October 11, Update: v3.0 went live today.
Nine months ago we unveiled the Standalone StresStimulus Roadmap that laid out our intent to give StresStimulus users a choice of a Fiddler-integrated or standalone version in v3.0. Today with the launch of 3.0 public beta, we mark a significant milestone in this development.
Integrated and standalone versions are delivered in a single installer. Both versions have a very similar UIs and the same feature set, so no additional training is required. Both versions use the same document format and can be interchangeably used to work with the same test. They even share the state and configuration space. For example, after opening a test in the standalone version, it will appear in the "Recent" list in the integrated version, and vice versa. What is even more significant is that the two versions share the same codebase. This will ensure features and behavior consistency and will help to uphold StresStimulus's rapid development track in the future.
While very similar, each of the versions has its own benefits:
Standalone version benefits:
- Does not require Fiddler.
- Is easier to use for non-Fiddler users, due to less distraction from features unrelated to load testing.
- Future extension is no longer limited by constraints specific to add-ons. For example, the standalone version has its own main menu that provides greater extensibility.
Integrated version benefits:
- Tight integration with Fiddler allows to do web debugging and functional / performance / load testing in a single toolset.
- Fiddler features (such as multiple Inspectors, filtering sessions, Timeline and auto-responders) can be used to extend load testing feature set. For example, it creates the ability to simplify the debugging and analysis of load tests, not available in other performance testing tools.
In the future, while either list of unique benefits can grow, our goal is to keep enhancements available in both versions and to maintain a maximally similar user experience.
As was originally planned, transition to a two-version tool was performed in phases. To make the transition smoother without slowing down the pace of adding new features, we implemented the transition in three phases. Two intermediate versions, 2.5 and 2.8, added over 100 new features. The highlights of this release besides the standalone version are:
- Simplified test case recording from any web browser, non-browser applications or mobile devices.
- Runtime dashboard.
- Substantially enhanced Parameter Finder and Auto-configurator.
3.0 Licensing. Fiddler-integrated and standalone versions will be available to all existing license holders with active maintenance at no additional cost, so every user can decide which version is right for them.
After installation, 3.0 beta will honor your existing license. If you have a commercial or trial license for v2.8, then after installing v3.0 beta your current number of licensed VUs will be unlocked automatically without activation.
Time-limited beta. The initial v3.0 public build will be followed by several updates in the upcoming weeks. As in previous versions, this beta is time-limited and will be replaced by a production version at the time of its release.
We know that StresStimulus 3.0 will never be the same without input from the StresStimulus community. Our thanks go out to all users who participated in the private beta program or sent feature requests, bug reports or any other feedback.
To navigate to other parts of the v3.0 release notes, click the links below:
StresStimulus 3.0 beta is available here.