Exploratory testing

Exploratory testing is a form of testing that is conducted without any prior planning or preparation. It is an exploratory process in which testers are free to explore the software in any way they see fit, and to use any test techniques they feel are appropriate.

Exploratory testing is often used when there is little or no prior knowledge of the software being tested, or when the software is new or rapidly changing. It can also be used to quickly assess the quality of a software product, or to find potential problems that may not have been considered during the planning stage.

Exploratory testing is a highly creative and open-ended process, and as such, it is not well suited to large-scale or long-duration testing projects. It is also not well suited to testing software that is not intended for public release, as the lack of structure can make it difficult to reproduce and verify results.

Why do we do exploratory testing?

Exploratory testing is a process where testers are free to explore the software under test, without following any specific test cases. This allows testers to find more bugs and get a better understanding of the software.

There are many benefits to doing exploratory testing, including:

1. Finding more bugs: Because exploratory testing is more open-ended, it can help testers find more bugs than if they were following specific test cases.

2. Getting a better understanding of the software: By exploring the software on their own, testers can get a better understanding of how it works and how it can be used.

3. Improving test coverage: Exploratory testing can help testers cover more areas of the software than if they were following specific test cases.

4. Saving time: In some cases, exploratory testing can actually save time, since it can help testers find bugs more quickly than if they were following specific test cases.

5. Finding hidden bugs: Since exploratory testing is more open-ended, it can sometimes help testers find hidden bugs that they would not have found otherwise.

What are the different types of exploratory testing?

There are three different types of exploratory testing:

1. Functional testing: This type of exploratory testing is used to test the functionality of a system. This includes testing the system's ability to perform its required tasks, as well as testing for any potential defects.

2. Performance testing: This type of exploratory testing is used to assess the performance of a system. This includes testing how quickly the system can complete its tasks, as well as how well it can handle concurrent requests.

3. Scalability testing: This type of exploratory testing is used to assess the scalability of a system. This includes testing how well the system can handle increased load, as well as how well it can scale up to meet future demand.

Is exploratory testing a black box testing?

No, exploratory testing is not a black box testing. Black box testing is a method of testing where the tester does not have any knowledge of the internal structure of the system under test. On the other hand, exploratory testing is a method of testing where the tester actively explores the system under test to look for bugs.

What is example of exploratory testing?

Exploratory testing is a approach to software testing that is focused on learning about the system under test, rather than confirming the correctness of the system.

In exploratory testing, testers will often take a more ad-hoc approach, trying different things and seeing what happens, rather than following a rigid test plan. This can be a more effective approach when testing complex systems, where it is difficult to predict all the different ways the system might be used.

One example of exploratory testing might be trying to use the system in ways that are not anticipated by the design, to see if there are any unexpected errors or behavior. Another might be to vary the input data to see how the system responds.