what is testing

Software testing is the process of evaluating and verifying that a software product or application does what it is supposed to do. It involves examining the artifacts and behavior of the software under test by validation and verification. The purpose of software testing is to identify errors, faults, or missing requirements in contrast to actual requirements. Testing can be done manually or with automated tools, and it can be performed at different stages of the software development lifecycle. There are different types of software testing, including functional testing, non-functional testing, integration testing, acceptance testing, and more. The benefits of testing include preventing bugs, reducing development time and costs, and improving software reliability and quality. Continuous testing is a methodology that involves executing automated tests as part of the software delivery pipeline to obtain immediate feedback on the business risks associated with a software release candidate.