Manual Testing – Rephrased and Simplified Notes (2025 Edition)

📘 What is Software Testing?

Software Testing is the process of checking whether the actual software product meets the expected requirements. It ensures that the software is defect-free.

✅ Why Testing is Important?

Ensures software quality
Increases customer satisfaction
Saves business from failures
Reduces long-term development cost
Helps find bugs early

🧪 Types of Testing

Manual Testing

Manual execution of test cases without using any automation tools.

Automation Testing

Testing using tools like Selenium, QTP, etc., to reduce manual effort.

🔄 Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

The steps involved in creating software:

Requirement Gathering
Feasibility Study
Design (HLD and LLD)
Development
Testing
Deployment
Maintenance

🧠 SDLC Models

Waterfall Model

Sequential model
Good when requirements are stable

V-Model (Verification and Validation)

Testing is planned in parallel with development
Better defect prevention

Spiral Model

Combination of waterfall and iterative
Suitable for large, complex projects

Prototype Model

Create a sample version first
Great for projects with unclear requirements

Agile Model

Iterative and fast-paced
Focuses on collaboration and customer feedback

🧾 Test Case Components

Test Case ID
Title
Module
Precondition
Steps
Expected Result
Actual Result
Status
Author/Reviewer

🔁 Regression vs Retesting

Aspect	Retesting	Regression Testing
Purpose	Verifying fixed bugs	Ensuring no side effects after changes
Scope	Specific tests	Broader area of impact
Execution	Always done	Done based on project needs

🐞 Defect Life Cycle

New
Assigned
Open
Fixed
Retesting
Closed
Reopened
Rejected / Deferred / Duplicate / Not a Bug

🧰 Test Levels

Unit Testing – Individual components (by developers)
Integration Testing – Between modules
System Testing – End-to-end testing
Acceptance Testing – Done by client/user

📊 Severity vs Priority

Severity	Priority
High – Crashes app	High – Must fix immediately
Medium – Some features broken	Medium – Fix soon
Low – UI issues	Low – Can fix later

🛠️ Tools Used in Industry

Automation Tools:

Selenium
QTP/UFT
TestComplete

Test Management:

JIRA
TestLink
ALM/QC

Bug Tracking:

Bugzilla
Mantis
JIRA

Performance:

JMeter
LoadRunner
NeoLoad

📈 RTM – Requirement Traceability Matrix

A table that connects:

Requirements → Test Scenarios → Test Cases → Defects

Ensures every requirement is tested.

📂 Test Plan

📄 Static vs Dynamic Testing

Type	Description
Static	No code execution (reviews, walkthroughs)
Dynamic	Code is executed during testing

📌 Boundary Value Analysis (BVA)

Test inputs at the edges of valid ranges.
Example: For input 1–100, test 0, 1, 100, 101

🧪 Equivalence Partitioning (EP)

Divide inputs into valid and invalid partitions and test one value from each.

🧠 Error Guessing

Based on tester's experience. Example: entering special characters in names.

💡 Decision Table Testing

Useful for logic-based rules. Combines inputs and expected outputs.

🔄 State Transition Testing

Tests how the system behaves with different inputs/states.

👤 Use Case Testing

Tests based on end-user scenarios.

🌐 Compatibility Testing

Check if app works on different:

Browsers
Devices
Operating Systems

🎯 Usability Testing

Check if app is easy and pleasant to use.

🦽 Accessibility Testing

Check if differently-abled users can use the app (e.g., via screen readers).

🌍 Globalization (I18N) and Localization (L10N)

I18N: Support multiple languages and regions
L10N: Adapt app for a specific region (currency, date format)

🧪 Smoke vs Sanity Testing

Type	Description
Smoke	Basic check of main functionality
Sanity	Quick check after minor fix/update

🚀 Build vs Release

Build: Version given to testing team
Release: Version delivered to client/users

✅ Acceptance Testing

Types:

Alpha Testing: Done internally before client sees it
Beta Testing: Done by client or real users

🔧 Hotfix / Incident Management

Issues found in production are logged as incidents and resolved quickly.

🐟 Fishbone Diagram

Used to find the root cause of problems (also called Ishikawa Diagram).

🔁 Types of Regression Testing

Unit Regression – One module
Partial Regression – Related modules
Full Regression – Entire system

🧪 Entry and Exit Criteria

Entry: Conditions to begin testing
Exit: Conditions to stop testing (like 95% test cases passed)

🧬 Defect Seeding

Knowingly adding bugs to check the effectiveness of testing.

🕳️ Defect Masking

One bug hides another.

🚨 Defect Leakage

Bug missed during testing, but found in production.

📏 Defect Density

Formula:
Defect Density = Number of Valid Defects / Project Size (LOC or effort)

📞 Defect Triage

Meeting to decide the priority, severity, and assignment of open bugs.

📉 CMMI Levels

Capability Maturity Model Integration:

Initial
Managed
Defined
Quantitatively Managed
Optimizing

📊 Test Metrics

Test Case Execution %
Defect Leakage Rate
Test Coverage
Test Productivity

🧪 Test Scenario vs Test Case

Test Scenario	Test Case
High-level idea to test	Detailed steps for testing
Faster to write	Takes time to prepare

🧾 Example Test Case

Test Case ID: TC_001
Title: Login with valid credentials
Precondition: User must be registered
Steps:

Open login page
Enter valid email/password
Click login
Expected Result: Redirect to homepage
Actual Result: As expected
Status: Pass

🛠️ Exploratory Testing

Unstructured testing done by exploring the application.

🚧 Ad-hoc Testing

Informal testing without any planning or documentation.

🔁 Recovery Testing

Checks app behavior after failures like power outages.

📦 Reliability Testing

Ensures app performs consistently over time.

End of Rephrased Manual Testing Notes

kiranreddyrebel/Manual testing.md