Microsoft Visual Studio Deprecation Announcement
To the disappointment of many users, in late 2018 Microsoft announced their plans to deprecate load testing functionality in Visual Studio. And just a few months later, they formally announced that Visual Studio 2019 will be the last version of Visual Studio containing web performance and load testing features. Their cloud-based load testing solution continued to run through March 31st, 2020.
There was no singular reason for this, rather various factors, including the viability of Visual Studio, competitive solutions, and the general practice of load testing. However, there are developers that use the .NET framework to create and develop their web applications. For the most part, Visual Studio is very user friendly, giving users the ability to easily create web applications in ASP.NET, in addition to .NET applications.
And while many users are sad to see Visual Studio go, this opened up the door for other partner solutions to integrate into Azure DevOps.
Cloud-based Load Testing Alternatives to Visual Studio
In Microsoft’s Visual Studio deprecation announcement, Microsoft offered up several open-source and commercial load testing alternatives for customers. And while open-source solutions are great in their own right, we think there are a lot folks missing out on some pretty amazing commercial-grade load testing features that those solutions cannot offer, so we would like to promote our own load testing solution, LoadView, to the Visual Studio load testing alternatives “party.”
Cloud-based Load Testing for Websites, APIs, Web Applications, and More
LoadView not only offers real browser-based load testing from the cloud, but the platform also goes beyond what traditional load testing solutions can offer, in a flexible and scalable offering. Set up load tests for web pages, web applications, API, and streaming media – all from a single interface.
Point and Click Scripting
With our free, web-based scripting tool, the EveryStep Web Recorder, users can easily create test scripts that simulate real user actions for your websites and applications. And the tool supports more advanced functions, such as filling out forms, performing searches, and taking actions based on the specific location of a button or image. Advanced users can also manually edit the scripts using your own C# code. The EveryStep Web Recorder supports over 40 desktop/mobile browsers and devices, as well as Rich Internet Applications, such as .NET, Flash, Java, HTML5, PHP, as well as JavaScript frameworks like Angular, Ember, Knockout, React, and Vue, in addition to many more.
Unlike other script recorders, the EveryStep Web Recorder does not require you to know how to code or even touch a line of code, although, it definitely helps. For example, other scripting tools require you to work through a browser extension to record HTTP/S traffic to create scripts. EveryStep Web Recorder Additionally, you might need to setup an account before you can use the tool. With the EveryStep Web Recorder, it is free and easy to use. In fact, you can try it right now. Give it try now.
Cloud Network
The LoadView platform utilizes a fully managed cloud, so you can focus on creating and executing load tests. Users can choose from any one 20+ global locations to initiate cloud load injectors (Amazon Web Services and Azure Cloud Services) from, giving you the ability to test the actual impact of load on your systems from around the world, in the locations your visitors and users visit from There’s no additional hardware or third-party accounts to manage, saving you from the hassles of setting up load injector servers and the time-consuming process of having to manage all that comes with it.
Load Testing Behind the Firewall
For web applications that are not publicly available, the LoadView solution offers multiple options to load test internal applications. Engineers can whitelist static proxy IPs or utilize an on-site agent that can be installed on your network.
Testing Scenarios
LoadView has several options when it comes to setting up load test. Users can choose from the Load Step, Goal-based, and Dynamic Adjustable Curves, allowing you to configure the right load curve for your requirements. Please visit our Load Curves page for more information on the different load curves, their benefits, and when to use them.
LoadView Test Results and Reporting
The LoadView platform allows you to view your test in real-time while the test is running. When your test is finished, you can drill-down into more information through the Stress Test Report. The report contains an outline of the test properties and a summary of the execution plan, including maximum, expected, actual number of users, as well as additional details on CPU usage. A separate Session Report shows a list of all user sessions and element-level details through waterfall charts.
Additionally, the Session Report includes the Reference Server recording. The recording allows you to compare load injector sessions against the reference server used during the test. For web applications and web page load tests, you can utilize the recording to review actual behavior of your applications and sites under load as it appears to your visitors.
LoadView: Enterprise Features Packed in a Cloud-based Model
If you are still searching for a replacement load testing solution to Visual Studio, why not give LoadView a try. We offer a free trial with up to 5 free load tests to get you started. Additionally, you can schedule a demo with one of our performance engineers to take you through the full solution and answer any questions you have. They can assist you with any part of the load testing process, from helping with the scripting process, to recommending load testing configuration and scenarios. Start load testing your .NET applications today!
For more information about LoadView and how it stacks up against other load testing solutions, visit the LoadView Alternatives page.