Manual testing interview questions for 2 years experience

Essential Concepts in Manual Testing with Explanations and Examples

1. Can you explain the different types of manual testing?

• Functional Testing: Verifies that each function of the software operates in conformance with the requirement specification.
• Usability Testing: Assesses how user-friendly and intuitive the application is for end-users.
• Exploratory Testing: Carried out without test cases, testers explore the software to identify unexpected issues.
• Regression Testing: Ensures new code changes haven’t introduced bugs in existing functionality.
• Acceptance Testing: Confirms if the software meets the requirements and is ready for release.

2. What is a test plan, and what does it typically include?

• A test plan is a document that outlines the strategy for testing an application, detailing scope, approach, resources, and schedule. It typically includes:
  • Objectives: Goals of the testing effort.
  • Scope: Features to be tested and excluded.
  • Resources: Team members and tools required.
  • Schedule: Timeline for each testing phase.
  • Risk Assessment: Identification and mitigation strategies for potential risks.

3. Explain the software development life cycle (SDLC) and the software testing life cycle (STLC).

• SDLC describes the stages in software development: requirements gathering, design, coding, testing, deployment, and maintenance.
• STLC focuses on the testing phases: requirements analysis, test planning, test case development, environment setup, test execution, and test cycle closure.

4. What is the difference between a bug, a failure, and an error?

• Error: A human mistake made during software development.
• Bug (Defect): A flaw in the code that causes incorrect or unexpected results.
• Failure: Occurs when the software behaves unexpectedly during execution due to a bug.

5. Can you describe the bug life cycle?

• The bug life cycle includes:
  1. New: Bug is reported.
  2. Assigned: Bug is assigned to a developer.
  3. Open: Developer analyzes and works on the fix.
  4. Fixed: Bug is resolved by the developer.
  5. Retest: Tester re-evaluates the fix.
  6. Closed: Bug is verified and closed if fixed.
  7. Reopen: Bug fails verification and is reopened if unresolved.

6. What is severity vs. priority in the context of a defect?

• Severity: Indicates the impact of a defect on the system.
• Priority: Specifies how soon the defect should be fixed. High-severity issues often take priority.

7. What is regression testing, and why is it important?

• Regression testing verifies that recent code changes haven’t negatively affected existing functionalities. It’s crucial to maintain software stability after updates.

8. What is the difference between verification and validation?

• Verification: Confirms that the software conforms to specifications (are we building it right?).
• Validation: Ensures the software meets user requirements (are we building the right thing?).

9. Explain exploratory testing and when it should be used.

• Exploratory testing is ad-hoc testing focused on discovery and learning. It’s useful when requirements are unclear or for identifying unexpected behaviors.

10. What are black-box testing techniques?

• Black-box testing techniques include:
  • Equivalence Partitioning: Dividing inputs into equivalent classes.
  • Boundary Value Analysis: Testing values at boundaries.
  • Decision Table Testing: Using tables for complex logic.

11. What are the different types of testing techniques?

• Static Testing: Involves review processes, like code reviews or inspections.
• Dynamic Testing: Includes running the application to identify issues (e.g., functional and non-functional testing).

12. What is the difference between smoke testing and sanity testing?

• Smoke Testing: Initial testing to check if the critical functionalities work.
• Sanity Testing: Focused testing on specific functionalities after minor changes.

13. What is test coverage, and how do you ensure adequate coverage?

• Test coverage measures the extent to which the software is tested. To ensure adequate coverage, map test cases to requirements and focus on high-risk areas.

14. How do you report defects, and what details should be included in a bug report?

• Bug Report Details:
  • Summary: Brief description of the defect.
  • Steps to Reproduce: Exact steps to recreate the issue.
  • Expected vs. Actual Results: What was expected and what occurred.
  • Severity/Priority: Impact and urgency of the defect.
  • Screenshots/Logs: Supporting evidence.

15. How do you prioritize test cases?

• Prioritize based on risk, business impact, and frequency of use. Core functionalities and high-risk areas should take precedence.

16. What testing checks if new changes haven’t broken existing features?

• Regression testing is used to ensure new changes don’t impact existing functionalities.

17. What type of testing verifies software meets business needs?

• Acceptance Testing verifies that software aligns with business requirements.

18. What would you use to confirm a bug is fixed before closing it?

• Retesting ensures the bug is resolved. Regression testing may follow to confirm overall stability.

19. What type of testing aims to discover unknown errors without a clear plan?

• Exploratory Testing is intended to discover unknown issues through unscripted, freestyle testing.

20. What testing do you perform when the client doesn’t provide requirements?

• Exploratory Testing and Ad-hoc Testing can be used to uncover unexpected issues in the absence of clear requirements.

21. What testing checks the software after a major code change?

• Regression testing is performed to verify that existing functionalities remain intact after major changes.

22. What type of testing ensures that critical functionalities work before release?

• Smoke Testing checks if critical functionalities work in the initial stages.

23. Difference between test case and test scenario?

• Test Case: Detailed steps, inputs, and expected outcomes for specific test conditions.
• Test Scenario: High-level concept or situation to be tested without specific steps.

24. What is the initial testing phase where major functionalities are verified?

• Smoke Testing is the first phase to check the primary functionalities.

25. What is quality control, and how does it differ from quality assurance?

• Quality Control (QC): Ensures products meet the quality standards through testing.
• Quality Assurance (QA): Focuses on improving processes to prevent defects.

26. What is Test Closure?

• Test Closure involves completing the testing phase, documenting findings, and evaluating the test cycle’s effectiveness.

27. What are the Principles of testing?

• Principles include defect clustering, pesticide paradox, absence of error fallacy, and testing shows presence of defects but not their absence.

28. What is the pesticide paradox? How to overcome it?

• Pesticide paradox suggests that repeated use of the same tests can make them ineffective. To overcome it, regularly review and update test cases.

29. What is a top-down and bottom-up approach in testing?

• Top-Down Testing: Begins with high-level modules and integrates downward.
• Bottom-Up Testing: Starts with low-level modules and integrates upwards.