QA Beginners

QA Basics: Testing Terminologies for Beginners

This guide is designed for beginners in Quality Assurance (QA) to understand the most commonly used software testing terms. If you’re new to testing, this document will help you get started with confidence.

What are all the test case templates available?

There are 4 types of test case templates available in QA Touch.

  1. Exploratory Test Case
  2. Test Case(Text)
  3. Test Case(Step)
  4. BDD Test Case

Exploratory Test Case: An informal test case used by testers to explore the application without predefined steps. Test Case (Text): Test case written with an objective(Step) and expected behavior (Expected Result). Test Case (Step): A detailed form of Test case where each and every action is well written in the form of multiple steps and expected results. BDD Test Case: Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) test cases follow Gherkin Keywords like Given-When-Then format to describe scenarios in simple, non-technical language.

1. Test Case

A test case is a set of steps used to verify a specific feature or functionality of an application.

Includes:

  • Test Case Title
  • Description
  • Preconditions
  • Test Steps
  • Expected Result

Example: Verify that the user can log in with valid credentials.

2. Test Execution

Test execution is the process of running test cases

The outcome is marked as:

  • Pass
  • Fail
  • Inprogress
  • Hold
  • Blocked

3. Bug / Defect

A bug (or defect) is an issue where the actual behavior of the application does not match the expected behavior. Example: Login button does not respond when clicked.

3. Test Plan

A test plan is a document that explains:

  • What will be tested
  • How testing will be done
  • Who will do the testing
  • Testing timelines

It acts as a roadmap for the testing process.

4. Requirement

  • A requirement describes what the application should do.
  • Test cases are written based on requirements too.

5. Test Report

A test report summarizes testing activities, including:

  • Total test cases
  • Passed / Failed count
  • Bugs logged
  • Overall test status

6. Test Environment

The setup where testing is performed, including:

  • Application build
  • Server
  • Browser or device

Example: QA / Staging / UAT environment.

7. Priority

Priority defines how quickly a bug should be fixed.

Examples:

  • High – Must be fixed immediately
  • Medium – Fix in upcoming builds
  • Low – Can be fixed later

8. Severity

Severity indicates how serious the bug is and its impact on the application.

Examples:

  • Critical – App crash, data loss
  • Major – Core functionality broken
  • Minor – UI issues
  • Low – Typos or cosmetic issues

9. Bug Status

The current state of a bug during its lifecycle.

Common statuses:

  • New
  • Open
  • In Progress
  • Fixed
  • Retest
  • Closed

10. Test Suite

A test suite is a collection of related test cases grouped together. Example: All login-related test cases grouped into one suite.

11. Custom Field

A Custom Field is a user-defined field that allows teams to capture additional information beyond the default fields. Custom fields help teams tailor QA to their specific testing process and project needs.

12. RTM (Requirement Traceability Matrix)

RTM (Requirement Traceability Matrix) is a document or view that helps track and verify that every requirement is covered by test cases and properly tested.

It creates a clear link between:

  • Requirements
  • Test Cases
  • Test Execution
  • Defects
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