softwaretest

Software testing is the practice of evaluating a software product to detect defects and verify that it meets its requirements and quality attributes. The goal is to build confidence in the software, reduce risk, and improve reliability, security, usability, and performance. Testing can uncover mismatches between expected and actual behavior and provide information for decision making about release readiness.

Testing is performed at different levels and for different purposes. Functional testing checks that the software behaves according to its specifications, while non-functional testing assesses attributes such as performance, security, usability, and compatibility. Common levels include unit testing (testing individual components), integration testing (checking combined parts), system testing (the complete product), and acceptance testing (validation by stakeholders).

Tests may be executed manually or via automated tools. Manual testing relies on human exploration, while automated testing uses scripts and frameworks to run repetitive checks. The testing process typically includes planning, design of test cases, creation of test data, test execution, defect tracking, and reporting. Test design techniques such as equivalence partitioning and boundary value analysis help structure effective tests.

Test artifacts include test plans, test cases, test scripts, traceability matrices, and defect reports. Quality assurance and testing activities are part of broader software quality management; QA focuses on processes to prevent defects, while testing focuses on identifying defects in the product. Testers, developers, and operations teams collaborate in modern development practices, including continuous integration and continuous delivery.

Standards and guidelines for software testing exist, such as IEEE 829/1012 and ISO/IEC/IEEE 29119, and metrics like defect density and test coverage are used to gauge progress and quality. Effective software testing balances thoroughness with efficiency and is tailored to project risk, domain, and constraints.