2013-05-06

Introduction to JMeter Google PlugIn-Threads

In this article we are going to see what are additional features/items added after installing jmeter plugin (Google Plugin) and what we can do with it. We will discuses about client plugins only. Server plugin will be discussed in separate post. I will discuses about Thread only which represents users. To know about basic of jmeter see my this page. And, the process to install plug in , see this post.

After installing Jmeter Plug in following items are installed under Threads(users) :  to get that , right click test plan > threads >[ you will see the following 2 listed]

1. jp@gc - Stepping Thread Group : This is a stepping thread. I am providing a screenshot with example.

In here,
1. It will wait 10s before running
2. Total thread(user) will be 50.
3. It will create 10 thread in every 30s where 5s is the ramp-up for that 10 thread.
4. After generating all threads, it will wait for 60s
5. After finishing the holding time, it will stop all threads at a rate of 5thereads in 1s.


2. jp@gc - Ultimate Thread Group : This is block wise thread generator. We can make stepping, continuously running, and all possible combination of scenarios using this thread. I am providing a screen shot with example.


In here
1. There will be 2 set of threads(10, 50) as both are not overlapping because of its time of creation and ending, 50 user graph can represent both set.
2. First thread will delay 10s and 2nd one 100s before starting(Initial Delay)
3. First thread's users will be created in 20s and 2nd one's in 30s. These are basically ramp-up time.(Start-up time)
4. First thread will be running up to 60s where as 2nd one is 15s(Hold Load for)
5. First thread will be closed within in 2s and 2nd one in 1s(shutdown time)

So, we can see graphs of threads are shown. We can see same graph to verify execution if we add a listener jp@gc - Active Threads Over Time. It is also a Google Plugin.

Why we use them? Jmeter's default  thread group does not supports stepping and time driven testing approach. And which makes jmeter less featured over hp load runner and other paid performance tools. To over come these and make jmeter  more useable to tester community, this plugin was developed. In here I have shown only thread part, in another post I will describe other elements.

Thanks...:)