1. What is the role of a manual tester?
Answer: A manual tester is responsible for testing software applications manually to identify defects and ensure the functionality is working as expected.

2. Can you explain the software development life cycle (SDLC)?
Answer: SDLC is a process for developing software, which includes requirements gathering, design, coding, testing, and deployment. Manual testing occurs during the testing phase.

3. What is the difference between verification and validation?
Answer: Verification ensures that the software meets the specified requirements, whereas validation ensures that the software fulfills the customer’s expectations.

4. What are some common software testing techniques?
Answer: Some common software testing techniques include black-box testing, white-box testing, gray-box testing, functional testing, and regression testing.

5. What is the difference between functional testing and regression testing?
Answer: Functional testing is performed to ensure that the software functions as intended, while regression testing is conducted to verify that the recent changes or bug fixes did not introduce new defects.

6. What is a test case?
Answer: A test case is a set of steps or conditions that need to be executed to verify the functionality of a software application.

7. How do you prioritize test cases?
Answer: Test cases can be prioritized based on factors like functional importance, risk assessment, frequently used features, dependency on other areas, etc.

8. What is the purpose of a test plan?
Answer: A test plan outlines the objectives, scope, resources, and schedule for testing activities. It serves as a roadmap for conducting testing effectively.

9. What is the difference between smoke testing and sanity testing?
Answer: Smoke testing is a shallow and wide-ranging test performed to check the most critical functionalities of an application, while sanity testing is a focused and narrow test conducted to ensure that the recent changes are working as expected.

10. How would you handle a bug that is not reproducible?
Answer: In such cases, I would try to gather more information from the stakeholders, analyze log files, check the test environment setup, and collaborate with the development team to reproduce and fix the bug.

11. What is the purpose of the bug tracking system?
Answer: The bug tracking system is used to report, track, and manage the status of software defects throughout the software development life cycle.

12. What are test data and why are they important?
Answer: Test data are the inputs and expected outputs used to execute test cases. They are crucial because they help in validating the functionality and detecting defects in a software application.

13. How do you ensure good test coverage?
Answer: To ensure good test coverage, I would create test cases that cover all possible scenarios, perform boundary value analysis, and consider both positive and negative test scenarios.

14. What is the difference between quality control and quality assurance?
Answer: Quality control focuses on identifying defects and maintaining quality standards in the software, while quality assurance emphasizes preventing defects and ensuring the software development processes are followed correctly.

15. How do you perform regression testing?
Answer: Regression testing involves retesting the existing functionality of the software to ensure that recent changes or bug fixes did not introduce new defects. It can be done manually or automated using test scripts.

16. How do you ensure effective communication with the development team?
Answer: To ensure effective communication, I would participate in regular meetings, provide clear and concise bug reports, use a common bug tracking system, and maintain a collaborative approach with the development team.

17. What is exploratory testing?
Answer: Exploratory testing is a type of testing where the tester explores the software system without predefined test cases. It allows for flexibility and discovering defects that traditional testing might miss.

18. How do you handle strict project deadlines in terms of testing?
Answer: I would prioritize test cases, collaborate with the team to allocate resources effectively, and conduct risk-based testing to ensure the critical functionalities are thoroughly tested within the given timeline.

19. How do you handle repetitive tasks in manual testing?
Answer: To handle repetitive tasks, I would automate them using tools like Excel macros, script-based automation, or test management tools to save time and enhance productivity.

20. How do you document your test cases and test results?
Answer: I document test cases with clear steps, expected outputs, and preconditions. After executing the test cases, I record the actual results, any defects found, and the overall test execution summary in a test management tool or spreadsheet.

1. Can you explain the difference between test cases and test scenarios?
Test cases are specific conditions or steps that a tester performs to validate a particular functionality, while test scenarios are a higher-level description of test cases or a set of related test cases.

2. How do you determine when to stop testing?
Testing is generally stopped when the test team achieves a certain level of confidence in the quality of the software. This can be based on factors such as meeting predetermined exit criteria, exceeding the allocated test budget, or when the risk acceptance criteria are met.

3. What is meant by negative testing?
Negative testing is performed to ensure that the software application can handle unexpected inputs or actions gracefully. It involves testing the system’s error handling capability by intentionally providing invalid or incorrect inputs.

4. What is the difference between verification and validation?
Verification ensures that the software meets the specified requirements, while validation ensures that the software meets the customer’s expectations and needs.

5. What are the important factors to consider while designing test cases?
Some important factors while designing test cases include understanding the requirements thoroughly, focusing on both functional and non-functional aspects, creating test cases that cover all possible scenarios, and ensuring test case reusability.

6. How do you prioritize test cases?
Test cases can be prioritized based on factors such as business impact, risk involved, complexity, functional criticality, and frequency of use. Prioritizing test cases helps in efficient test execution.

7. What is the role of a test plan in the testing process?
A test plan serves as a roadmap for the testing team, outlining the overall strategy, objectives, scope, and resources required for testing. It helps in ensuring all necessary testing activities are adequately planned and executed.

8. How do you ensure maximum test coverage?
To ensure maximum test coverage, a tester can use techniques like boundary value analysis, equivalence partitioning, and decision table testing. These techniques help in identifying the critical test scenarios and covering a wide range of inputs.

9. How do you handle changes in requirements during the testing phase?
When requirements change during the testing phase, a tester should communicate the changes to the team, update the test plan and test cases accordingly, and perform impact analysis to identify the areas that need retesting.

10. What is the difference between functional testing and regression testing?
Functional testing focuses on validating the individual functionalities or features of an application, while regression testing ensures that the changes or modifications made to the software do not have any adverse impact on the existing functionalities.

11. What is exploratory testing, and when is it used?
Exploratory testing is an ad-hoc approach to testing where the tester simultaneously learns, designs, and executes tests. It is used when requirements are unclear, and the tester needs to identify defects or validate the system’s behavior.

12. How do you ensure the reliability and effectiveness of your test cases?
To ensure reliability and effectiveness, a tester should review test cases with peers, ensure test coverage of all applicable scenarios, use relevant test data, validate the expected results, and maintain good documentation.

13. Can you explain the concept of test estimations?
Test estimations involve estimating the effort, time, and resources required to complete testing activities. It helps in effective project planning, resource allocation, and schedule management. Estimations can be done using historical data, expert judgment, or testing metrics.

14. What are the challenges you have faced while conducting performance testing?
Some common challenges in performance testing include generating realistic load, simulating real user behavior, defining performance benchmarks, identifying performance bottlenecks, and analyzing complex test results.

15. How do you manage defects during the testing process?
Defect management involves logging and tracking defects from identification to resolution. A tester should use a defect tracking tool, provide clear and detailed descriptions, prioritize defects based on severity, and collaborate with developers to resolve them.

16. What is the role of a test plan in the testing process?
A test plan serves as a roadmap for the testing team, outlining the overall strategy, objectives, scope, and resources required for testing. It helps in ensuring all necessary testing activities are adequately planned and executed.

17. How do you ensure maximum test coverage?
To ensure maximum test coverage, a tester can use techniques like boundary value analysis, equivalence partitioning, and decision table testing. These techniques help in identifying the critical test scenarios and covering a wide range of inputs.

18. How do you handle changes in requirements during the testing phase?
When requirements change during the testing phase, a tester should communicate the changes to the team, update the test plan and test cases accordingly, and perform impact analysis to identify the areas that need retesting.

19. What is the difference between functional testing and regression testing?
Functional testing focuses on validating the individual functionalities or features of an application, while regression testing ensures that the changes or modifications made to the software do not have any adverse impact on the existing functionalities.

20. What is exploratory testing, and when is it used?
Exploratory testing is an ad-hoc approach to testing where the tester simultaneously learns, designs, and executes tests. It is used when requirements are unclear, and the tester needs to identify defects or validate the system’s behavior.