Free Web Server Stress Test Tool

Test Description. Users Probing the limits of a web server: Requesting a simple HTML page every 2 seconds in a ramp test: 4,000: Details: In this test we wanted to see the difference between two web server programs on the same machine. 1,000: Details: In this test we are trying to find the maximum bandwidth a web server can serve.

API testing tools are more important now than ever. That why I create this list of the top 20 free API Testing Tools you should know.

Free performance, load, and stress test for web servers (Discontinued) Webserver Stress Tool is a powerful HTTP-client/server test application designed to pinpoint critical performance issues in your website or web server that may prevent optimal experience. A stress test tool can also be used to identify issues like slow-loading or unresponsive web pages. There are three main types of load simulation: HTTP/S-based, real browser-based, and headless. HTTP/S-based tests, which were popular earlier on in the digital age, involve the test driver executing service requests and parsing responses. The Only Load Testing Tool That Works in Fiddler. Fiddler is the world's most popular free web debugging proxy. In addition to working as a stand-alone stress testing tool, StresStimulus can also be a Fiddler add-on to combine performance testing and debugging in one solution. Webserver Stress Tool is the most cost-effective solution in the market for simulating performance, load, and stress tests for your web server. Full Specifications What's new in version 7.2.1.261/262.

As we move towards more Agile shift-left software development processes like continuous integration and delivery, the need to quickly give test feedback to our developers is increasing.

One downfall to UI tests is they are slow, making them a poor choice for letting developers know quickly if their code has broken the latest build or not. API tests, on the other hand, tend to be faster and run more reliably than GUI tests.

Below is a quick API testing tools comparison of open source options.

Before we take a closer look at the API testing tools, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page with what an API actually is.

What is an API?

Application Programming Interfaces (API) is a specification that acts as an interface for software components.

While most functional testing involves testing a user interface like a web page or a dot net form, API testing involves bypassing a user interface and communicating directly with an application by making calls to its APIs.

API testing allows you to test headless technologies like JMS HTTP, databases and Web services.

API testing is sometimes called “headless” testing. Most headless testing consists of bypassing the UI and sending a request directly to an application's backend or service and receiving a response while validating the response to ensure things are working as we expect them to.

This simple example is often referred to as a client/server relationship. A client makes a request by asking for a resource; the request then goes out and finds a server that can fill that request. The server locates the desired resource and sends a response back to the client.

What API Testing Tools Can I Use to Automate API Testing?

Since Selenium is just for browser-based testing, you may be wondering which tool to use for Rest and Soap web service-based testing.

Here are some of the top API testing tools that can be used for Rest and Soap Web Service Testing. API tools are great because many times you can leverage one test script to help with API load/stress performance testing, security testing and penetration testing.

So let's get to it.

Although there are a lot of great paid options here are the top free API testing tools you should check out.

Postman

Postman is a rest client that started off as a Chrome browser plugin but recently came out with native versions for both Mac and Windows.

At a high level, you can use it to send a post request to your web server and it gives you the response back. It allows you to set up all the headers and cookies your API expects, and then check the response when it comes back.

Can be used for both automated and exploratory testing
Can be run on Mac, Windows, Linux &Chrome Apps
Has a bunch of integrations like support for Swagger & RAML formats
Has Run, Test, Document and Monitoring Features
Doesn’t require learning a new language

To hear how Postman is used in the real world for testing video games check out Amber Race's TestTalks episode on Testing Video Games Using API Automation.

Karate DSL

Karate allows you to create a test that can sequence calls to any kind of web-service and assert that the responses are as expected.

Build on top of Cucumber-JVM
Can run a test and generate reports like any standard Java project
A test can be written without any Java knowledge required
Tests are easy to write even for non-programmers

Check out a quick example of how to get started using Karate with BDD.

SoapUI

SoapUI is a headless functional testing tool from SmartBear software. It comes in two flavors: Free open source version and Pro Version. Since the free version is open-source, you can actually gain access to the full source code and modify as needed.

The SoapUI Pro version is user-friendlier and has additional functionality including a form editor, an assertion wizard for XPath, and SQL query builder. The free version lets you:

Can easily create custom code using Groovy
Drag and Drop Test Creating
Can create complex scenarios
Asynchronous Testing
SoapUI’s Mock Service lets you mimic web services before they are implemented

Listen to Mike Giller of Smartbear talk more about SoapUI and API Testing.

HttpMaster Express

HttpMaster describes itself as a web development and test tool to automate testing of websites and services. It can be used to test RESTful web services and API applications. HttpMaster also allows you to and monitor API responses.

HttpsMaster project offers global options to customize your API request
Parameter capabilities enable you to include dynamic data with your request
You can use request chaining to leverage request items to include some data from the previous request with the next request

Rest- Assured

Rest-Assured is an open-source Java Domain-specific language (DSL) that makes testing REST service simple. It simplifies things by eliminating the need to use boiler-plate code to test and validate complex responses. It also supports XML and JSON Request/Responses. This is probably the best-known tool to test rest API.

Removes need to create boilerplate code required to interact with a rest service
Support BDD Given/When/Then syntax
Integrated seamlessly with Java projects
Probably the standard for programmatically creating a rest API testing tool script

If you use Java and want a REST API web services library you can use in your framework Rest-Assured is a good choice.

Johan Haleby creator of Rest-Assured shares tips and tricks for getting started REST testing with Rest-Assured.

RestSharp

RestSharp is a simple REST and HTTP API Client for .NET

Supports .NET 3.5+, Silverlight 5, Windows Phone 8, Mono, MonoTouch, Mono for Android
Easy installation using NuGet for most .NET flavors
GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, HEAD, OPTIONS, DELETE supported

Rest Console

HTTP Client and Request Visualizer and Constructor tool, helps developers build, debug and test RESTful APIs. Rest Console is an HTTP Request Visualizer and Constructor tool, helps developers build, debug and test RESTful APIs.

Easy query parameters creation

Syntax highlighting

Authentication support: Plain, Basic, OAuth + Custom

RoboHydra Server

Looking for API integration testing tools?

RoboHydra is a testing tool for HTTP-based clients (ie. software that makes HTTP requests). The idea is, instead of connecting your clients-under-test to the real server, you connect them to RoboHydra and make RoboHydra respond with whatever you need for each request.

You can test many different kinds of clients
Written in Javascript, runs under Node

Hippie-Swagger

hippie-swagger is a tool for testing RESTful APIs. It’s also an API testing tool with automatic swagger assertions. In addition to validating API behavior, it will fail tests when swagger documentation is missing or inaccurate.

Can validate All aspects of swagger file validated; parameters, request/response body, paths, etc.
Accurate, human-readable assertion messages

WebInject

WebInject is an open source solution for automated testing of web applications and web services. It can be used to test individual system components that have HTTP interfaces (JSP, ASP, CGI, PHP, AJAX, Servlets, HTML Forms, XML/SOAP Web Services, REST, etc).

Is a command line tool
Written in Perl can be installed on MS Windows, GNU/Linux, BSD, Solaris, MAC OS

Pyresttest

PyRestTest is a python based REST testing and API micro-benchmarking API testing tool

You can write your tests in basic YAML or JSON config files, no code needed
Returns exit codes on failure
Only works on Mac and Linux

Airborne

Airborne is an open source Ruby-based RSpec driven API testing framework.

Works with Rack application like Sinatra and Grape
Works with APIs written in Rails

Unirest

Recommended by Unmesh Gundecha Unirest is a lightweight HTTP request client libraries.

Can be combined with xUnit, BDD runner to make it a test tool

Mockbin

Mockbin was recommended by Augusto Marietti. Mockbin allows you to generate custom endpoints to test, mock, and track HTTP requests & responses between libraries, sockets, and APIs.

Mock Custom Endpoints
Create Custom HTTP Methods
Log and inspect incoming calls to your custom endpoints

Citrus Framework

Not sure why more folks aren't aware of the Citrus Framework. Citrus is an open-source framework that can help you automate integration tests for virtually any messaging protocol or data format. It has nice test results reports as well.

Works with REST, SOAP, HTTP, JMS, TCP/IP and more
Create tests using Java or XML
Mature – has been around awhile

For more info on Citrus, Integration testing check out API Integration Automation Testing With Citrus Framework.

ZeroCode

ZeroCode is a free and open source, lightweight API testing tool library built on JUnit core runners, for API endpoints, using simple JSON steps. I just heard about this tool but sounds like its already being used in large enterprise companies like HSBC Bank.

Here are some benefits of using ZeroCode:

ZeroCode is built on JUnit core runners (no plugins needed)
Just your IDE or any JSON editor is enough to drive the tests
Very easy to write tests – as simple as Postman REST-Client
You can still do BDD, but without syntax overhead
Performance testing – Load/Stress generation is quite easy and existing tests can be reused
Efficient Reports – You can do a fuzzy search as well as filter by any text, and track by author

Katalon Studio

Although primarily known as a GUI automation test tool Katalon studio also supports test scenarios that use web services and can be used as an API test tool.

Some benefits of Katalon Studio are:

It's not open-sourced but it is free
It’s a complete package and framework. So it easy to install and get working
Small learning curve
Has functionality that allows you to test web services and REST APIs

Listen to my interview with Raghav Pal to discover more about Katalon studio.

JMeter

As you might already know JMeter was developed for load testing but many testers also use it for API testing and as an API load testing tool as well.

Some benefits of JMeter are:

Can leverage one API test script for both API and as an API Performance testing
JMeter has been around awhile so it's time-tested
Easily integrated into CI/CD environments

Tavern

Tavern is a pytest plugin, command-line tool and API testing tools Python library for automated testing of APIs.

- Simple, concise and flexible YAML-based syntax.

- It’s very simple to get started,

- highly customizable for complex tests.

Supports testing RESTful APIs as well as MQTT based APIs.

Chakram

Chakram is a REST Javascript API testing tools framework that also has a BDD testing style and fully exploiting promises. So you can use it for

HTTP Assertions
Chakram fully exploits javascript promises
BDD formatting and hooks
Very extensible

RestBird

RestBird is a collection of Rest API Tools like autotest, mock server and record, and playback functionality. I just learned about it from a comment someone left for this post. It looks promising. Some benefits of RestBird are:

Easy to use and Debug
Fully restAPIi support to be integrated with JIRA, Jenkins, Team City, Bugzilla, Slack
programmable response validation through Python/Golang scripts

Top REST API Testing Tools Recap

These are the top API testing tools free I’ve come across, but there are tons of API testing tools popping up everywhere, so I’ll definitely be adding to this list as time goes on.

If one of your favorite API test tools is not listed, please let me know and I’ll add it.

What About Non-API Automation Testing Tools?

For other non-functional APIautomation testing tools check out:

Top 11 Open Source Performance Testing Tools for Load & Stress Testing
The Top 21 FREE Visual Validation Tools for Testers
Top Accessibility Testing Tools for Automation
7 iOS Testing Tools You Need to Know

How to Stay Up To Speed with the Latest in Automation Testing?

If you feel overwhelmed with staying up to date with all the latest automation testing tools and best practices check out my annual online conference dedicated 100% to just automation testing — Automation Guild.

If you’re having problems with your computer and it isn’t behaving correctly in certain situations, then it could be a cause for concern. One of these situations could be when you are performing resource intensive tasks and the system becomes unstable or crashes while being put under stress. This could be a problem such as the CPU overheating and shutting itself down, or even the graphics card running into similar trouble. Or maybe the power supply simply cannot cope anymore with all hardware components running at full intensity…

Whether you’re someone who wants to test their PC components because they suspect a possible fault, or have bought / built your own PC and want to make sure it runs stably and reliably at maximum load, you need a program to be able to put the system under the desired levels of stress for periods of time to monitor the situation. Here are 10 tools (9 of them free) to do just that and put your system under huge amounts of stress to check for faults or problems.

1. HeavyLoad

HeavyLoad is a utility that aims to stress the main component areas of a PC, namely processor, memory, hard drive and graphics. It can also run these tests individually or altogether which is obviously the time maximum stress will be placed of the system hardware and also the power supply. The Disk space and Free memory tests are not really there to put undue stress on those components, but rather continually writes a large file to the drive and allocates / deallocates memory to the system simulating heavy load when all major components are utilized.

There is an option though to add more stress to the hard drive by using Jam software’s other popular included tool Treesize Free to simulate more heavy disc access. HeavyLoad is available as portable and installer versions and is a very useful overall system stability tester to keep in the USB toolkit. Works on Windows XP to Windows 8 32-bit and 64-bit.

Download HeavyLoad

2. FurMark

Furmark is a stability and stress testing tool designed especially for graphics cards and runs a very intensive “Fur” rendering algorithm which is very good at pushing the GPU to its absolute limits. There are a few settings that can be changed such as resolution, full screen mode and anti aliasing, and a few presets are available such as running in the HD resolutions of 720 / 1080, or running a burn-in test for 15 minutes. The benchmark’s default run time and an alarm for the maximum allowable temperature for the graphics card is found via the Settings window.

Benchmark scores can be compared or viewed online. FurMark is compatible with Windows XP and above.

Download FurMark

3. StressMyPC

This is a simple, tiny and portable utility of around 20KB that can run a stability test on your single, multi core or multi threaded processor. In addition it can also perform a couple of other tests such as a simple GPU graphics test and also one for the hard drive. The “Paint-Stress” GPU test is enabled by default and the “HD-test” and a more aggressive CPU test which will push your processor towards 100% (the standard test used about 60% of a dual core CPU during testing) can be enabled by the buttons at the top of the window. StressMyPC works on all versions of Windows 2000 and above, including 64-bit.

Download StressMyPC

4. System Stability Tester

System Stability Tester works by simply using the well known and famous method of telling the computer to calculate the value of Pi up to 128 million digits. This will completely consume your processor for as long as the test runs and can also be used as a basic benchmarking tool to see how long it takes your CPU to calculate the specified number of digits. The range can be between 128 thousand up to 128 million and can be run continuously up to 50 times using up to 32 threads. There are 2 methods to choose from, Borwein and Gauss-Legendre which is also used by the classic SuperPi tool.

Works on Windows XP and above, portable and installer versions are available.

Download System Stability Tester

5. IntelBurnTest

Despite the name, IntelBurnTest actually works fine for testing on AMD processors as well, and is called as such because it makes use of the Intel Linpack libraries which Intel themselves use to stress test CPU’s. Usage is easy and all you have to do is set the number of times to run the test, the number of threads to use and the test stress level. This can be Standard, High, Very High or Maximum and if your available RAM is less than what the test requires, choose Custom and set the amount of memory to use accordingly.

The program is portable and runs on Windows XP and above.

Download IntelBurnTest

12Next › View All

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Todd3 years ago

A nice collection of stress tests, but I am currently searching for DOS-based software. Will keep looking, but perhaps you could add something in this vein the next time you update the article?

BurninTest software is good for testing, but unfortunately it’s not free

jayaram4 years ago

any commandline tools, i need them in my automation

Web Server Performance Testing Tools

3d mark is good for higher end graphics cards

Miler5 years ago

Aida64 is also good program. It is almost head-to-head with BurnIn Test made by PassMark

I generally run Orthos and MemTest. For the hard disk, when I get a new one, I copy tons of files big and small to it and then try using these files. Last drive showed problems immediately after this.

I also always do a Nero Recode and x264 encodes since these are heavy CPU programs.

Merlin Magii13 years ago

Useful tool and have noted contributors very helpful warnings.

Looks like a decent benchmarking software. Thanks Ray!

John13 years ago

My suggestion regarding this type of program:
Run it well BEFORE your warranty expires. Make sure you didn’t get a system with faulty components. Don’t experiment on an older system (with gigs of files & programs at risk). If something is “marginal”, these programs WILL find them – often destructively!

Second this – it is actually possible for stress testing software to fry your PC. E.g. normal use of a video card will not come close to the temperature and power consumption of running a 100% stress test like FurMark, and this could cause an otherwise working component to fail. It does mean the component is running out of spec, so it could even be recommended to run this just before your warranty expires, but not after.

Brian1 year ago

An example of how testing software can be destructive if it does not change or write anything new or over existing files, code or registry? If a tool writes its own fix without showing you changes before they happen then don’t use it.