Manual Testing Interview Questions and Answers

1. What is software testing? Why is it important?

Software testing is the process of evaluating and verifying that a software application functions as
expected. It ensures the quality, reliability, and performance of the software. It is important to
identify defects early, improve user satisfaction, and ensure the software meets business and user
requirements.

2. What is the difference between verification and validation?

Verification checks whether the product is designed as per the specifications, while validation
checks whether the product meets the business needs and requirements.

3. What are the different types of software testing?

The different types of software testing are:
1. Unit Testing: Tests individual components or modules of the software.
2. Integration Testing: Ensures that multiple modules work together correctly.
3. System Testing: Verifies the complete and integrated software system.
4. Acceptance Testing: Determines whether the software meets the business requirements and is
ready for deployment.
5. Functional Testing: Focuses on verifying the software's features and functionality.
6. Non-Functional Testing: Tests non-functional aspects like performance, scalability, and
usability.
7. Regression Testing: Ensures that new changes do not adversely affect existing functionality.
8. Exploratory Testing: Performed without predefined test cases to explore the application.
9. Smoke Testing: Verifies the basic functionality of a build.
10. Sanity Testing: Ensures specific functionality works after minor changes.
11. Performance Testing: Evaluates the system's responsiveness, stability, and speed under
different conditions.
12. Load Testing: Checks how the software performs under expected user loads.
13. Stress Testing: Determines the software's robustness by testing beyond normal operational
capacity.
14. Volume Testing: Tests the system's performance with large data volumes.
15. Security Testing: Ensures the software is free from vulnerabilities and protects data.
16. Compatibility Testing: Verifies the software's compatibility with different environments, such
as browsers and devices.
17. Alpha Testing: Conducted internally by the development team before release.
18. Beta Testing: Performed by end-users in a real-world environment before the final release.

4. What is the Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC)?

STLC is a sequence of activities performed during the software testing process. Its phases include:
1. Requirement Analysis: Understanding the testing requirements.
2. Test Planning: Defining the scope, strategy, and resources required for testing.
3. Test Case Development: Creating detailed test cases based on requirements.
 4. Test Environment Setup: Preparing the environment where testing will be executed.
5. Test Execution: Running test cases and recording results.
6. Test Closure: Analyzing and documenting test results and reporting.

5. What is the difference between functional and non-functional testing?

Functional testing focuses on verifying the software's features and functionality, while non-
functional testing evaluates aspects like performance, usability, and reliability.

6. What is regression testing? When do you perform it?

Regression testing ensures that new code changes do not adversely affect the existing
functionality. It is performed after code modifications, bug fixes, or enhancements.

7. What is exploratory testing?

Exploratory testing is an informal testing approach where testers explore the application without
predefined test cases to identify defects.

8. What is the difference between test plan, test strategy, and test case?
A test plan is a document detailing the testing scope and objectives. A test strategy outlines the
testing approach and methodologies. A test case is a set of actions to verify a specific functionality.

9. What are the key components of a test case?

Key components include test case ID, test description, preconditions, test steps, expected result,
actual result, and status.

10.What is boundary value analysis and equivalence partitioning?

Boundary value analysis tests edge values, while equivalence partitioning divides input data into
partitions and tests one value from each partition.

11.What is the difference between severity and priority in defect management?

Severity defines the impact of a defect on the system, while priority determines the urgency of
fixing the defect.

12.What is the defect life cycle or bug life cycle?

The defect life cycle includes steps like new, assigned, open, fixed, retested, verified, and closed.

13.What is black box testing and white box testing?

Black box testing focuses on the software's functionality without knowledge of internal code,
while white box testing involves testing internal structures or code logic.

14.What are test scenarios, and how do you write them?

Test scenarios are high-level descriptions of what to test. They are derived from requirements and
use cases and written to ensure comprehensive coverage.

15.What is ad-hoc testing? How is it different from exploratory testing?

Ad-hoc testing is informal testing without a plan, while exploratory testing involves learning the
application and testing simultaneously.
16.What is the difference between sanity testing and smoke testing?
Smoke testing checks basic functionality after a build, while sanity testing verifies specific
functionalities after minor changes.

17.What is user acceptance testing (UAT)?

UAT ensures the software meets user requirements and is ready for deployment. It is performed
by end-users in a real-world environment.

18.What is root cause analysis (RCA) in testing?

RCA identifies the underlying cause of defects to prevent recurrence.

19.What is test coverage, and how do you measure it?

Test coverage measures the extent of testing performed. It is calculated using metrics like
requirements covered, code coverage, and test case execution.

20.What is compatibility testing, and why is it important?

Compatibility testing ensures the software works across different environments like browsers,
devices, and operating systems. It is crucial for user satisfaction.

21.What are positive and negative test cases?

Positive test cases verify the system behaves as expected, while negative test cases check its
behavior with invalid inputs or conditions.

22.What is risk-based testing, and how do you prioritize test cases?

Risk-based testing focuses on high-risk areas. Test cases are prioritized based on factors like
business impact and likelihood of failure.

23.What is end-to-end testing, and when is it performed?

End-to-end testing validates the complete workflow of a system, ensuring all integrated
components work together. It is performed after system testing.

24.What is test data, and why is it important in manual testing?

Test data is input used to execute test cases. It is important to simulate real-world scenarios and
validate functionality.

25.What is the difference between alpha testing and beta testing?

Alpha testing is done by internal teams, while beta testing is performed by end-users in a real-
world environment.

26.What are the advantages and disadvantages of manual testing?

Advantages include flexibility and better usability testing. Disadvantages include being time-
consuming and error-prone.

27.How do you report a defect in a bug-tracking tool?

To report a defect, provide details like summary, description, steps to reproduce, severity,
priority, environment, and attachments.
28.What is the difference between retesting and regression testing?
Retesting verifies fixed defects, while regression testing ensures new changes don’t impact
existing functionality.

29.What are the key challenges in manual testing?

Challenges include time constraints, human errors, and maintaining test coverage.

30.What is shift-left testing, and why is it important?

Shift-left testing emphasizes early testing in the software development lifecycle to identify defects
sooner.

31.What is monkey testing, and when is it performed?

Monkey testing involves random inputs to test system behavior. It is used to identify crashes or
unexpected behavior.

32.What is acceptance criteria in software testing?

Acceptance criteria are conditions that must be met for a feature to be accepted by stakeholders.

33.What is the difference between white-box and black-box testing techniques?

White-box testing requires knowledge of internal code, while black-box testing focuses on
functionality without accessing the code.

34.How do you ensure that all requirements are covered in testing?

Ensure coverage by mapping test cases to requirements using a traceability matrix.

35.What are test metrics, and why are they important?

Test metrics measure testing progress and quality, helping stakeholders make informed decisions.

36.What is volume testing, and how is it different from load testing?

Volume testing checks the system’s behavior with large data volumes, while load testing evaluates
performance under expected user loads.

37.What is pairwise testing, and how does it help in test case design?
Pairwise testing reduces test cases by testing all possible pairs of input values. It ensures efficient
coverage with minimal effort.

38.What are the common challenges faced during test execution?

Challenges include environment instability, unclear requirements, and lack of test data.

39.What is a defect leakage, and how can it be minimized?

Defect leakage occurs when a defect is found after release. It can be minimized by thorough testing
and peer reviews.

40.What do you do if you find a critical defect at the last moment before release?
Communicate with stakeholders immediately, analyze the defect's impact, and propose possible
solutions like delaying the release or providing a hotfix.