Answer: Software testing is the process of evaluating a software application to determine whether it meets specified requirements and functions correctly. It helps identify defects, ensures quality, and enhances user satisfaction by verifying that the software behaves as expected.
Answer: A test plan is a comprehensive document that outlines the testing strategy, objectives, scope, resources, schedule, and methodologies to be followed during testing. It serves as a roadmap for the testing process and includes details on test items, features to be tested, and risk assessment.
Answer: Sanity testing is a quick check conducted after minor changes to the software to determine if a specific function or bug fix works as intended. It is a subset of regression testing and is used to verify that the changes made do not adversely affect existing functionality.
Answer: The Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a structured process that outlines the stages of software development, which typically include planning, analysis, design, implementation, testing, deployment, and maintenance. Each phase has specific deliverables and feedback loops.
Answer: A test case is a detailed document that specifies the conditions, steps, expected results, and actual results used to verify a particular functionality or requirement. It includes a unique identifier, description, preconditions, test data, and execution results.
Answer: A test scenario is a high-level description of what to test, focusing on a specific aspect of the application. It outlines a user journey or particular functionality to ensure comprehensive coverage during testing and can involve multiple test cases.
Answer: Test data refers to the data used in tests to validate software functionality. It can include real data, simulated data, or data specifically created for testing purposes, ensuring that all possible scenarios are covered during testing.
Answer: A test script is a set of instructions executed to perform a specific test, detailing the steps to follow and the expected outcomes. It can be manual or automated and is often used in conjunction with test management tools.
Answer: Advantages of manual testing include flexibility in testing approaches, ease of performing exploratory testing, human insight for assessing usability, and the ability to adapt quickly to changing requirements. Manual testing also allows for immediate feedback and understanding of user experiences.
Answer: Drawbacks of manual testing include being time-consuming, prone to human error, less efficient for large-scale testing, and challenges in maintaining and executing test cases over time. It can also be less thorough than automated testing for repetitive tasks.
Answer: Black box testing evaluates the software’s functionality without knowledge of the internal code structure. Testers focus on input and output, using techniques such as equivalence partitioning, boundary value analysis, and decision table testing to design test cases.
Answer: White box testing involves testing the internal logic and structure of the code. Testers have knowledge of the code and can design tests based on the code’s logic, using techniques such as statement coverage, branch coverage, and path coverage.
Answer: Alpha testing is conducted in-house by the development team before releasing the software to external users. It aims to identify bugs before the software is sent to beta testing, which involves real users in a real environment to gather feedback on usability and performance.
Answer: Verification ensures that the product meets specified requirements at various stages of development (e.g., design reviews), while validation checks if the final product meets the needs and expectations of the end-users, typically conducted through testing.
Answer: A testbed is a controlled environment used for testing software, including the hardware, software, and network configurations required to execute test cases. It simulates the production environment to accurately assess how the software performs.
Answer: Testing should conclude when all planned test cases have been executed, critical defects have been addressed, no significant issues remain, and the application meets the defined acceptance criteria. Stakeholder approval may also signify the end of testing.
Answer: A bug is a flaw in the software that causes it to behave unexpectedly, while a defect is a deviation from the expected result, typically identified through testing. All defects are bugs, but not all bugs are considered defects until formally documented.
Answer: An error is a mistake made by a developer while writing code, leading to potential issues in the software. A failure occurs when the software fails to perform its intended function as a result of that error during execution.
Answer: GUI testing assesses the graphical user interface of an application to ensure it meets design specifications, provides a positive user experience, and functions correctly. It checks elements like buttons, text fields, and overall layout for usability.
Answer: Software testing is essential to ensure the quality and reliability of software, identify defects early in the development process, validate that the software meets user needs and requirements, and minimize risks associated with software failures.
Answer: Levels of manual testing include:
Answer: Exploratory testing is an informal testing approach where testers explore the software without predefined test cases. It allows for real-time learning and adaptation, making it useful when requirements are unclear or time constraints exist.
Answer: The defect life cycle includes stages such as:
Answer: Types of manual testing include:
Answer: A/B testing compares two versions of a web page or application to determine which performs better based on specific metrics, such as conversion rates or user engagement. It helps make data-driven decisions for enhancements.
Answer: Documentation ensures consistency and clarity, facilitates knowledge transfer among team members, provides a reference for test cases and results, tracks defects, and maintains test artifacts for future projects.
Answer: Essential skills include attention to detail, analytical thinking, understanding of software development processes, familiarity with testing tools, strong communication skills, and problem-solving abilities.
Answer: The procedure for manual testing typically includes:
Answer: Configuration management involves managing changes to software and its environment, ensuring that the integrity of the system is maintained over time. It includes version control, change management, and tracking changes made to the software.
Answer: A test case is a detailed specification that outlines how to verify a particular functionality, while a test scenario is a high-level overview of what will be tested, often encompassing multiple test cases to ensure comprehensive testing coverage.