what is manual testing

Manual testing is a software testing technique in which a human tester performs a set of pre-defined test cases to check the functionality and usability of a software application. The goal of manual testing is to identify and report any defects or issues in the software before it is released to the end-users. In manual testing, testers follow a set of predefined test cases and execute them manually to verify the software's behavior and output.

The process of manual testing involves the following steps:

Test Planning: This is the initial stage of manual testing, where the test team identifies the testing scope, testing objectives, and testing requirements for the software application.

Test Case Design: Test cases are created to cover all the functional requirements of the software. Testers design test cases to verify the functionality of the software as per the requirements specification document.

Test Case Execution: Testers execute the test cases manually one by one and verify the actual results with expected results to find defects or issues in the software application.

Defect Reporting: Once a defect is identified during test case execution, testers report it in a defect tracking tool. The reported defects are then assigned to developers for fixing.

Retesting: After the developer fixes the defect, the tester performs retesting to ensure that the defect has been fixed correctly.

Manual testing is often used in situations where the software requirements are unclear or not well defined. It can also be used when it is not feasible or cost-effective to automate the testing process. Manual testing is a time-consuming process and requires a skilled and experienced testing team to perform it effectively.

Manual testing has several advantages, including:

Flexibility: Manual testing is flexible and can adapt to changes in the requirements and scope of the software.

Cost-effective: Manual testing is often less expensive than automated testing, particularly when the software is complex, and the test cases need to be updated frequently.

Early detection of defects: Manual testing can identify defects or issues in the software before it is released to the end-users, reducing the risk of software failures.

Human judgment: Manual testing provides an opportunity for testers to use their skills, experience, and judgment to identify potential issues and defects in the software application.

However, manual testing also has some limitations, including:

Time-consuming: Manual testing is a time-consuming process and can be prone to human error.

Limited scalability: Manual testing is difficult to scale up when the software application is large or complex, and the number of test cases is significant.

Repetitive testing: Manual testing requires testers to perform repetitive testing on the same test cases, which can be tedious and time-consuming.

In summary, manual testing is a software testing technique in which human testers execute a set of pre-defined test cases to check the functionality and usability of a software application. It is a flexible and cost-effective testing technique, but it is time-consuming and can be prone to human error.

what is manual testing