🧪 Manual Testing – Overview

Manual Testing is a software testing process where test cases are executed manually without using automation tools.
The tester plays the role of an end-user and verifies the application to ensure it works as expected.

Manual testing helps identify:

Functional issues
UI problems
User experience bugs
Logical errors
Performance glitches (basic)

🎯 Why Manual Testing is Important?

Because:

It helps catch bugs early
It ensures the application meets user requirements
Some tests cannot be automated (UI, usability)
It provides human insight into usability and user experience

🔑 1. Software Testing Basics

What is Testing?

Testing is the process of evaluating software to detect differences between expected and actual behavior.

Goal of Testing

Improve product quality
Ensure reliability
Verify functionality
Prevent defects

🧩 2. Types of Manual Testing

1️⃣ Functional Testing

Tests the features and actions of software.

Smoke Testing
Sanity Testing
Integration Testing
System Testing
Regression Testing
User Acceptance Testing (UAT)

2️⃣ Non-Functional Testing

Checks performance, usability, reliability.

Usability Testing
Performance (basic manual checks)
Compatibility Testing
Accessibility Testing

3️⃣ White Box vs. Black Box Testing

Black Box Testing

Tester does not know internal code
Focus on input/output
Example: Login verification

White Box Testing

Tester knows internal code
Validates logic, loops, conditions

Grey Box Testing

Partial internal knowledge

📝 3. Test Artifacts in Manual Testing

These are documents created during the testing process:

Test Plan – Testing strategy
Test Scenario – High-level testing idea
Test Case – Step-by-step test steps
Test Data – Values to test with
Test Report – Summary of testing results
Bug Report – Defect description for developers

🔍 4. Test Case Structure

A typical test case includes:

Test Case ID
Test Title
Pre-conditions
Test Steps
Expected Result
Actual Result
Status (Pass/Fail)

🐞 5. Bug Life Cycle (Defect Life Cycle)

New
Assigned
Open
Fixed
Retested
Closed
Reopened (if still failing)

🛠 6. Key Techniques in Manual Testing

Equivalence Partitioning
Boundary Value Analysis (BVA)
Error Guessing
Exploratory Testing
Ad Hoc Testing

⚙️ 7. Manual Testing vs Automation Testing

Feature	Manual Testing	Automation Testing
Execution	Manual	Tool-based
Time	Slower	Faster
Cost	Low setup cost	High initial cost
Best For	UI, usability, exploratory	Repeated, regression, large data
Human Insight	High	Low

💼 8. Skills Required for Manual Testing

Understanding SDLC & STLC
Writing test cases
Bug reporting
Logical thinking
Communication skills
Basic SQL
Basic knowledge of UI/UX

🔄 9. Where Manual Testing is Used Today?

Even with automation, manual testing is essential in:

Mobile apps
Web applications
Gaming testing
Usability testing
Exploratory testing
Initial development stages

🏁 10. Roles Related to Manual Testing

QA Tester
Test Engineer
QA Analyst
UAT Tester
Functional Tester

Manual Testing