Web Server Benchmarking
Web server benchmarking is the process of measuring and evaluating the performance, scalability, and reliability of web servers or web applications under simulated load conditions. It involves using specialized tools to generate HTTP requests and analyze metrics like response times, throughput, error rates, and resource utilization. This practice helps identify bottlenecks, optimize configurations, and ensure servers can handle expected traffic.
Developers should learn web server benchmarking when deploying production applications, scaling systems, or optimizing performance, as it provides data-driven insights into server behavior under stress. It is crucial for capacity planning, load testing new features, and comparing different server setups (e.g., Apache vs. Nginx) to ensure reliability and meet service-level agreements (SLAs).