The typical purpose of performance testing in software is to evaluate how a system operates under various conditions and loads. This testing assesses factors such as responsiveness, speed, scalability, and stability to determine whether the software meets predefined performance criteria. By simulating different user scenarios and load conditions, performance testing aims to identify bottlenecks, system failures, or areas for optimization. This process is critical to ensuring that applications can handle expected user traffic and function efficiently in real-world environments, ultimately leading to enhanced user experiences.