
  • checkVerify databases and dependent services are accessible
  • checkConfigure monitoring and observability dashboards
  • checkConfirm the environment can support the expected traffic
flagDone when: Your test environment is ready, monitoring tools are active, and the infrastructure can support the planned test load.
06

Validate the test flow

Before generating large amounts of traffic, verify that the scenario behaves correctly. Many first load tests fail because authentication, sessions, or dynamic parameters are not configured properly.

  • checkRun a smoke test with a small number of virtual users
  • checkVerify requests reach the correct endpoints
  • checkConfirm responses contain the expected data
  • checkCheck authentication and session handling
  • checkEnsure monitoring tools capture the test traffic
flagDone when: The scenario runs successfully with a small number of users and generates valid responses.
PHASE 03

Run and improve

07

Run the first baseline load test

Once the test script works correctly, run the full test under realistic traffic conditions. This first run will establish a baseline for future performance comparisons.

  • checkGradually ramp traffic up to the target load
  • checkMaintain steady traffic for the planned duration
  • checkCapture latency percentiles (p50, p95, p99)
  • checkRecord throughput and error rates
  • checkMonitor infrastructure metrics such as CPU, memory, and database usage
flagDone when: You have recorded the first baseline metrics describing how the system performs under expected load.
08

Analyze the results

The goal of this step is to understand how the system behaves under load and identify potential bottlenecks. Interpreting the results helps teams prioritize performance improvements.

  • checkCompare results with the defined performance objectives
  • checkIdentify endpoints with high latency
  • checkReview latency percentiles instead of averages
  • checkCorrelate application metrics with infrastructure metrics
  • checkDocument performance issues and potential improvements
flagDone when: The scenario runs successfully under expected load.
09

Automate the process

To make load testing sustainable, integrate it into your development workflow. Automation ensures performance regressions are detected before they reach production.

  • checkIntegrate load tests into your CI/CD pipeline
  • checkDefine automated pass or fail thresholds
  • checkRun regular performance tests across releases
  • checkCompare results against the established baseline
  • checkShare performance dashboards with engineering teams
flagDone when: Load tests run automatically as part of the delivery pipeline and help detect regressions before deployment.

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