Top 30 Manual Testing Interview Questions based on my experience which works for testers having experience from 1-6 years

Trust me if you know below questions you are already cracked your first & second round.

TOP 30 Manual testing Interview questions

1.   Smoke and Sanity Difference:

Smoke Testing: Software Testing done to ensure that whether the build can be accepted for through software testing or not. Basically, it is done to check the stability of the build received for software testing.

Sanity testing: After receiving a build with minor changes in the code or functionality, a subset of regression test cases are executed that to check whether it rectified the software bugs or issues and no other software bug is introduced by the changes.

If we are moving a build from staging / testing server to production server, sanity testing of the software application can be done to check that whether the build is sane enough to move to further at production server or not.

2.   Regression and Retesting Difference:

Regression Testing means to test the entire application to ensure that the fixing of bug will be affecting anywhere else in the application

Retesting means executing the same test case after fixing bug to ensure the bug fixing. Retesting is to test the same application with multiple test data.

3.   Client Server and Web based Architecture Difference:

CLIENT / SERVER TESTING: This type of testing usually done for 2 tier applications (usually developed for LAN)
Here we will be having front-end and backend.

The application launched on front-end will be having forms and reports which will be monitoring and manipulating data

E.g: applications developed in VB, VC++, Core Java, C, C++, D2K, PowerBuilder etc.,
The backend for these applications would be MS Access, SQL Server, Oracle, Sybase, Mysql, Quadbase

The tests performed on these types of applications would be
- User interface testing
- Manual support testing
- Functionality testing
- Compatibility testing & configuration testing
- Intersystem testing

WEB TESTING: This is done for 3 tier applications (developed for Internet / intranet / xtranet)
Here we will be having Browser, web server and DB server.

The applications accessible in browser would be developed in HTML, DHTML, XML, JavaScript etc. (We can monitor through these applications)

Applications for the web server would be developed in Java, ASP, JSP, VBScript, JavaScript, Perl, Cold Fusion, PHP etc. (All the manipulations are done on the web server with the help of these programs developed)

The DBserver would be having oracle, sql server, sybase, mysql etc. (All data is stored in the database available on the DB server)

The tests performed on these types of applications would be
- User interface testing
- Functionality testing
- Security testing
- Browser compatibility testing
- Load / stress testing
- Interoperability testing/intersystem testing
- Storage and data volume testing

Desktop application:
1. Application runs in single memory (Front end and Back end in one place)
2. Single user only

4.   SDLC and STLC Difference:

SDLC:

Information gathering

Analysis

Designing

Implementation

 a) coding

 b) Testing

Maintenance.

In this SDLC Implementation can come along with both

coding as well as testing.

Software testing life cycle(STLC) covers

Information gathering

Analysis

Designing

Testing

1. Test planning

2. Test development

3. Test execution

4. Result analysis

5. Bug reporting and Maintenance.

In STLC we never come along with the coding(Developing)

Broader way ---

STLC means "Software Testing Life Cycle".

It involves following stages

1) Preparation of the test strategy

2) Preparation of the test plan

3) Creation of the test environment

4) Writing of the test cases

5) Creation of the test scripts

6) Execution of the test scripts

7) Analysis of the test results

8) Reporting of the bugs

9) Performing regression testing

SDLC means "Software or System Development Life Cycle".

It involves following stages

1) Initiation of the Project

2) Collection of Requirements and Documentation

3) Designing

4) Coding and unit testing

5) Integration testing

6) System testing

7) Installation and acceptance testing

8) Support or maintenance

5.   Test Plan:

Test plan is a statagic document which describes how to

perform the testing on a application in an effective,effecient and optimisation way.

contents of test plans :

 1. Introduction

        objectives

        reference document

 2. Coverage of Testing

        Features to be tested

        Features not to be tested

 3. Test Stategy

        leves of testing

        types of testing

        test design techniqes

        configaration management

        test maticx

        terminology

        automation plan

        list of automation tools

 4. Base Criteria

        acceptance criteria

        suspension criteria

 5. test deliveribles

 6. test envirolment

 7. scheduling

 8. staffing and trining

 9. risks and solution plan

10. assumtions

11. approval information

6.   Agile  testing :

Agile testing is used whenever customer requirements are changing dynamicallyAgile testing is dynamic approach for testing.

 In this testing requirement does not stable mean to say it keeps change according to customer so in this sitiation we need to use 

dynamic approach for testing and this approach called Agile testing. These days almost companies are using Agile testing. work

with the customer to define acceptance test provide continuous feedback To the customers,To the developers

7.   Difference between Bug , defect and Error:

Error: The deviation from the required logic, syntax or standards/ethics is called as error.

There are three types of error. They are:
Syntax error (This is due to deviation from the syntax of the language what supposed to follow).
Logical error (This is due to deviation from the logic of the program what supposed to follow)
Execution error (This is generally happens when you are executing the same program, that time you get it.)
Defect: When an error found by the test engineer (testing department) then it is called defect

Bug: if the defect is agreed by the developer then it converts into bug, which has to fix by the developer or post pond to next version.

8.   What is the difference between Product-based Company and Projects-based Company?

Product based company develops the applications for Global clients i.e. there is no specific clients. Here requirements are gathered from market and analyzed with experts.
Project based company develops the applications for the specific client. The requirements are gathered from the client and analyzed with the client.

9.   What are cookies? Tell me the advantage and disadvantage of cookies?

Cookies are messages that web servers pass to your web browser when you visit Internet sites. Your browser stores each message in a small file. When you request another page from the server, your browser sends the cookie back to the server. These files typically contain information about your visit to the web page, as well as any information you've volunteered, such as your name and interests. Cookies are most commonly used to track web site activity. When you visit some sites, the server gives you a cookie that acts as your identification card. Upon each return visit to that site, your browser passes that cookie back to the server. In this way, a web server can gather information about which web pages are used the most, and which pages are gathering the most repeat hits. Only the web site that creates the cookie can read it. Additionally, web servers can only use information that you provide or choices that you make while visiting the web site as content in cookies. Accepting a cookie does not give a server access to your computer or any of your personal information. Servers can only read cookies that they have set, so other servers do not have access to your information. Also, it is not possible to execute code from a cookie, and not possible to use a cookie to deliver a virus

10.                     What is TRM?

TRM means Test Responsibility Matrix.

TRM: --- It indicates mapping between test factors and development stages...

Test factors like:
Ease of use, reliability, portability, authorization, access control, audit trail, ease of operates, maintainable... Like dat...
Development stages...
Requirement gathering, Analysis, design, coding, testing, and maintenance

11.                     What the main use of preparing a traceability matrix?

Traceability matrix is prepared in order to cross check the test cases designed against each requirement, hence giving an opportunity to verify that all the requirements are covered in testing the application.
(Or)
To Cross verify the prepared test cases and test scripts with user requirements. To monitor the changes, enhance occurred during the development of the project.

12.                     At what phase tester role starts?

In SDLC after complition of FRS document the test lead prepare the use case document and test plan document, then the tester role is start.

13.                     Explain 'Software metrics'?

Measurement is fundamental to any engineering discipline
Why Metrics?
- We cannot control what we cannot measure!
- Metrics helps to measure quality
- Serves as dash-board

The main metrices are :size,shedule,defects.In this there are main sub metrices.

Test Coverage = Number of units (KLOC/FP) tested / total size of the system
Test cost (in %) = Cost of testing / total cost *100
Cost to locate defect = Cost of testing / the number of defects located
Defects detected in testing (in %) = Defects detected in testing / total system defects*100
Acceptance criteria tested = Acceptance criteria tested / total acceptance criteria

14.                     What is bidirectional traceability?

Bidirectional traceability needs to be implemented both forward and backward (i.e., from requirements to end products and from end product back to requirements).
When the requirements are managed well, traceability can be established from the source requirement to its lower level requirements and from the lower level requirements back to their source. Such bidirectional traceability helps determine that all source requirements have been completely addressed and that all lower level requirements can be traced to a valid source.

15.                     What is stub? Explain in testing point of view?

Stub is a dummy program or component, the code is not ready for testing, it's used for testing...that means, in a project if there are 4 modules and last is remaining and there is no time then we will use dummy program to complete that fourth module and we will run whole 4 modules also. The dummy program is also known as stub.

16.                     Define Brain Stromming and Cause Effect Graphing?

BS:
A learning technique involving open group discussion intended to expand the range of available ideas

CEG:
A testing technique that aids in selecting, in a systematic way, a high-yield set of test cases that logically relates causes to effects to produce test cases. It has a beneficial side effect in pointing out incompleteness and ambiguities in specifications.

17.                     What is the maximum length of the test case we can write?

We can't say exactly test case length, it depending on functionality

18.                     Password is having 6 digit alphanumeric then what are the possible input conditions?

Including special characters also Possible input conditions are:
1) Input password as = 6abcde (ie number first)
2) Input password as = abcde8 (ie character first)
3) Input password as = 123456 (all numbers)
4) Input password as = abcdef (all characters)
5) Input password less than 6 digit
6) Input password greater than 6 digits
7) Input password as special characters
8) Input password in CAPITAL ie uppercase
9) Input password including space
10) (SPACE) followed by alphabets /numerical /alphanumerical/

19.                     What is internationalization Testing?

Software Internationalization is process of developing software products independent from cultural norms, language or other specific attributes of a market

20.                     If I give some thousand tests to execute in 2 days what do you do?

If possible, we will automate or else, execute only the test cases which are mandatory.

21.                     Verification and validation?

Verification is static. No code is executed. Say, analysis of requirements etc.
Validation is dynamic. Code is executed with scenarios present in test cases.

22.                     Give an example of high priority and low severity, low priority and high severity?

Severity level:

The degree of impact the issue or problem has on the project. Severity 1 usually means the highest level requiring immediate attention. Severity 5 usually represents a documentation defect of minimal impact.

Severity is levels:

• Critical: the software will not run
• High: unexpected fatal errors (includes crashes and data corruption)
• Medium: a feature is malfunctioning
• Low: a cosmetic issue

Severity levels

1. Bug causes system crash or data loss.
2. Bug causes major functionality or other severe problems; product crashes in obscure cases.
3. Bug causes minor functionality problems, may affect "fit anf finish".
4. Bug contains typos, unclear wording or error messages in low visibility fields.

Severity levels

• High: A major issue where a large piece of functionality or major system component is completely broken. There is no workaround and testing cannot continue.
• Medium: A major issue where a large piece of functionality or major system component is not working properly. There is a workaround, however, and testing can continue.
• Low: A minor issue that imposes some loss of functionality, but for which there is an acceptable and easily reproducible workaround. Testing can proceed without interruption.

Severity and Priority

Priority is Relative: the priority might change over time. Perhaps a bug initially deemed P1 becomes rated as P2 or even a P3 as the schedule draws closer to the release and as the test team finds even more heinous errors. Priority is a subjective evaluation of how important an issue is, given other tasks in the queue and the current schedule. It’s relative. It shifts over time. And it’s a business decision.

Severity is an absolute: it’s an assessment of the impact of the bug without regard to other work in the queue or the current schedule. The only reason severity should change is if we have new information that causes us to re-evaluate our assessment. If it was a high severity issue when I entered it, it’s still a high severity issue when it’s deferred to the next release. The severity hasn’t changed just because we’ve run out of time. The priority changed.

Severity Levels can be defined as follow:

S1 - Urgent/Showstopper. Like system crash or error message forcing to close the window.
Tester's ability to operate the system either totally (System Down), or almost totally, affected. A major area of the users system is affected by the incident and it is significant to business processes.

S2 - Medium/Workaround. Exist like when a problem is required in the specs but tester can go on with testing. Incident affects an area of functionality but there is a work-around which negates impact to business process. This is a problem that:
a) Affects a more isolated piece of functionality.
b) Occurs only at certain boundary conditions.
c) Has a workaround (where "don't do that" might be an acceptable answer to the user).
d) Occurs only at one or two customers. or is intermittent

S3 - Low. This is for minor problems, such as failures at extreme boundary conditions that are unlikely to occur in normal use, or minor errors in
layout/formatting. Problems do not impact use of the product in any substantive way. These are incidents that are cosmetic in nature and of no or very low impact to business processes.

23.                     What is Use case?

A simple flow between the end user and the system. It contains pre conditions, post conditions, normal flows and exceptions. It is done by Team Lead/Test Lead/Tester.

24.                     How you are breaking down the project among team members?

It can be depend on these following cases----
1) Number of modules
2) Number of team members
3) Complexity of the Project
4) Time Duration of the project
5) Team member's experience etc......

25.                     What are non-functional requirements?

The non-functional requirements of a software product are: reliability, usability, efficiency, delivery time, software development environment, security requirements, standards to be followed etc.

26.                     There are two sand clocks(timers) one complete totally in 7 minutes and other in 9-minutes we have to calculate with this timers and bang the bell after completion of 11- minutes!plz give me the solution.

1. Start both clocks
   2. When 7 min clock complete, turn it so that it restarts.
   3. When 9 min clock finish, turn 7 min clocks (It has 2 mints only).
   4. When 7 min clock finishes, 11 min complete.

27.                     Explain ETVX concept?

E- Entry Criteria
T- Task
V- Validation
X- Exit Criteria

ENTRY CRITERIA: Input with 'condition' attached.
e.g. Approved SRS document is the entry criteria for the design phase.
TASK: Procedures.
e.g. Preparation of HLD, LLD etc.
VALIDATION: Building quality & Verification activities
e.g. Technical reviews
EXIT CRITERIA: Output with 'condition' attached.
e.g Approved design document
It is important to follow ETVX concept for all phases in SDLC.

28.                     What is sprint velocity?

The metric is calculated by reviewing work the team successfully completed during previous sprints; for example, if the team completed 10 stories during a two-weeksprint and each story was worth 3 story points, then the team's velocity is 30 story points per sprint.

29.                     How to work on testing estimates.

Now a days in agile we are using planning poker where group of people sit together and decide the estimates by using blind cards.

      Apart from that we have List of Software Test Estimation Techniques

a.      Work Breakdown Structure

b.      3-Point Software Testing Estimation Technique

c.       Wideband Delphi technique

d.      Function Point/Testing Point Analysis

e.      Use – Case Point Method

f.        Percentage distribution

g.      Ad-hoc method

30.                     SQL questions to be asked till JOINS

The very basic is to find the second highest number:

select min(SALARY) from EMPLOY where SALARY in

(select top 2 SALARY from EMPLOY order by SALARY   desc)