What is a Baseline in Performance Testing?

In the context of performance testing, a baseline is a reference point against which future performance measurements can be compared. It represents the starting point or the initial condition of the system being tested, and it is used as a point of comparison to measure any changes or improvements that may occur over time.

For example, if you are testing the performance of a web application, the baseline might be the average response time for a specific task when the system is under normal load conditions. This baseline can then be used to compare the performance of the system after changes have been made, such as adding more servers or optimizing the database queries. If the response time improves after these changes, it means that the system is performing better than the baseline, and if it degrades, it means that the system is performing worse than the baseline.

In summary, a baseline is a reference point that is used to measure the performance of a system over time, and it provides a point of comparison for evaluating any changes or improvements that may occur.