What Is Software Testing?

Software Testing is the systematic process of evaluating a software application to identify defects, verify compliance with requirements, and validate that the product meets business and user expectations. It ensures quality, reliability, performance, and security before software is released to end users.

This hub page serves as a single, authoritative entry point covering manual testing fundamentals, processes, techniques, documentation, Agile practices, and real-world QA activities.

1. Foundations of Software Testing

These topics establish the core concepts and quality mindset every tester must understand.

• Software Testing
• Purpose of Software Testing
• Quality Assurance (QA)
• Quality Control (QC)
• Verification
• Validation
• Software Quality
• Quality Attributes
• Cost of Defects
• Principles of Software Testing

Outcome: You understand why testing exists and how quality is built into software.

2. Software Development & Testing Life Cycles

These models explain when and how testing fits into development.

• Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
• Waterfall Model
• V-Model
• Agile Model
• Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC)
• Entry Criteria
• Exit Criteria

Outcome: Clear understanding of test phases, responsibilities, and deliverables across models.

3. Levels of Testing

Testing is performed at multiple levels to detect defects early and ensure system stability.

• Unit Testing (Conceptual Understanding)
• Integration Testing
• System Testing
• Acceptance Testing (UAT)
• Alpha Testing
• Beta Testing
• End-to-End Testing

Outcome: Ability to identify what to test at each level and why it matters.

4. Manual Functional Testing Types

These testing types validate application behavior and business flows.

• Manual Functional Testing
• Smoke Testing
• Sanity Testing
• Regression Testing
• Re-Testing
• User Interface (UI) Testing
• Exploratory Testing
• Ad-hoc Testing
• Business Rule Testing
• Positive Testing
• Negative Testing

Outcome: Strong functional coverage and practical execution skills.

5. Non-Functional Testing (Conceptual & Practical)

Non-functional testing ensures the system performs well under real-world conditions.

• Non-Functional Testing
• Usability Testing
• Compatibility Testing
• Accessibility Testing
• Security Testing (Conceptual)
• Performance Testing (Conceptual)
• Reliability Testing
• Scalability Testing

Outcome: Understanding system behavior beyond functionality.

6. Test Case Design Techniques

These techniques help create effective, optimized test cases.

• Test Case Design Techniques
• Equivalence Partitioning
• Boundary Value Analysis (BVA)
• Decision Table Testing
• State Transition Testing
• Use Case Testing
• Error Guessing
• Pairwise / Combinatorial Testing

Outcome: Reduced test redundancy with maximum defect detection.

7. Test Documentation & Artifacts

Professional QA relies on structured documentation.

• Test Plan
• Test Strategy
• Test Scenario
• Test Case
• Test Data
• Test Execution Report
• Defect / Bug Report
• Requirement Traceability Matrix (RTM)
• Test Summary Report

Outcome: Industry-ready documentation skills.

8. Defect Management

Defect handling is central to quality assurance.

• Defect
• Bug
• Defect Life Cycle
• Defect States
• Severity
• Priority
• Bug Triage
• Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
• Defect Metrics

Outcome: Clear communication and effective defect tracking.

9. Agile Testing & Scrum Practices

Modern projects follow Agile methodologies.

• Agile Testing
• Agile Manifesto
• Scrum Framework
• Sprint Planning
• Daily Stand-up
• Sprint Review
• Sprint Retrospective
• User Stories
• Acceptance Criteria
• Definition of Ready (DoR)
• Definition of Done (DoD)
• Test Pyramid (Conceptual)
• Shift-Left Testing (Conceptual)

Outcome: Confidence working in Agile and Scrum teams.

10. Requirements & Impact Analysis

Understanding requirements is key to meaningful testing.

• Requirement Analysis
• Functional Requirement
• Non-Functional Requirement
• Ambiguous Requirements
• Change Requests
• Impact Analysis
• Domain Testing

Outcome: Reduced requirement gaps and missed scenarios.

11. Test Execution & Control

These topics focus on execution, reporting, and closure.

• Test Execution
• Test Case Review
• Test Result Analysis
• Daily Status Report
• Test Closure Activities
• Risk-Based Testing
• Test Estimation Techniques
• Test Scheduling
• Test Coverage
• Test Metrics & KPIs
• Exploratory Session-Based Testing

Outcome: End-to-end test management skills.

12. Production & Release Activities

Testing does not end at pre-production.

• Production Testing (Manual)
• User Acceptance Support
• Release Sign-Off
• Test Environment Understanding
• Configuration Testing

Outcome: Real-world release readiness.

13. Interview Preparation & Real-Time Scenarios

Designed for job readiness and confidence.

• Manual Testing Interview Questions
• Scenario-Based Manual Testing Questions
• Real-Time Defect Scenarios
• Project Explanation for Manual Tester
• Manual Testing Best Practices
• Interview Preparation Hub

Outcome: Interview-ready manual testing professional.

Who Should Use This Hub?

• Manual Testers (Beginner → Advanced)
• QA Engineers
• Automation Testers strengthening fundamentals
• SDETs preparing for interviews
• Anyone transitioning into software testing

How to Use This Page Effectively

• Start with Foundations → STLC → Testing Types
• Move into Test Design & Documentation
• Master Defect Management & Agile
• Finish with Interview Preparation