Testtargets

Testtargets, often written as test targets or test targets, is a term used in software testing to describe the objectives or endpoints that testing activities aim to verify. A test target specifies what will be tested, under what conditions, and what constitutes a successful outcome. They are used to define the scope of testing, guide test design, and provide a basis for measuring quality and progress. Testtargets are typically derived from requirements, user stories, or acceptance criteria, and are linked to traceability matrices to ensure coverage.

Common examples include functional correctness of a feature, performance thresholds (response time, throughput), reliability benchmarks (uptime, MTBF), security constraints (input validation, access control), compatibility across platforms or environments, and usability goals (task completion time, error rates). Test targets are categorized by testing level: unit targets test individual components, integration targets validate interfaces, system targets assess the fully integrated product, and acceptance targets verify user requirements.

In practice, testtargets are documented in a test plan or requirements test matrix, assigned to teams or individuals, and mapped to concrete test cases or automated scripts. They include clear pass/fail criteria and exit criteria for a testing phase. As requirements evolve, targets should be updated to reflect current expectations and risk priorities.

Automation: in test automation, a test target may correspond to a test suite or script identified by name or tag. Tools use targets to orchestrate what to run on which platform or build.

See also: test plan, test case, test suite, acceptance criteria, traceability matrix.