Freigabetests

Freigabetests, or release tests, are a set of activities intended to verify that a product is ready for release to customers or production. They occur after development and functional QA and before deployment, focusing on whether the product satisfies its agreed requirements, quality attributes, and regulatory or contractual obligations. The exact scope varies by domain but commonly covers software, hardware, and regulated goods. In software, release testing typically includes end-to-end functional checks, regression testing, performance and load testing, security testing, compatibility with supported platforms, localization and data integrity, and assessment of release artefacts such as installation and rollback procedures. In hardware or regulated domains, additional checks may address safety, reliability, environmental stress, traceability, and documentation.

The process usually begins with prerequisites such as a requirements baseline, risk assessment, and a defined acceptance criteria set. A test plan is created, including test scenarios, data, and environment requirements. Test execution follows, accompanied by defect management and traceability to requirements. The release decision is based on meeting predefined acceptance criteria and sign-off by stakeholders, including QA, product owners, and regulatory or compliance leads. Documented evidence, such as test reports and risk mitigations, is typically required for audit trails.

Freigabetests aim to minimize post-release defects, ensure user satisfaction, and comply with quality and regulatory standards. They may be formal gates in a release process or integrated into agile release management. The term is used across software, hardware and pharmaceutical or medical-device contexts, with domain-specific criteria influencing its exact implementation.