Top 30 Manual Testing Interview Questions and Answers for Freshers & Experienced
This article covers the most frequently asked manual testing questions with real-time examples, concepts like STLC, bug life cycle, and test techniques. Suitable for both freshers and experienced professionals.
1. What is Software Testing?
Software Testing is the process of evaluating a software application to identify defects and ensure it meets the specified requirements.
Real-Time Scenario: Before launching an e-commerce website, testers validate the cart, payment, and checkout functionalities to avoid issues post-launch.
2. What are the different types of Software Testing?
- Manual Testing
- Automation Testing
- Functional Testing
- Non-Functional Testing (Performance, Security, Usability)
- Unit Testing
- Integration Testing
- System Testing
- Acceptance Testing
3. What is the Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC)?
STLC is a sequence of activities conducted during testing:
- Requirement Analysis
- Test Planning
- Test Case Development
- Test Environment Setup
- Test Execution
- Test Cycle Closure
Real-Time Example: In a banking app, STLC ensures that login, balance view, and fund transfer are tested in an organised manner.
4. What is the difference between Verification and Validation?
| Criteria | Verification | Validation |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Are we building the product right? | Are we building the right product? |
| Activity Type | Static | Dynamic |
| Examples | Reviews, Walkthroughs | Testing, UAT |
5. Explain the Bug Life Cycle.
States: New → Assigned → Open → Fixed → Retest → Verified → Closed
Alternate States: Rejected, Deferred, Duplicate
Real-Time Scenario: A user reports login failure → Developer fixes it → Tester retests → Marks as Verified → Closed.
6. What is a Test Case?
| Test Case ID | TC_001 |
|---|---|
| Functionality | Login |
| Steps | 1. Enter username 2. Enter password 3. Click Login |
| Expected Result | The dashboard is displayed |
7. What is the difference between a Test Case and a Test Scenario?
| Feature | Test Case | Test Scenario |
|---|---|---|
| Detail Level | Very detailed | High-level idea |
| Example | Validate login with valid creds | Test login functionality |
8. What is a Defect?
A defect is a deviation from the expected result in the application.
Example: The Login button does not redirect to the home page.
9. What is Severity and Priority?
| Term | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Severity | Impact of the defect on the system | App crashes → High Severity |
| Priority | The order in which the defect should be fixed | Fixing login issue → High Priority |
10. What is Regression Testing?
Testing existing functionality to ensure new changes haven't broken anything.
Real-Time Scenario: After adding a "Save for Later" feature, re-test the cart, checkout, and payment flows.
11. What is Retesting?
Testing the defect after it’s fixed to verify it's resolved.
12. Difference Between Smoke and Sanity Testing?
| Feature | Smoke Testing | Sanity Testing |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Basic build verification | Verify bug fixes/functional areas |
| Time | Initial build | After a minor release |
13. What is Exploratory Testing?
Testing where test cases are not predefined. Tester explores the app on the fly.
Example: While testing a new travel app, testers explore unusual booking combinations.
14. What is Ad-hoc Testing?
Unplanned testing without documentation.
15. What is UAT (User Acceptance Testing)?
Testing is done by the end-user/client to confirm that the system meets business needs.
16. Difference Between Functional and Non-Functional Testing?
| Feature | Functional Testing | Non-Functional Testing |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | What system does | How well does the system perform |
| Example | Login, Signup | Load time, security, UI usability |
17. What is a Test Plan?
A document describing test scope, approach, resources, and schedule.
18. Explain Different Test Techniques.
- Equivalence Partitioning
- Boundary Value Analysis
- Decision Table Testing
- State Transition
- Error Guessing
19. What is Boundary Value Analysis?
Test inputs at the edge of input ranges.
Example: For age 18–60, test 17, 18, 60, 61.
20. What is Equivalence Partitioning?
Divides input data into valid and invalid classes.
21. What is a Traceability Matrix?
A document mapping requirements with test cases.
| Requirement ID | Test Case ID |
|---|---|
| REQ-001 | TC-001, TC-002 |
22. How do you handle a situation when a developer disagrees with your defect?
- Provide clear defect steps
- Attach screenshots or logs
- Discuss in defect triage meetings
- Use severity & requirement mapping
23. Explain a real-time scenario where you found a critical bug.
Example: In a food delivery app, placing an order deducted payment, but didn’t place the order. Severity: High, Priority: High.
24. What is Test Data?
Data used during test execution, e.g., usernames, passwords, and product IDs.
25. What are Entry and Exit Criteria?
Entry Criteria: Preconditions before testing start.
Exit Criteria: Conditions to conclude testing.
26. What is Compatibility Testing?
Testing on different browsers, devices, and OS.
27. How do you log bugs in a bug tracking tool (e.g., JIRA)?
- Select project
- Click “Create Issue”
- Fill Summary, Steps to Reproduce, Environment, Severity
- Attach screenshot/log
- Assign to the developer
28. What is Risk-Based Testing?
Prioritising testing modules based on business impact and failure probability.
29. What is the difference between QA and QC?
| QA (Quality Assurance) | QC (Quality Control) |
|---|---|
| Process-oriented | Product-oriented |
| Prevent defects | Identify defects |
30. How do you ensure test coverage?
- Use requirement traceability
- Review test cases against each requirement
- Conduct peer reviews
- Track coverage in tools like TestLink or Excel
👋 Hi, I'm Suriya — QA Engineer with 4+ years of experience in manual, API & automation testing.
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