Manual Testing | Automation Testing Notes

📄️ Introduction to Software Testing

Software testing is the process of evaluating a software application to ensure it works as expected and meets business requirements.

Requirement Analysis is the most critical phase for a tester.

SDLC defines how software is planned, built, tested, deployed, and maintained.

STLC explains how testing activities are planned, executed, and closed.

Software testing can be classified in multiple ways.

Levels of testing describe where and when testing is performed in the software development process.

Functional testing types focus on what to test and when to test during the project lifecycle.

Non-functional testing focuses on how well the system works, not just what it does.

Test scenarios describe what to test at a high level.

Test case design techniques help testers create effective, efficient, and high-quality test cases.

Test data and test environment are critical enablers of testing.

Test execution is where planning turns into action.

The defect life cycle explains how a defect is identified, tracked, fixed, verified, and closed.

Severity and Priority are often confused, yet they represent two different dimensions of a defect.

Test Strategy and Test Plan are often confused, but they serve very different purposes.

Risk-Based Testing (RBT) is a prioritization approach where testing effort is focused on the most critical areas first.

Agile testing is not a phase — it is a continuous activity performed throughout development.

UAT and Production Testing are the final quality gates before and after a release.

This section connects all manual testing concepts into a real project workflow.

Manual testing and automation testing are complementary, not competing approaches.

This section consolidates frequently asked manual testing interview questions with clear, practical answers.