Cost, time, and quality are the three key components that every software project must consider. Regular software testing helps achieve this. Any IT project must include software testing as a crucial component. Testing can be divided into two categories: manual testing and Automation Testing. We will learn about manual testing through this “What is Manual Testing?” article.
Let’s look at the subjects this article covers:
- Describe manual testing.
- Benefits of Manual Testing
- Manual Testing vs. Automation Testing
- When should manual testing be used?
- How Should Manual Testing Be Done?
- different types of manual testing?
Describe Manual Testing.
The practice of manually testing an application to find flaws and bugs is known as manual testing. Without the aid of any tools or scripts, test cases are carried out manually by humans.
This implies that a person actually uses a device to play the part of an end user and assess various aspects, such as a software’s design, functionality, and performance. They navigate a web application’s various components or units without assistance from a tool or script. When automated testing is not an option, it is useful.
Benefits of Manual Testing
The following are some benefits of manually testing software:
- Applications can be manually tested to help find any problems with the way they look and feel.
- Enables the tester to more easily access visual elements like text, layout, and UI & UX issues.
- Requires little investment because no expensive test automation tools or highly skilled operators are needed.
- Adaptable and suitable in the event that the application undergoes unforeseen changes and needs to be tested after the changes have been made.
- Enables human observation, judgement, and intuition, which may be more helpful if the goal is improved customer experience or user friendliness.
One of the key choices you’ll need to make when you start testing is whether to use automated testing or manual testing. So, you should be aware of the differences between manual and automated testing. Let’s take a look.
If you want more information, you can even look at the Manual Testing Certification details.
When should Manual Testing be used?
The following situations call for manual testing:
Exploratory Testing
Manual testing is preferred when the test is characterized by inadequately written specification documentation and/or a short execution time. Exploratory testing calls for the knowledge, imagination, analytical prowess, and experience of the tester. In order to execute the testing process in this scenario, we essentially need human skills, which is doable by manually running tests.
Testing for Usability
In usability testing, the effectiveness, convenience, or user-friendliness of the software or product for the target audience must be assessed. Again, this calls for human intuition and experience; it is incompatible with the use of tools and must be strictly supervised manually. A manual approach is therefore preferred.
Ad-Hoc Testing
There is no set methodology for ad-hoc testing because it is an informal type of testing. The only important factor is the tester’s understanding and insight because there is no planning or documentation involved. Manual testing would be a good choice in such a situation.
The next section of this “What is Manual Testing” article will examine how to conduct manual testing now that we are aware of when to use it.
How Should Manual Testing Be Done?
Here, using a set of pre-defined test cases, a tester manually runs tests on the software. Let’s take a close look at how this is done.
- Understanding the software’s requirements is the first step in determining what needs to be tested and what constitutes a defect.
- Writing test cases is the following step. They lead you through a series of actions to test the software application’s features and various scenarios.
- Execute the test cases once the test environment is ready and the test cases are strong enough. Indicate whether a test case was successful, unsuccessful, or skipped.
- You are in charge of logging bugs as a tester. When you find bugs, you must report them to the development team and file a bug report.
- Finally, you must write a thorough report on the test results. Details about which tests need to be repeated, how many tests failed, and how many tests were skipped should be included.
Even though performing each of these steps by hand takes a lot of work, manual testing is essential to guaranteeing high quality and a positive user experience. Let’s talk about different types of manual testing for the remainder of this “What is Manual Testing?” article.
What are the different types of Manual Testing?
The different kinds of manual testing are listed below. But once more, these kinds of testing can be performed manually or with the aid of a test automation tool.
Testing in a black box
In black-box testing, as the name implies, the tester is unfamiliar with the application’s code or structure. He merely engages with the application and examines both its functional and non-functional behavior. The tester can look for bugs and defects using a variety of black-box techniques.
Testing in a white box
In white-box testing, the tester is familiar with the application’s code and organisational structure. Hence this type of testing is often known as glass box testing. Developers typically use this kind of testing to carry out unit testing. The tester can find bugs and defects using a variety of white-box techniques.
Unit Testing
The smallest unit of logically isolated code in a system is tested using unit testing. It is primarily concerned with the standalone modules’ correct functionality. A unit can be almost anything you want it to be, including a particular feature of the application, a programme, or a specific method.
Integrity Checks
When various software modules, components, and units are integrated with one another, it is carried out after unit testing. Verifying the modules’ efficiency, dependability, and stability is the main goal here. Integrity testing is focused on ensuring that all of the modules are communicating correctly.
Testing the system
Following integration testing is system testing. It is carried out on a complete, fully integrated software product to evaluate the behavior of the system and examine the full working of an integrated software computer system against requirements. There are numerous methods for testing systems, including regression, stress, scalability, and functionality testing.
Testing for Acceptance
The formal testing that is carried out based on user requirements and function processing is known as user acceptance testing. Real-world scenarios for end users are covered by this kind of testing. Correct execution is essential because the outcome will determine whether senior management will approve or reject your software product.
I’m done now! The blog has come to a close. There are drawbacks to Manual Testing as well. Since the testing is reliant on people, it takes longer and is more prone to mistakes. To achieve the best results, the right proportion of manual and automated testing is required. In order to produce high-quality results within your allocated spending and time frame, you must determine the best strategy for the testing situation at hand.
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