Software Testing Glossary

Essential terminology for software testing and quality assurance. From test cases to requirements traceability, learn the language of testing.

A B D E I L P Q R S T U

A

Acceptance Criteria

The specific conditions a feature or user story must meet to be accepted by stakeholders.

API Testing

Testing application programming interfaces directly to verify functionality, reliability, performance, and security.

B

Behavior-Driven Development (BDD)

A development approach that describes software behavior in plain language using Given-When-Then format.

Boundary Value Analysis

A testing technique that focuses on testing values at the edges of input ranges.

D

Defect (Bug)

A flaw in the software that causes it to behave incorrectly or unexpectedly.

E

End-to-End Testing

Testing complete user workflows across the entire application stack from start to finish.

Expected Result

The anticipated outcome of a test case step or the test case as a whole.

Exploratory Testing

An unscripted testing approach where testers actively explore the software using their expertise and intuition.

I

Integration Testing

Testing that verifies combined software modules work together correctly.

L

Load Testing

Testing system behavior and performance under expected and peak user loads.

P

Performance Testing

Testing that evaluates the speed, scalability, stability, and responsiveness of a system under workload.

Precondition

The required state or setup that must exist before a test case can be executed.

Q

Quality Assurance (QA)

A systematic process of ensuring that products and services meet defined quality standards.

R

Regression Testing

Testing that verifies existing functionality still works after code changes.

Requirements Traceability

The ability to link and track requirements through design, development, and testing.

S

Smoke Testing

Quick testing of critical functionality to verify the build is stable enough for further testing.

System Testing

End-to-end testing of the complete, integrated software system against specified requirements.

T

Test Automation

Using software tools to execute tests automatically without manual intervention.

Test Case

A documented set of conditions and steps used to verify that a software feature works as expected.

Test Coverage

A measure of how much of the software or requirements are tested by test cases.

Test Cycle

A single iteration of testing a specific set of test cases, typically associated with a release or sprint.

Test Data

The input values, datasets, and environmental data used during test execution.

Test Environment

The hardware, software, network, and configuration setup where tests are executed.

Test Execution

The process of running test cases and recording the actual results.

Test Plan

A document outlining the testing approach, scope, resources, and schedule for a project or release.

Test Report

A document summarizing test execution activities, results, and quality assessment for stakeholders.

Test Scenario

A high-level description of a possible user situation or functionality to be tested.

Test Strategy

A high-level document defining the organization's overall testing approach, standards, and guidelines.

Test Suite

A collection of test cases grouped together for a specific testing purpose.

U

Unit Testing

Testing individual functions, methods, or components in isolation from the rest of the system.

User Acceptance Testing (UAT)

Testing performed by end users or stakeholders to verify the software meets business requirements.

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