Throughput
Throughput is a performance metric that measures the rate at which a system, process, or component completes work or processes data over a specific period of time, typically expressed in units like transactions per second (TPS), requests per second (RPS), or bits per second (bps). It quantifies the actual output or processing capacity, often used in computing, networking, and manufacturing to assess efficiency and scalability. In software development, it helps evaluate the performance of applications, databases, APIs, and infrastructure under load.
Developers should learn and use throughput to optimize system performance, identify bottlenecks, and ensure applications can handle expected user loads, such as in high-traffic web services, real-time data processing, or financial trading systems. It is critical for capacity planning, load testing, and benchmarking, as it directly impacts user experience and operational costs by indicating how much work a system can handle efficiently.