Manual testing

• Manual testing is defined as developing and executing tests that rely primarily on human interaction through out the entire test case in terms of evaluating correctness and ascertaining test status that is pass, fail or warn.
• Manual testing can include the tools to create certain test conditions such as background loads, error conditions.
• If the tester fire off the test scripts and walk away, returning hours late to check the results logs, they are performing the automated testing.
• If the tester enter data at input devices and actively observe the output devices, that’s manual testing
• In reality, manual testing is always a part of any testing effort. During the initial phases of software development, manual testing is performed until the software and its user interface are stable enough that beginning automation makes sense. Often, aggressive development cycles and release dates do not allow for the time required to design and implement automated tests.
• Even in this age of short development cycles and automated-test-driven development, manual testing contributes vitally to the software development process. Here are a number of good reasons to do manual testing.
• If done thoroughly, manual test scripts can also form the basis for help or tutorial files for the application under test.
• Finally, in a nod toward test-driven development, manual test scripts can be given to the development staff to provide a clear description of the way the application should flow across use cases.
• By giving end users repeatable sets of instructions for using prototype software, manual testing allows them to be involved early in each development cycle and draws invaluable feedback from them that can prevent "surprise" application builds that fail to meet real-world usability requirements.
• Manual test scripts gives testers something to use while awaiting the construction and debugging of automated scripts.
• Manual test scripts can be used to provide feedback to development teams in the form of a set of repeatable steps that lead to bugs or usability problems.
• Manual testing often is the only sensible option from time and budget standpoints.