What is quality assurance (QA)?
Quality assurance (QA) is the set of activities aimed at building confidence that a software product will meet the expected quality requirements. QA focuses on the process: it seeks to prevent defects by improving the way software is built, not just to find them at the end.
What is software testing?
Software testing is a set of planned activities to discover defects and evaluate the quality of software artifacts (requirements, design, code, final product). Testing is a core part of QA, but it is not the same as QA: testing is a concrete activity within the broader quality effort.
Testing does not only look for defects: it also evaluates quality and provides objective information so the team and the business can make lower-risk decisions.
Why is testing necessary?
- Reduces the risk of failures during software operation.
- Detects defects early, when fixing them is cheaper.
- Verifies that the software meets the agreed requirements.
- Builds confidence in the product's quality level.
- Helps meet contractual, legal or standards requirements.
| Concept | Focus |
|---|---|
| QA (quality assurance) | The process: prevent defects |
| Testing | The product: find defects and evaluate quality |
Are QA and testing the same?
What is the main objective of software testing?