If the recent seismic shift to WebRTC has taught us anything, it is this, WebRTC is tricky. Many view WebRTC as the new solution to all of our existing real-time communication problems. In fact, WebRTC isn’t really a solution, it’s a technology. And, as with any technology, it needs to be employed correctly, updated regularly, and, most importantly, endless WebRTC testing.
The WebRTC application development process requires a cycle of repeat testing using powerful, expensive client machines. It also needs an in-depth understanding of WebRTC behavior and statistics, and may even necessitate the development of custom infrastructure.
Traditional web testing is ineffective for WebRTC applications and can cause an over-reliance on time and resource-heavy manual testing. This is where testingRTC steps into the breach, providing a targeted WebRTC browser automation that does the testing for you, on time and at scale.
So what it testingRTC? Let’s take a look.
Cloud 9
testingRTC is a cloud-based WebRTC testing solution that doesn’t require any installation and is extremely fast and easy to use. testingRTC creates faster feedback loops from development to testing. Whether that be for new products, or optimization, updates, or new releases for existing products.
testingRTC has a series of distinct advantages over other web testing solutions like Selenium grid. testingRTC is created specifically for WebRTC. Other testing solutions lack the specific, expert knowledge and feature-set needed to run advanced WebRTC testing procedures. Consequently, no other testing solution can provide the range and depth of testing metrics and analytics. And testingRTC offers multiple ways to export these metrics, from direct collection from webhooks, to downloading results in CSV format using the REST API. Happy days!
The Matrix
testingRTC produces a myriad of comprehensive, fully customizable test metrics arising from the following WebRTC tests;
- Stress: Measures the load your server can handle, whether your load balancer is working properly, and if your application can handle the numbers of parallel users/sessions/rooms you are expecting
- Regression: Measures your application’s operation and edge cases on a regular basis through continuous integration or on demand. This ensures the overall stability and functionality of an application’s existing features following updates, code changes, etc.
- Performance: Measures key performance metrics and compares them to your previous performance results and those of your competitors.
- Network: Measures your WebRTC application’s behavior in different network conditions. Collects ramp-up and re-ramp-up information, and checks client-side CPU and memory to ensure the best experience for your customers.
The test metrics resulting from these tests provide insights into every aspect of your WebRTC application’s performance and stability. Take a look for yourself.
Nice, isn’t it? High level information in the top ribbon covering score, call setup time, bitrate (Kbits), packet loss, and jitter (ms). It also shows an aggregation graph underneath showing information for both voice and video performance. And all of this data can be broken down further by probe (browser).
You can drill down into any of the users for more detailed information as well as check additional channel data. There are also tabs for notifications, screenshots taken, and performance metrics for the machines and the logs collected. You can check framerate information for video here too.
For more granular metrics and analytics, select Advanced WebRTC Analytics, which shows everything from Get User Media, to Ice candidate pair and connection state information, to event logs with all of the API calls and a wealth of additional metrics.
Flip the script
With testingRTC, you only need to write scripts once, you can then run them multiple times and scale them up or down as you see fit. testingRTC simulates any user behavior using our powerful Nightwatch scripting, you can manage these scripts via our handy git integration.
testingRTC is predominantly a self-service platform, where you write and test any script you want independently of us with our extensive knowledge base documentation as a guide. But if you don’t have the skills, confidence, or time to tackle your own scripting, our professional services are there to assist you.
Put to the test
WebRTC is a new, evolving technology. It is asynchronous and constantly in flux, and while this is exciting, it is also very challenging. Because WebRTC is browser-based, you don’t control the whole tech stack. Browsers have a nasty habit of forcing updates that can break perfectly healthy apps, and they will often push security or stability releases in between these updates. While changes mean capability improvements and performance optimizations that are welcomed by end users, they represent real headaches for developers.
WebRTC network sensitivity is another headache. Different networks produce different conditions, causing performance issues like Jitter, lag, packet loss, bitrate issues, latency etc.
testingRTC is here to prevent these headaches. As long as your application has a web page that your users can interact with, testingRTC can test it. It’s as simple as that. And our service will work for a multitude of development frameworks. Jitsi, Janus, mediasoup, FreeSWITCH, OpenTok, Twilio, LiveSwitch, Agora, just for starters.
You don’t ever have to worry about browser updates; testingRTC synchronizes across a multitude of real browsers, with real geo locations, over real network profiles.
Automation is done at scale in a reproducible fashion. This means you can test, debug, validate, and optimize your application effectively and efficiently.
And everything is within your control. You can schedule, customize, and analyze client and server side benchmarks at your own pace and in a manner that suits your deployment needs.
So why not give it a whirl today and let testingRTC shoulder the WebRTC testing burden?
About Spearline
Spearline is a technology company that proactively tests toll, toll-free and premium-rate numbers for audio quality and connectivity globally. Our latest WebRTC products offer testing, monitoring and support for web-based communications. We work across business sectors, supporting contact centers, conferencing services, and more to successfully connect with their customers and employees.
If you would like to find out more, we would love to speak with you! Please send us a brief message, and we will be in contact with you shortly.
