Virtual User
A virtual user is a simulated user created by a performance testing tool to imitate the behavior of a real user interacting with a system.
“A simulation of activities performed according to a user operational profile.”
(Definition reproduced from the ISTQB Glossary. Copyright belongs to ISTQB.)
View the complete ISTQB GlossaryWhat is Virtual User?
Virtual users generate workload by performing predefined actions, allowing testers to evaluate system performance under realistic or peak usage conditions.
Simulated behavior: Mimics real user interactions.
Scalable workload: Thousands of virtual users can be executed simultaneously.
Performance testing: Used to generate realistic application load.
Real World Example
A regulated product team is preparing a release where Virtual user appears in reviews, test design conversations, or defect triage rather than as an isolated glossary word.
The risk is that the team treats Virtual user as interchangeable with nearby ISTQB terms. That makes test scope blurry and can lead to weak evidence for the release decision.
The tester anchors the discussion in the official definition, asks where the concept appears in the product, and designs examples that show the difference between Virtual user and similar ideas.
The page becomes useful in practice because Virtual user is connected to a specific testing decision, not memorized as a detached definition.
Practice Questions
Question 1
Which statement BEST describes Virtual user in the context of ISTQB terminology?
Question 2
A tester needs to explain Virtual user to a non‑technical stakeholder. Which approach is MOST appropriate?
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