Skip to main content

Manual Testing Basics

 

📘 Manual Testing Basics – A Beginner’s Guide



By QA Cosmos | Updated: June 2025

🔍 What is Manual Testing?

Manual Testing is the process of testing software manually — without using automation tools — to find defects or ensure the system behaves as expected.

A manual tester acts as an end-user, checking each feature, clicking buttons, entering inputs, and validating outputs to ensure the application works correctly.

🧠 Why is Manual Testing Important?

  • 🧪 It catches usability issues that automation might miss.

  • 🕵️ It allows human judgment and exploratory testing.

  • 🧰 It's the foundation before introducing automation.

  • 💬 Critical for UI/UX feedback, especially in early stages.

🧾 Key Concepts in Manual Testing

1️⃣ SDLC vs. STLC

  • SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle): Focuses on how software is developed.

  • STLC (Software Testing Life Cycle): Focuses on how testing is planned, executed, and closed.

2️⃣ Test Case

A test case is a step-by-step instruction to verify a feature. It includes:

  • Test Case ID

  • Description

  • Steps to Execute

  • Expected Result

  • Actual Result

  • Pass/Fail Status

3️⃣ Bug/Defect

When the actual result doesn't match the expected result, it’s logged as a bug or defect.

🔁 Manual Testing Process (Step-by-Step)

  1. 📄 Understand Requirements

  2. 🧪 Write Test Scenarios and Test Cases

  3. ⚙️ Set up Test Environment

  4. ▶️ Execute Tests Manually

  5. 🐞 Log Bugs in a Bug Tracking Tool (e.g., Jira, Bugzilla)

  6. 🔁 Re-test and Close Bugs

🧰 Common Tools for Manual Testing

ToolPurpose
JIRABug & task tracking
TestLinkTest case management
Excel/SheetsLightweight test planning
Browser DevToolsInspecting HTML, logs

👩‍💻 Skills Every Manual Tester Should Have

  • 🔍 Attention to Detail

  • 🧠 Analytical Thinking

  • ✍️ Test Documentation Skills

  • 📢 Communication (for reporting bugs clearly)

  • 🎯 Basic Understanding of Web & Mobile Applications

💡 Real-Life Example

Scenario: You’re testing a login form.
Test Case:

  • Enter correct username and password → Expected: User logs in

  • Leave both fields empty → Expected: Show validation errors

  • Enter wrong credentials → Expected: Show "Invalid credentials"

You do all these manually — click by click, screen by screen.

🎯 Final Thoughts

Manual testing may seem simple, but it's the core of quality assurance. It helps uncover subtle UI/UX flaws, validate business logic, and ensure the product works for real users.

If you're just starting your QA journey — mastering manual testing is the first step toward becoming a great software tester.

📚 Coming Up Next on QA Cosmos:

  • ✨ Writing Effective Test Cases

  • ⚙️ Difference Between Manual & Automation Testing

  • 🐞 How to Report a Bug Like a Pro

  • 💼 Top Manual Testing Interview Questions

💬 Have questions or want us to cover a specific topic? Let us know in the comments below!

Would you like me to create blog posts for the next topics too (like Automation Testing, Bug Life Cycle, or Test Case design)

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Principles of Software Testing

🧪 The 7 Principles of Software Testing – A Deep-Dive for Beginners & Experts Published by QA Cosmos | June 28, 2025 👋 Introduction Hello QA enthusiasts! Today we're diving into the seven timeless principles of software testing , which form the foundation of all QA practices—be it manual or automated. Understanding these principles helps you: Write smarter tests Find bugs effectively Communicate professionally with your team Build software that users love This guide is packed with simple explanations, relatable examples, and hands-on tips. Whether you’re fresh to QA or polishing your skills, these principles are essential. Let’s begin! 1. Testing Shows Presence of Defects ✅ Principle: Testing can prove the presence of defects, but cannot prove that there are no defects. 🧠 What It Means: No matter how many flawless tests you run, you can never guarantee a bug-free application. Testing helps find bugs—but not confirm total correctness. 🛠️ Example: Y...
Post a Comment
Read more

Selenium vs. Playwright: A Deep Dive into Waiting Concepts

  In the world of web automation, "waiting" is not just a pause; it's a strategic synchronization mechanism. Web applications are dynamic: elements appear, disappear, change state, or load asynchronously. Without proper waiting strategies, your automation scripts will frequently fail with "element not found" or "element not interactable" errors, leading to flaky and unreliable tests. Let's explore how Selenium and Playwright approach this fundamental challenge. The Challenge: Why Do We Need Waits? Imagine a user interacting with a webpage. They don't click a button the exact instant it appears in the HTML. They wait for it to be visible, stable, and ready to receive clicks. Automation tools must mimic this human behavior. If a script tries to interact with an element before it's fully loaded or clickable, it will fail. Waits bridge the gap between your script's execution speed and the web application's loading time. Selenium'...
Post a Comment
Read more

Top 50 Manual Testing Interview

  Top 50 Manual Testing Interview Questions and Answers (2025 Edition) Your ultimate guide to cracking QA interviews with confidence! Manual testing remains a critical skill in the software industry. Whether you're a fresher or an experienced tester, preparing for interviews with a strong set of  common and real-world questions  is essential. This blog gives you  50 hand-picked manual testing questions  with  simple, clear answers , based on real interview scenarios and ISTQB fundamentals. 🔥  Core Manual Testing Interview Questions & Answers 1.  What is software testing? Answer:  Software testing is the process of verifying that the software works as intended and is free from defects. It ensures quality, performance, and reliability. 2.  What is the difference between verification and validation? Answer: Verification : Are we building the product right? (Reviews, walkthroughs) Validation : Are we building the right product? (Testing...
Post a Comment
Read more