Hello DEV Community 👋
This is my first post here after a long time, and I’m really excited to start sharing my learning journey.
Currently, I’m working on building my skills in Software Quality Assurance (SQA), especially focusing on Manual Testing.
As a beginner, I realized that manual testing is not just about clicking buttons — it’s about thinking like a user, understanding requirements, and ensuring software quality.
So today, I want to share 5 important things every beginner should know before starting manual testing.
- ✅ Manual Testing Is More Than “Just Checking”
Many people think manual testing is only about trying the app and finding bugs.
But actually, manual testing is about:
- Understanding the feature
- Validating user experience
- Ensuring the product meets requirements
A tester’s job is to make sure the software works correctly in real-life scenarios.
- ✅ Requirements Are Your Best Friend
Before testing anything, always ask:
- What is the expected behavior?
- What problem is this feature solving?
- What are the acceptance criteria?
Even simple testing becomes much easier when you clearly understand the requirement.
📌 Good testing always starts with good understanding.
- ✅ Always Think in Positive and Negative Scenarios
Beginner testers often test only the “happy path.”
But real users don’t always behave perfectly.
Example for a login page:
- ✅ Positive Test: Login with correct credentials
- ❌ Negative Test: Login with wrong password
- ❌ Negative Test: Leave fields empty
- ❌ Negative Test: Enter invalid phone number
Testing both scenarios helps find real issues.
- ✅ Test Cases Help You Stay Organized
Writing test cases is one of the best habits for QA engineers.
A simple test case includes:
- Test Steps
- Expected Result
- Actual Result
- Status (Pass/Fail)
Even if you are new, test cases help you test systematically and avoid missing important checks.
- ✅ Bug Reporting Is a Skill (Not Just a Message)
Finding a bug is not enough — reporting it properly is equally important.
- A good bug report should include:
- Clear bug title
- Steps to reproduce
- Expected vs Actual result
- Screenshot or video evidence
- Severity/Priority (if applicable)
A well-written bug report saves developers a lot of time.
🌱 Final Thoughts
As a beginner in SQA, I’m learning that manual testing builds the foundation of quality assurance.
It improves:
- Attention to detail
- Analytical thinking
- Communication
- Product understanding
I’ll keep sharing more beginner-friendly QA topics as I continue learning.
💬 Let’s Connect!
If you’re also learning QA or working in software testing, feel free to share your thoughts:
👉 What was the first thing you learned in manual testing?
Thanks for reading! 😊
