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Load Testing Blog

How to load test OpenID/OAUTH

Summary

Load-testing applications using OpenID Connect requires simulating real authentication flows and validating token handling under stress. The guide walks through the OIDC “code” flow, explaining tokens, JWT internals, and the roles of the application, user, and identity provider. A full JMeter scripting workflow is detailed—from recording traffic to extracting dynamic values like state, nonce, session codes and authorization codes.

The process includes generating tokens, decoding them, managing headers, and preparing for token refresh logic. Keycloak is used as a reference example, but the same approach applies to any OIDC-based system. Guidance is provided on load modeling, login frequency, token expiration, and designing realistic test policies.

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JMeter JMesPath Extractor

Summary

JMESPath offers a powerful and predictable way to extract and validate JSON data in JMeter, complementing JSONPath. It provides cleaner syntax, richer filtering options, and a fully specified grammar, making it reliable across platforms.

The article shows how JMESPath extractors and assertions work in JMeter, including variable handling, match modes, and real examples. Octoperf also integrates JMESPath with an expression builder that simplifies selector creation and testing.

Advanced features like projections, pipes, multiselect, and functions allow complex JSON transformations. Although it lacks recursive traversal and arithmetic operations, JMESPath covers most extraction needs for performance testing scripts.

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Playwright vs JMeter

Summary

Playwright brings real-browser load testing to OctoPerf SaaS & On-Premise versions, offering client-side realism that protocol testing alone cannot capture. Browser-based VUs execute actual user interactions and handle dynamic parameters automatically, reducing scripting effort. Protocol-based VUs remain far more efficient, generating heavy loads at minimal resource cost while providing deep server-side insights.

A side-by-side campaign shows Playwright offers richer realism but consumes dramatically more CPU and delivers slower journeys. The most effective approach is hybrid: protocol VUs for load, Playwright VUs for end-user experience under stress. This balance keeps costs and resource usage under control while still exposing client-side performance issues.

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OctoPerf v15.1 - Continuous integration and new trend report

Summary

OctoPerf v15.1 brings major improvements for CI/CD workflows and faster test automation.

  • A new integration wizard makes Jenkins, Maven, and API-based automation easier to set up with secure, prefilled configurations.
  • PDF reports can now be generated and emailed automatically at test completion, reducing manual steps.
  • The new Trend Report lets teams compare up to 25 tests, making long-term performance tracking far clearer.
  • Built-in data generation helps produce realistic datasets without external tools.
  • Multiple UX enhancements—preview tabs, clearer clickable elements, validation map, and visible time-ranges—smooth the overall user experience.

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Feature Highlight - Import JTL results from JMeter

Summary

OctoPerf now lets you import JMeter JTL files for free and analyze them using the full power of its reporting dashboard. The goal is to give JMeter users a clean, modern way to explore results, compare tests, filter metrics, and visualize performance trends without any setup. Imported JTLs are treated like native OctoPerf reports, complete with charts, filters, error summaries, and a reconstructed virtual user tree.

Multiple files can be uploaded at once to compare load generators or merge runs. You can also export JTLs from OctoPerf scenarios to preserve results or reimport them for historical analysis. Unlike alternatives that restrict reporting or hide features behind paywalls, OctoPerf provides this capability openly to support all testers.

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