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ISTQB Glossary

671 software testing terms with official ISTQB definitions and plain English explanations. Free reference for certification exam prep.

A44 B21 C76 D36 E30 F32 G6 H10 I23 K2 L14 M45 N7 O9 P37 Q12 R43 S65 T114 U24 V12 W8 Z1

A

A/B testingA test approach in which two variants of a test object are statistically evaluated to determine which performs better fo... abnormal endThe unintended termination of the execution of a component or system prior to completion. abuse caseA use case in which some actors with malicious intent are causing harm to the system or to other actors. acceptance criteriaThe criteria that a work product must satisfy to be accepted by the stakeholders. acceptance test-driven developmentA collaboration-based test-first approach that defines acceptance tests in the stakeholders' domain language. acceptance testingA test level that focuses on determining whether to accept the system. accessibilityThe degree to which a component or system can be used by people with the widest range of characteristics and capabilitie... account harvestingThe process of obtaining user account information based on trial and error with the intention of using that information ... accountabilityThe degree to which the actions of an entity can be traced uniquely to that entity. actual resultThe behavior produced/observed when a component or system is tested. ad hoc reviewingA review technique performed informally without a structured process. ad hoc testingInformal testing performed without test analysis and test design. adaptabilityThe degree to which a component or system can be adapted to various or evolving hardware, software, or other operational... adversarial exampleAn input to an ML model created by applying small perturbations to a working example that results in the model outputtin... adversarial testingA test technique based on the attempted creation and execution of adversarial examples to identify defects in an ML mode... Agile ManifestoA statement on the values that underpin Agile software development. The values are: individuals and interactions over pr... Agile software developmentA group of software development methodologies based on iterative incremental development, where requirements and solutio... Agile test leaderA leadership role that serves agile teams, championing testing and quality at the organizational level. Agile test team leaderA role that is responsible for maintaining solution quality within an agile delivery team. alpha testingA type of acceptance testing performed in the developer's test environment by roles outside the development organization... analytical test strategyA test strategy whereby the test team analyzes the test basis to identify the test conditions to cover. analyzabilityThe degree to which an assessment can be made for a component or system of either the impact of one or more intended cha... anomalyA condition that deviates from expectation. anti-malwareSoftware that is used to detect and inhibit malware. API testingA test approach performed by submitting requests to a test object using its application programming interface. application programming interfaceA type of interface in which the components or systems involved exchange information in a defined formal structure. appraisalThe activities of measuring and monitoring the quality of a system. appropriateness recognizabilityThe degree to which users can recognize whether a component or system is appropriate for their needs. artificial intelligenceThe capability of an engineered system to acquire, process and apply knowledge and skills. assertionA Boolean expression that is expected to evaluate to true if and only if the software executes correctly. assessmentA formal evaluation of processes against a reference model. ATDDAcceptance Test-Driven Development - writing acceptance tests before implementation. atomic conditionA condition that does not contain logical operators. attack vectorA path or means by which an attacker can gain access to a system for malicious purposes. attackerA person or process that attempts to access data, functions or other restricted areas of the system without authorizatio... audio testingTesting to determine if the game music and sound effects will engage the user in the game and enhance the game play. auditAn independent examination performed by a third party on a work product or process to assess whether it complies with sp... authenticationA procedure determining whether a person or a process is, in fact, who or what it is declared to be. authenticityThe degree to which the identity of a subject or resource can be proved to be the one claimed. authorizationPermission given to a user or process to access resources. automation code defect densityDefect density of a component of the test automation code. automotive safety integrity levelOne of four levels that specify the item's or element's necessary requirements of ISO 26262 and safety measures to avoid... automotive SPICEA process reference model and an associated process assessment model in the automotive industry. availabilityThe degree to which a component or system is operational and accessible when required for use.

B

back-to-back testingA test approach in which a pseudo-oracle is used. balance testingTesting that game mechanics, difficulty, and rewards are appropriately balanced. balanced scorecardA strategic planning framework measuring performance across multiple perspectives. base choice coverageThe coverage of parameter-value combinations in which each value of a parameter is combined with the base values of all ... BDDBehavior-Driven Development - expressing requirements as examples of behavior. behavior-based test techniqueA black-box test technique in which test conditions are model elements of the state-dependent behavior of a test object. behavior-driven developmentA collaborative approach to development in which the team is focusing on delivering expected behavior of a component or ... benchmarkA standard or reference point for comparison and measurement. beta testingA type of acceptance testing performed at an external site to the developer's test environment by roles outside the deve... black-box test techniqueA test technique based on the specification of a component or system. black-box testingTesting based on an analysis of the specification of the component or system. botnetA network of compromised computers, called bots or robots, which is controlled by a third party and used to transmit mal... boundary valueA minimum or maximum value of an ordered equivalence partition. boundary value analysisA black-box test technique in which test cases are designed based on boundary values. branchA transfer of control between two consecutive nodes in the control flow graph of a test item. branch coverageThe coverage of branches in a control flow graph. branch testingA white-box test technique in which the test conditions are branches. bug huntingA test approach in which gamification and awards for defects found are used as a motivator. build verification testAn automated test that validates the integrity of each new build and verifies its key/core functionality, stability, and... built-in qualityA set of practices to ensure that each solution meets quality standards throughout each increment of development, focusi... business acceptance testingAcceptance testing conducted by business users to verify business requirements.

C

canary releaseA release approach where a new version is deployed to a subset of users before full rollout. Capability Maturity Model IntegrationA framework that describes the key elements of an effective product development and maintenance process. The Capability ... capacityThe degree to which the maximum limits of a component or system parameter meet requirements. capacity testingTesting to evaluate the capacity of a system. capture/playbackA test automation approach in which inputs to a test object are recorded during manual testing to generate automated tes... causal analysisSystematic investigation of the root causes of defects or problems. causal loop diagramA graphical representation used to visualize cause-effect relationships and feedback loops in a system. cause-effect diagramA graphical representation used to organize and display the interrelationships of various possible root causes of a prob... cause-effect graphA graphical representation of logical relationships between inputs (causes) and their associated outputs (effects) of a ... certificationThe process of confirming that a component, system or person complies with specified requirements. change managementThe process of controlling changes to ensure stability and quality. chaos engineeringThe discipline of experimenting on a system to build confidence in the system's capability to withstand turbulent condit... checklist-based reviewingA review technique guided by a list of questions or required attributes. checklist-based testingAn experience-based test technique in which test cases are designed to exercise the items of a checklist. classification treeA tree diagram representing test data domains of a test object. classification tree techniqueA black-box test technique in which test cases are designed using a classification tree. CLI testingTesting performed by submitting commands to the software under test using a dedicated command-line interface. closed-loop-systemA system in which the controlling action or input is dependent on the output or changes in output. code injectionA type of security attack performed by inserting malicious code at an interface into an application to exploit poor hand... coding standardA quality standard that defines required characteristics of code. coexistenceThe degree to which a component or system can perform its required functions while sharing an environment and resources ... cognitive walkthroughA usability inspection method simulating a user's problem-solving process. collaboration-based test approachAn approach to testing that focuses on defect avoidance by collaborating among stakeholders. combinatorial testingA black-box test technique in which test conditions are specific combinations of values of several parameters. command-line interfaceA type of interface in which the information is passed in form of command lines. Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and ClassificationA catalog of known cyber security attack patterns used to prevent attacks. Common Vulnerabilities and ExposuresA catalog of publicly disclosed vulnerabilities in released software packages. Common Vulnerability Scoring SystemA free and open industry standard for assessing the severity of system security vulnerabilities based on the ease and im... Common Weakness EnumerationA community-developed list of common software and hardware weaknesses. Common Weakness Scoring SystemA standard for assessing software weaknesses and vulnerabilities in a consistent, flexible, and open manner. community of practiceA group of people who share a concern or passion for something they do and learn how to do it better through regular int... compatibilityThe degree to which a component or system can exchange information with other components or systems, and/or perform its ... complianceAdherence of a work product to standards, conventions or regulations in laws and similar prescriptions. compliance testingTesting to determine the compliance of the component or system. componentA part of a system that can be tested in isolation. component integration testingThe integration testing of components. component testingA test level that focuses on individual hardware or software components. computer forensicsThe practice of determining how a security attack has succeeded and assessing the damage caused. concept driftA change in the statistical properties of the target variable that an ML model is trying to predict, causing model perfo... concurrencyThe simultaneous execution of multiple independent threads by a component or system. concurrency testingTesting to evaluate if a component or system involving concurrency behaves as specified. condition coverageThe coverage of condition outcomes. condition testingA white-box test technique in which test conditions are outcomes of atomic conditions. confidence intervalIn managing project risks, the period of time within which a contingency action must be implemented in order to be effec... confidentialityThe degree to which a component or system ensures that data are accessible only to those authorized to have access. configuration itemAn aggregation of hardware, software, or both, that is designated for configuration management and treated as a single e... configuration managementA discipline applying technical and administrative direction and surveillance to identify and document the functional an... confirmation testingA type of change-related testing performed after fixing a defect to confirm that a failure caused by that defect does no... confusion matrixA table used to evaluate the performance of a classification model, showing true positives, true negatives, false positi... connectivityThe degree to which a component or system can connect to other components or systems. consultative test strategyA test strategy whereby the test team relies on the input of one or more key stakeholders to determine the details of th... containerA lightweight, standalone package that includes everything needed to run a piece of software. content modelA model describing the content and structure of process improvement frameworks. context of useUsers, tasks, equipment (hardware, software and materials), and the physical and social environments in which a software... context windowThe amount of preceding text, measured in tokens, that an LLM can consider when generating responses. continuous deliveryAn automated software development procedure in which code changes are automatically built, tested, and prepared for a re... continuous deploymentAn automated software release procedure in which all code changes are deployed to production after all specified tests h... continuous integrationAn automated software development procedure that merges, integrates and tests all changes as soon as they are committed. continuous representationA CMMI approach allowing improvement of individual process areas independently. continuous testingA test approach that involves testing early, testing often, testing throughout the software development lifecycle, and a... contract testingA type of integration testing that verifies that the interfaces are used as specified in their contracts. contractual acceptance testingAcceptance testing against criteria defined in a contract. control chartA statistical process control tool used to monitor a process and determine whether it is statistically controlled. It gr... control flowThe sequence in which operations are performed by a business process, component or system. control flow analysisA type of static analysis based on a representation of unique paths for executing a component or system. convergence metricA metric that shows progress toward a defined criterion, e.g., convergence of the total number of tests executed to the ... cost of qualityThe total costs incurred on quality activities and issues and often split into prevention costs, appraisal costs, intern... coverageThe degree to which specified coverage items are exercised by a test suite, expressed as a percentage. coverage criteriaThe criteria to define the coverage items required to reach a test objective. coverage itemAn attribute or combination of attributes derived from one or more test conditions by using a test technique. Critical Testing ProcessesA content-based model for test process improvement built around twelve critical processes. These include highly visible ... cross-browser compatibilityThe degree to which a website or web application can function across different browsers and degrade gracefully when brow... cross-site scriptingA vulnerability that allows attackers to inject malicious code into an otherwise benign website. crowd testingA test approach in which testing is distributed to a large group of testers. CRUD testingA black-box test technique in which test conditions are operations of the types create, read, update, and delete for an ... cyclomatic complexityThe maximum number of linear, independent paths through a program.

D

dashboardA representation of dynamic measurements of operational performance for some organization or activity, using metrics rep... data flow analysisA type of static analysis based on the lifecycle of variables. data obfuscationData transformation that makes it difficult for a human to recognize the original data. data poisoningAn adversarial attack where malicious data is injected into a training dataset to corrupt the resulting ML model. data privacyThe protection of personally identifiable information or otherwise sensitive information from undesired disclosure. data-based test techniqueA test technique in which test conditions are model elements of the test object data. data-driven testingA scripting technique that uses data files to contain the test data and expected results needed to execute the test scri... debuggingThe process of finding, analyzing and removing the causes of failures in a component or system. decision coverageThe coverage of decision outcomes. decision table testingA black-box test technique in which the test conditions are the combinations of conditions and the resulting actions sho... decision testingA white-box test technique in which test cases are designed to execute decision outcomes. deep learningA subset of machine learning using neural networks with multiple layers (deep neural networks) to learn representations ... defectAn imperfection or deficiency in a work product where it does not meet its requirements or specifications or impairs its... defect densityThe number of defects per unit size of a work product. defect detection percentageThe number of defects found by a test level, divided by the number found by that test level and any other means afterwar... defect managementThe process of recognizing, recording, classifying, investigating, fixing and disposing of defects. defect management committeeA cross-functional team of stakeholders who perform defect management. defect predictionUsing AI/ML techniques to predict which parts of a software system are likely to contain defects, enabling focused testi... defect preventionThe measures that reduce the likelihood of recurrence of defects in work products and limit the propagation of defects i... defect reportDocumentation of the occurrence, nature, and status of a defect. defect taxonomyA list of categories designed to identify and classify defects. defect workflowThe state transition model of a defect lifecycle, including responsibilities. defect-based test techniqueA test technique in which test cases are developed from what is known about a specific defect type. definition-use pairThe association of a definition of a variable with the subsequent use of that variable. demilitarized zoneA physical or logical subnetwork that contains and exposes an organization's external-facing services to an untrusted ne... denial of serviceA security attack that is intended to overload the system with requests such that legitimate requests cannot be serviced... design patternA reusable solution to a commonly occurring problem in software design. destructive testingA test type that subjects a component or system to malicious inputs, abnormal conditions, or security exploits to induce... device fragmentationThe diversity of devices, operating systems, and configurations in the mobile ecosystem. device-based testingA test type in which test suites are executed on physical or virtual devices. DevOpsAn approach that combines development and operations to create a unified approach to software delivery. domain testingA black-box test technique in which test conditions are points on, near to, inside or outside the boundaries of differen... driverA component or tool that temporarily replaces another component and controls or calls a test item in isolation. dynamic analysisThe process of evaluating a component or system based on its behavior during execution. dynamic application security testingA test approach in which attacks are simulated and reactions are analyzed to determine the vulnerabilities of a componen... dynamic testingTesting that involves the execution of the test item.

E

each choice coverageThe coverage of equivalence partitions in multiple sets of partitions. effectivenessThe extent to which correct and complete goals are achieved. efficiencyThe degree to which resources are expended in relation to results achieved. EFQM modelA management framework that supports organisations in managing change and improving performance. embeddingNumerical representations of tokens that encode their semantic, syntactic, and contextual relationships in a format suit... emulatorSoftware used during testing that mimics the behavior of hardware. encryptionThe process of encoding information so that only authorized parties can retrieve the original information, usually by me... end-to-end testingA test type in which business processes are tested from start to finish under production-like circumstances. endurance testingTesting to determine the stability of a system under a significant load over a significant period of time within the sys... entry criteriaThe set of conditions for officially starting a defined task. environment modelAn abstraction of the real environment of a component or system including other components, processes, and environment c... epicA large user story that cannot be delivered as defined within a single iteration or is large enough that it can be split... equivalence partitionA subset of a value domain for which a component or system is expected to treat all values the same based on the specifi... equivalence partitioningA black-box test technique in which test conditions are equivalence partitions exercised by one representative member of... equivalent manual test effortEffort required for running tests manually. ergonomics testingTesting to determine whether a component or system and its input devices are being used properly with correct posture. errorA human action that results in a defect. error guessingA test technique in which the tests conditions are based on the tester's knowledge of past failures or failure modes. escaped defectA defect that is not detected by a test activity that is supposed to find it. ethical hackerA security tester who follows the code of ethics of their organization. exhaustive testingA test approach in which the test suite comprises all combinations of input values and preconditions. exit criteriaThe set of conditions for officially completing a defined task. expected resultThe observable predicted behavior of a test item under specified conditions based on its test basis. experience-based test techniqueA test technique based on the tester's experience, knowledge and intuition. experience-based testingA test approach based on the tester's experience, knowledge and intuition. expert usability reviewAn informal usability review in which the reviewers are experts. Experts can be usability experts or subject matter expe... explainabilityThe extent to which the internal mechanics of an AI system can be explained in human terms. exploratory testingA test approach in which tests are dynamically designed and executed based on tester's knowledge, exploration of a test ... external failureA failure that occurs during the regular operation of a system after its delivery to the end users. eye trackingTechnology that measures where users look on a screen during usability testing.

F

failedThe status of a test result if the actual result does not match the expected result. failoverThe backup operational mode in which the functions of a system that becomes unavailable are assumed by a secondary syste... failureAn event in which a component or system does not meet its requirements within specified limits during its execution. failure modeThe physical or functional manifestation of a failure. failure mode and effect analysisA systematic approach to risk identification and analysis of identifying possible modes of failure and attempting to pre... failure rateThe ratio of the number of failures of a given category to a given unit of measure. false-negative resultA test result which fails to identify a defect that is actually present in a test object. false-positive resultA test result in which a defect is reported although no such defect actually exists in the test object. fault attackA test technique to evaluate a specific quality characteristic of a test object by attempting to trigger specific failur... fault injectionA technique for creating adverse conditions to evaluate whether a component or system can detect them and show reliable ... fault seedingThe process of intentionally adding defects to a component or system to monitor the rate of detection and removal, and t... fault toleranceThe degree to which a component or system operates as intended despite the presence of hardware or software faults. fault tree analysisA technique for analyzing the causes of failures that uses a hierarchical model of events and their logical relationship... feature-driven developmentAn iterative and incremental software development process driven from a client-valued functionality (feature) perspectiv... few-shot promptingA prompting technique where the model is provided with a few examples to guide its response generation. field testingA test level performed to evaluate the system behavior in an operational environment. findingA result of an evaluation that identifies some important issue, problem, or opportunity. fine-tuningThe process of further training a pre-trained model on a specific dataset to adapt it for particular tasks or domains. firewallA component or set of components that controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rul... flexibilityThe degree to which a component or system can be adapted to changes in its requirements, contexts of use, or system envi... flow model patternA test automation design pattern that models the flow of actions through a system. follow-up test caseA test case generated by applying a metamorphic relation to a source test case during metamorphic testing. formal reviewA review that follows a defined process with a formally documented output. formative evaluationA type of evaluation designed and used to improve the quality of a component or system, especially when it is still bein... fun testingEvaluating whether a game provides an enjoyable and engaging experience. functional appropriatenessThe degree to which the functions facilitate the accomplishment of specified tasks and objectives. functional completenessThe degree to which the set of functions covers all the specified tasks and user objectives. functional correctnessThe degree to which a component or system provides the correct results with the needed degree of precision. functional safetyThe absence of unreasonable risk due to hazards caused by malfunctioning behavior of electric/electronic systems. functional suitabilityThe degree to which a component or system provides functions that meet stated and implied needs when used under specifie... functional testingTesting performed to evaluate if a component or system satisfies functional requirements. fuzz testingA test technique in which high volumes of meaningless data are used to generate test inputs.

G

generative AIA branch of artificial intelligence that uses large, pre-trained models to generate human-like output, such as text, ima... generic test automation architectureA representation of the layers, components, and interfaces that allows for a structured and modular approach to implemen... goal question metricA measurement approach that starts with organizational goals, derives questions to determine if goals are met, and ident... graphical user interfaceA type of interface that allows users to interact with a component or system through graphical icons and visual indicato... grey-box testingA test type that combines elements of black-box testing and white-box testing. GUI testingA test approach performed by interacting with a test object using a graphical user interface.

H

hackerA person or organization who is actively involved in security attacks, usually with malicious intent. hallucinationWhen a generative AI model produces outputs that appear plausible but are factually incorrect, nonsensical, or not groun... hardware-in-the-loopA virtual test environment in which real hardware with integrated software is tested. hashingTransformation of a variable length string of characters into a usually shorter fixed-length value or key. Hashed values... heuristicA generally recognized rule of thumb that helps to achieve a goal. heuristic evaluationA usability review technique that evaluates a work product by using a set of heuristics. high-level test caseA test case with abstract preconditions, input data, expected results, postconditions, and actions (where applicable). human-centered designAn approach to design that aims to make software products more usable by focusing on the use of the software products an... hybrid software development modelA type of software development lifecycle model that combines elements of different software development lifecycle models... hypothesis testingThe validation of a theory and its assumptions using sample data

I

IDEALA process improvement model consisting of five phases: Initiating, Diagnosing, Establishing, Acting, and Learning. Used ... impact analysisThe identification of all work products affected by a change, including an estimate of the resources needed to accomplis... incremental development modelA type of software development lifecycle model in which the component or system is developed through a series of increme... independence of testingSeparation of responsibilities, which encourages the accomplishment of objective testing. independent test labAn organization responsible to test and certify that the software, hardware, firmware, platform, and operating system fo... indicatorA measure that provides an estimate or evaluation of specified attributes derived from a model with respect to defined i... informal reviewA type of review that does not follow a defined process and has no formally documented output. information assuranceMeasures that protect and defend information and information systems by ensuring their availability, integrity, authenti... information securityThe protection of information and information systems from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modificatio... input data testingA test level that focuses on the quality of the data used for training and prediction by ML models. insider threatA security threat originating from within the organization, often by an authorized system user. inspectionA type of formal review that uses defined team roles and measurement to identify defects in a work product, and improve ... installabilityThe degree to which a component or system can be successfully installed and/or uninstalled in a specified environment. integration testingA test level that focuses on interactions between components or systems. integrityThe degree to which only authorized access and modification is allowed to a component, a system or data. interaction capabilityThe degree to which a component or system can exchange information via the user interface with its specified users to co... interactive application security testingA test approach that analyzes the code executed and pinpoints where a vulnerability exists by combining dynamic applicat... interface testingA type of integration testing performed to determine whether components or systems pass data and control correctly to on... internal failureA failure that occurs during the operation of a system before its delivery to the end users. internationalizationThe process of making a system suitable for international user groups. interoperabilityThe degree to which two or more components or systems can exchange information and use the information that has been exc... intrusion detection systemA system which monitors activities to detect violations of the security policy. iterative development modelA type of software development lifecycle model in which the component or system is developed through a series of repeate...

K

keywordA phrase that represents specific actions to be performed during test execution. keyword-driven testingA scripting technique in which test scripts contain high-level keywords and supporting files that contain low-level scri...

L

large language modelGenAI models that are pre-trained on large textual datasets, enabling them to determine context and produce relevant res... learnabilityThe degree to which specified users can learn to use a component or system within a defined period. level of intrusionThe level to which a test object is modified by adjusting it for testability. level test planA test plan that typically addresses one test level. linear scriptingA simple scripting technique without any control structure in the test scripts. LLMOpsLarge Language Model Operations - the practices and tools for deploying, monitoring, and managing LLMs in production env... load generationThe process of simulating a defined set of activities at a specified load to be submitted to a component or system. load generatorA tool that generates a load for a system under test. load managementThe control and execution of load generation, and performance monitoring and reporting of the component or system. load profileDocumentation defining a designated number of virtual users who process a defined set of transactions in a specified tim... load testingA type of performance testing conducted to evaluate the behavior of a component or system under varying loads, usually b... localizationThe process of making a system suitable for a specific user group. localization testingTesting to verify that a product has been adapted to a particular locale, including language, cultural, and regional req... low-level test caseA test case with concrete values for preconditions, input data, expected results, postconditions, and a detailed descrip...

M

machine learningA subset of AI where systems learn patterns from data to make predictions or decisions without being explicitly programm... maintainabilityThe degree to which a component or system can be modified by the intended maintainers. maintenanceThe process of modifying a component or system after delivery to correct defects, improve quality characteristics, or ad... maintenance testingTesting the changes to an operational system or the impact of a changed environment to an operational system. malwareSoftware that is intended to harm a system or its components. malware scanningStatic analysis aiming to detect malicious code received at an interface. management reviewA systematic evaluation of software acquisition, supply, development, operation, or maintenance process, performed by or... manufacturing-based qualityA view of quality measured by the degree that a product or service conforms to its intended design and requirements base... master test planA test plan that is used to coordinate multiple test levels or test types. math testingA test type to determine the correctness of the pay table implementation, the random number generator results, and the r... maturity(1) The capability of an organization with respect to the effectiveness and efficiency of its processes and work practic... MBT modelAny model used in model-based testing. mean time between failuresThe average time between consecutive failures of a component or system. mean time to failureThe average time from the start of operation to a failure for a component or system. mean time to repairThe average time a component or system will take to recover from a failure. measureThe number or category assigned to an attribute of an entity by making a measurement. measurementThe process of assigning a number or category to an entity to describe an attribute of that entity. memory leakA memory access failure due to a defect in a program's dynamic store allocation logic that causes it to fail to release ... metamorphic relationA description of how a change to an input for a test case affects an expected result based on the required behavior of a... metamorphic testingA test technique in which test conditions are metamorphic relations. method tableA table containing different test approaches, test techniques and test types that are required depending on the automoti... methodical test strategyA test strategy whereby the test team uses a pre-determined set of test conditions such as a quality standard, a checkli... metricA measurement scale and the method used for measurement. metrics programAn organized approach to collecting and using metrics for improvement. ML functional performanceThe degree to which an ML model meets ML functional performance criteria. ML functional performance criteriaCriteria based on ML functional performance metrics used as a basis for model evaluation, tuning and testing. ML functional performance metricsA set of measures that relate to the functional correctness of an ML model. ML modelAn implementation of machine learning that generates a prediction, classification or recommendation based on input data. ML model testingA test level that focuses on the ability of an ML model to meet required ML functional performance criteria and non-func... mobile applicationSoftware application designed to run on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. mockA type of test double that simulates the expected behavior of the component during testing. model coverageThe coverage of model elements. model-based test strategyA test strategy whereby the test team derives testware from models. model-based testingTesting based on or involving models. model-in-the-loopA virtual test environment in which a simulation model of the system is tested. moderator(1) The person responsible for running review meetings. (2) The person who performs a usability test session. modifiabilityThe degree to which a component or system can be modified without degrading its quality. modified condition/decision coverageThe coverage of all outcomes of the atomic conditions that independently affect the overall decision outcome. modified condition/decision testingA white-box test technique in which test cases are designed to exercise outcomes of atomic conditions that independently... modularityThe degree to which a system is composed of discrete components such that a change to one component has minimal impact o... monitoring toolA software tool or hardware device that runs concurrently with the component or system under test and supervises, record... multiplayer testingA test type to determine if many players can simultaneously interact with the casino game world, with computer-controlle... multiple condition coverageThe coverage of all possible combinations of all single condition outcomes within one statement. multiple condition testingA white-box test technique in which test conditions are outcome combinations of atomic conditions. Myers-Briggs Type IndicatorAn indicator of psychological preference representing the different personalities and communication styles of people.

N

N-switch coverageThe coverage of sequences of N+1 transitions. negative testingA test type in which a component or system is used in a way that it is not intended. network zoneA sub-network with a defined level of trust. For example, the Internet or a public zone would be considered to be untrus... neural networkA computing system inspired by biological neural networks, consisting of interconnected nodes (neurons) that process inf... neuron coverageThe coverage of activated neurons in the neural network for a set of tests. non-functional testingTesting performed to evaluate that a component or system complies with non-functional requirements. non-repudiationThe degree to which actions or events can be proven to have taken place, so that the actions or events cannot be repudia...

O

offline MBTModel-based test approach whereby test cases are generated into a repository for future execution. online MBTModel-based test approach whereby test cases are generated and executed simultaneously. open-loop-systemA system in which controlling action or input is independent of the output or changes in output. operabilityThe degree to which a component or system has attributes that make it easy to operate and control. operational acceptance testingA type of acceptance testing performed to determine whether the organization responsible for operating the system can ac... operational profileAn actual or predicted pattern of use of the component or system. operational profilingThe process of developing and implementing an operational profile. organizational test strategyA strategy that describes the generic requirements for testing and how to perform testing within an organization. overfittingA modeling error that occurs when a machine learning model learns the training data too well, including noise, resulting...

P

pair programmingTwo developers working together at one workstation. pair testingA test approach in which two team members simultaneously collaborate on testing a work product. pairwise coverageThe coverage of pairs of parameter-value pairs. pairwise testingA black-box test technique in which test cases are designed to exercise pairs of parameter-value pairs. par sheet testingA test type to determine that a game returns the correct mathematical results to the screen, to the players' accounts, a... pass/fail criteriaDecision rules used to determine whether a test item has passed or failed. passedThe status of a test result if the actual result matches the expected result. password crackingA security attack recovering secret passwords stored in a computer system or transmitted over a network. peer reviewA type of review performed on a work product by persons that have the abilities required to create it. performance efficiencyThe degree to which a component or system uses time, resources and capacity when accomplishing its designated functions. performance testingA test type to determine the performance efficiency of a component or system. performance testing toolA test tool that generates load for a designated test item and that measures and records its performance during test exe... perspective-based readingA type of role-based reviewing that uses checklists and involves the creation of prototype deliverables. pharmingA security attack intended to redirect a website's traffic to a fraudulent website without the user's knowledge or conse... phase containmentThe policy of removing defects in the same phase of the software development lifecycle in which they were introduced. phishingAn attempt to acquire personal or sensitive information by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communi... planning pokerA consensus-based estimation technique, mostly used to estimate effort or relative size of user stories in Agile softwar... player perspective testingTesting done by testers from a player's perspective to validate player satisfaction. playtestAd hoc testing of a game by players to identify failures and gather feedback. playtestingTesting a game by playing it to evaluate gameplay, balance, and user experience. portabilityThe degree to which a component or system can be transferred from one hardware, software or other operational or usage e... post-release testingA test level performed after the release of a system to validate that it can be deployed in operational environments. postconditionThe expected state of a test item and its test environment at the end of test execution. preconditionThe required state of a test item and its test environment prior to test execution. priorityThe level of (business) importance assigned to an item, e.g., defect. PRISMAA technique used in risk-based testing that creates a product risk matrix. process assessmentA disciplined evaluation of an organization's software processes against a reference model. process-compliant test strategyA test strategy whereby the test team follows a set of predefined processes, whereby the processes address such items as... process-driven scriptingA scripting technique where scripts are structured into scenarios which represent use cases of the software under test. ... product riskA risk that impacts the quality of a product. product-based qualityA view of quality measured by the degree that well-defined quality characteristics are met. project riskA risk that impacts project success. promptAn input provided to a generative AI model to guide it in generating a desired output. prompt engineeringThe practice of crafting effective prompts to elicit desired outputs from generative AI models. property-based testingA test approach in which test results are verified using specified relations between inputs and expected results of a te... proximity-based testingA test type to confirm that sensors can detect nearby objects without physical contact. pseudo-oracleAn independently derived variant of the test item used to generate results, which are compared with the results of the o...

Q

qualityThe degree to which a work product satisfies stated and implied requirements. quality assistanceAn approach to quality management that focuses on a quality culture throughout an organization. quality assuranceActivities focused on providing confidence that quality requirements will be fulfilled. quality capabilityThe abilities an organization needs to accomplish its quality goals. quality characteristicA category of quality attributes that bears on work product quality. quality coachingThe activities focused on helping an agile organization identify, understand, and deal with quality management, business... quality controlActivities designed to evaluate the quality of a component or system. quality cultureAn organizational value system that results in an environment to establish and continually improve quality. quality debtThe implied cost of deferred quality assurance activities. quality gateA milestone at which a decision about proceeding to the next phase is taken based on predefined quality criteria. quality managementThe process of establishing and directing a quality policy, quality objectives, quality planning, quality control, quali... quality riskA product risk or a project risk impacting quality management.

R

RACI matrixA matrix describing the participation by various roles in completing tasks or deliverables for a project or process. It ... ramp-downA technique for decreasing the load on a system in a measurable and controlled way. ramp-upA technique for increasing the load on a system in a measurable and controlled way. random testingA black-box test technique in which input values are randomly generated. reactive test strategyA test strategy whereby the test team waits to design and implement tests until the software is received, reacting to th... reactive testingA test approach that dynamically responds to the behavior of a test object and to test results being obtained. reconnaissanceThe exploration of a target area aiming to gain information that can be useful for an attack. recoverabilityThe degree to which a component or system can recover the data directly affected by an interruption or a failure and re-... regression testingA type of change-related testing to detect whether defects have been introduced or uncovered in unchanged areas of the s... regression-averse test strategyA test strategy whereby the test team applies various techniques to manage the risk of regression such as functional and... regulatory acceptance testingA type of acceptance testing performed to determine the compliance of a test object. reinforcement learningA type of machine learning where an agent learns to make decisions by taking actions in an environment to maximize cumul... reliabilityThe degree to which a component or system performs specified functions under specified conditions for a specified period... reliability growth modelA model that shows the growth in reliability over time of a component or system as a result of the defect removal. remote test labA facility that provides remote access to a test environment. replaceabilityThe degree to which a component or system can replace another specified component or system for the same purpose in the ... requirementA provision that contains criteria to be fulfilled. requirements-based testingA black-box test technique in which test conditions are derived from atomic requirements. resource utilizationThe degree to which the amounts and types of resources used by a component or system, when performing its functions, mee... retrieval-augmented generationAn architecture that enhances LLM outputs by retrieving relevant information from external knowledge bases before genera... retrospectiveA regular event in which team members discuss results, review their practices, and identify ways to improve. reusabilityThe degree to which a work product can be used in more than one system, or in building other work products. reviewA type of static testing in which the quality of a work product or process is evaluated by individuals. review planA document describing the approach, resources and schedule of intended review activities. It identifies, amongst others:... review techniqueA procedure used to perform a review. reviewerA participant in a review who identifies defects in the work product. riskA factor that could result in future negative consequences. risk analysisThe overall process of risk identification and risk assessment. risk appetiteThe amount and type of risk an organization is willing to pursue or retain. risk assessmentThe process to examine identified risks and determine the risk level. risk controlThe overall process of risk mitigation and risk monitoring. risk identificationThe process of finding, recognizing and describing risks. risk impactThe damage that will be caused if a risk becomes an actual outcome or event. risk levelThe measure of a risk defined by risk impact and risk likelihood. risk likelihoodThe probability that a risk will become an actual outcome or event. risk managementThe process for handling risks. risk mitigationThe process through which decisions are reached and protective measures are implemented for reducing or maintaining risk... risk monitoringThe activity that checks and reports the status of known risks to stakeholders. risk-based testingA test approach in which the management, selection, prioritization, and use of test activities and resources are based o... role-based reviewingA review technique in which a work product is evaluated from the perspective of different stakeholder roles. root causeA source of a defect such that if it is removed, the occurrence of the defect type is decreased or removed. root cause analysisAn analysis technique aimed at identifying the root causes of defects. rule-based test techniqueA black-box test technique in which test conditions are model elements of the state-independent behavior rules of a test...

S

S.M.A.R.T. goal methodologyA framework for the clear formulation of management objectives by requiring goals to be specific, measurable, attainable... safetyThe degree to which a component or system under defined conditions can avoid endangering human life, health, property, o... safety integrity levelThe level of risk reduction provided by a safety function, related to the frequency and severity of perceived hazards. saltingA cryptographic technique that adds random data (salt) to the user data prior to hashing. scalabilityThe degree to which a component or system can be adjusted for changing capacity. scalability testingTesting to determine the scalability of the software product. scenario-based reviewingA review technique in which a work product is evaluated to determine its ability to address specific scenarios. scenario-based testingA black-box test technique in which test conditions are sequences of interactions between external actors and the test i... schema validationA type of static analysis based on a database schema. scribeA person who records information at a review meeting. script kiddieA person who executes security attacks that have been created by other hackers rather than creating one's own attacks. scripted testingA test approach that involves the creation and use of a test script. securityThe degree to which a component or system protects its data and resources against unauthorized access or use and secures... security attackAn attempt to gain unauthorized access to a component or system, resources, information, or an attempt to compromise sys... security auditAn audit evaluating an organization's security processes and infrastructure. security policyA high-level document describing the principles, approach and major objectives of the organization regarding security. security procedureA set of steps required to implement the security policy and the steps to be taken in response to a security incident. security riskA quality risk related to security. security testingA test type to determine the security of a component or system. sequential development modelA type of software development lifecycle model in which a complete system is developed in a linear way of several discre... service virtualizationA technique to enable virtual delivery of services which are deployed, accessed and managed remotely. session-based test managementA method for measuring and managing session-based testing. session-based testingA test approach in which test activities are planned as test sessions. severityThe degree of impact that a defect has on the development or operation of a component or system. shadow AIThe unauthorized or uncontrolled use of AI tools and services within an organization, outside of official IT governance. shift leftA test approach to perform testing and quality assurance activities as early as possible in the software development lif... shift rightA test approach to test a system continuously in production. sign change coverageThe coverage of neurons activated with both positive and negative activation values in a neural network for a set of tes... sign-sign coverageThe coverage achieved if by changing the sign of each neuron it can be shown to individually cause one neuron in the nex... simulatorA component or system used during testing which behaves or operates like a given component or system. smoke testA test suite that covers the main functionality of a component or system to determine whether it works properly before p... soak testingExtended testing to identify issues that only appear after prolonged use. social engineeringAn attempt to trick someone into revealing information (e.g., a password) that can be used to attack systems or networks... software development lifecycleThe activities performed at each stage in software development, and how they relate to one another logically and chronol... software lifecycleThe period of time that begins when a software product is conceived and ends when the software is no longer available fo... software process improvementA program of activities designed to improve the performance and maturity of the organization's software processes and th... software qualification testTesting performed on completed, integrated software to provide evidence for compliance with software requirements. Software Usability Measurement InventoryA questionnaire-based usability testing tool that measures and benchmarks user experience. software-in-the-loopA virtual test environment in which real software is tested. source test caseA test case that passed and is used as the basis of follow-up test cases in metamorphic testing. specification by exampleA development technique in which the specification is defined by examples. spike testingTesting to determine the ability of a system to recover from sudden bursts of peak loads and return to a steady state. staged representationA CMMI approach defining maturity levels that must be achieved in sequence. standard-compliant test strategyA test strategy whereby the test team follows a standard. Standards followed may be valid e.g., for a country (legislati... state transition testingA black-box test technique in which test cases are designed to exercise elements of a state transition model. statement coverageThe coverage of executable statements. statement testingA white-box test technique in which test cases are designed to execute statements. static analysisThe process of evaluating a component or system without executing it, based on its form, structure, content, or document... static application security testingA type of static analysis that focuses on detecting vulnerabilities. static testingTesting that does not involve the execution of a test item. stress testingA type of performance testing conducted to evaluate a system or component at or beyond the limits of its anticipated or ... structural coverageCoverage measures based on the internal structure of a component or system. structured scriptingA scripting technique that builds and utilizes a library of reusable (parts of) scripts. stubA type of test double providing predefined responses. summative evaluationA type of evaluation designed and used to gather conclusions about the quality of a component or system, especially when... supervised learningA type of machine learning where the model is trained on labeled data, learning to map inputs to known outputs. system hardeningThe step-by-step process of reducing the vulnerabilities of a system by applying a security policy and different layers ... system integration testingThe integration testing of systems. system of systemsMultiple heterogeneous, distributed systems that are embedded in networks at multiple levels and in multiple interconnec... system qualification testTesting performed on the completed, integrated system of software components, hardware components, and mechanics to prov... system testingA test level that focuses on verifying that a system as a whole meets specified requirements. system throughputThe amount of data passing through a component or system in a given time period. system under testA type of test object that is a system. System Usability ScaleA simple, ten-item attitude scale giving a global view of subjective assessments of usability. Systematic Test and Evaluation ProcessA structured testing methodology also used as a content-based model for improving the testing process. It does not requi...

T

TAETest Automation Engineer - a role responsible for implementing test automation solutions. TAFTest Automation Framework - the technical infrastructure supporting test automation. TASTest Automation Strategist - a role responsible for defining test automation strategy. TDDTest-Driven Development - writing unit tests before writing the code. technical reviewA formal review by technical experts that examine the quality of a work product and identify discrepancies from specific... testA set of one or more test cases. test adaptation layerThe layer in a test automation architecture which provides the necessary code to adapt test scripts on an abstract level... test analysisThe activity that identifies test conditions by analyzing the test basis. test analystA person responsible for test analysis, test design, test implementation, and test execution, focusing on non-technical ... test approachThe manner of implementing testing tasks. test architect(1) A person who provides guidance and strategic direction for a test organization and for its relationship with other d... test automationThe conversion of test activities to automatic operation. test automation approachThe methods, techniques, and tools used to implement test automation within an organization. test automation architectureAn instantiation of the generic test automation architecture for a system. test automation engineerA person who is responsible for the design, implementation and maintenance of a test automation architecture as well as ... test automation frameworkA set of test harnesses and test libraries for test automation. test automation managerA person who is responsible for the planning and supervision of the development and evolution of a test automation solut... test automation solutionThe implementation of a test automation architecture for a test automation assignment. test automation strategyA high-level description how to achieve long-term objectives of test automation under given technological, organizationa... test basisThe body of knowledge used as the basis for test analysis and test design. test caseA set of preconditions, inputs, actions (where applicable), expected results and postconditions, developed based on test... test case explosionThe disproportionate growth of the number of test cases with growing size of the test basis, when using a certain test d... test charterDocumentation of the goal or objective for a test session. test completionThe activity that makes testware available for later use, leaves test environments in a satisfactory condition and commu... test completion reportA type of test report produced at completion milestones that provides an evaluation of the corresponding test items agai... test conditionA testable aspect of a component or system that is intended to be tested. test controlThe activity that develops and applies corrective actions to get a test project on track when it deviates from what was ... test cycleAn instance of the test process against a single identifiable version of the test object. test dataData needed for test execution. test data managementThe process of providing the required test data for a component or system while ensuring compliance with legislation and... test data preparationThe activity to select data from existing databases or create, generate, manipulate and edit data for testing. test definition layerThe layer in a generic test automation architecture which supports test implementation by supporting the definition of t... test designThe activity that derives and specifies test cases from test conditions. test directorA senior manager who manages test managers. test doubleA replacement component invoked by a test object to perform testing. test environmentAn environment containing hardware, instrumentation, simulators, software tools, and other support elements needed to pe... test estimationAn approximation related to various aspects of testing. test executionThe activity that runs a test on a component or system producing actual results. test execution automationThe use of software, e.g., capture/playback tools, to control the execution of tests, the comparison of actual results t... test execution layerThe layer in a generic test automation architecture which supports the execution of test suites and/or test cases. test execution scheduleA schedule for the execution of test suites within a test cycle. test execution toolA test tool that executes tests against a designated test item and evaluates the outcomes against expected results and p... test fixtureThe predefined data and test environment to test software in a repeatable manner. test generation layerThe layer in a generic test automation architecture which supports manual or automated design of test suites and/or test... test harnessA collection of drivers and test doubles needed to execute a test suite. test histogramA visual representation that shows the distribution of test results. test hookA customized software interface that enables automated testing of a test object. test implementationThe activity that prepares the testware needed for test execution. test improvementSystematic activities to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of testing. test infrastructureThe test environments, test tools, office environment and procedures needed to perform testing. test itemA part of a test object used in the test process. test leaderOn large projects, the person who reports to the test manager and is responsible for project management of a particular ... test levelA specific instantiation of a test process. test logA chronological record of relevant details about the execution of tests. test loggingThe activity of creating a test log. test managementThe process of planning, scheduling, estimating, monitoring, reporting, controlling, and completing test activities. test managerThe person responsible for project management of testing activities, resources, and evaluation of a test object. Test Maturity Model integrationA five-level staged framework for test process improvement, related to the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI),... test missionThe purpose of testing for an organization, often documented as part of the test policy. test modelA model describing testware that is used for testing a component or a system under test. test monitoringThe activity that checks the status of testing activities, identifies any variances from planned or expected, and report... test objectThe work product to be tested. test objectiveThe purpose for testing. test oracleA source to determine an expected result. test planDocumentation describing the test objectives to be achieved and the means and the schedule for achieving them, organized... test planningThe activity of establishing or updating a test plan. test point analysisA formula-based test estimation technique based on function point analysis. test policyHigh-level documentation describing the principles, approach and major objectives of the organization regarding testing. test procedureA sequence of test cases in execution order and any associated actions that may be required to set up the initial precon... test processThe set of interrelated activities comprising of test planning, test monitoring, test control, test analysis, test desig... test process groupA collection of specialists who facilitate the definition, maintenance, and improvement of the test processes used by an... test process improvementA program of activities undertaken to improve the performance and maturity of the organization's test processes. test process improvement manifestoA statement that echoes the Agile manifesto, and defines values for improving the test process. test progressThe progress of testing against a baseline. test progress reportA type of periodic test report that includes the progress of test activities against a baseline, risks, and alternatives... test pyramidA graphical model representing the relationship of the amount of testing per level, with more at the bottom than at the ... test reportDocumentation summarizing testing and results. test reportingThe activity that consolidates test monitoring information and evaluates whether test objectives have been reached to in... test resultThe consequence/outcome of the execution of a test. test runThe execution of a test suite on a specific version of the test object. test scheduleA list of activities, tasks, and milestones of the test process, their intended start and finish dates and interdependen... test scopeA description of the test object and its features to be tested. test scriptA sequence of instructions for the execution of a test. test selection criteriaThe criteria used to guide the generation of test cases or to select test cases in order to limit the size of a test. test sessionAn uninterrupted period of time spent in executing tests. test specificationThe complete documentation of the test design, test cases, and test scripts for a specific test item. test stepA single interaction between an actor and a test object consisting of an input, an action, and an expected result. test strategyA description of how to perform testing to reach test objectives under given circumstances. test suiteA set of test scripts or test procedures to be executed in a specific test run. test techniqueA procedure used to define test conditions, design test cases, and specify test data. test typeA group of test activities based on specific test objectives aimed at specific characteristics of a component or system. test-driven developmentA software development technique in which the test cases are developed, automated and then the software is developed inc... test-first approachAn approach to software development in which the test cases are designed and implemented before the associated component... testabilityThe degree to which test conditions can be established for a component or system, and tests can be performed to determin... testerA person who performs testing. testingThe process within the software development lifecycle that evaluates the quality of a component or system and related wo... testing capabilityThe abilities an organization needs to accomplish its test objectives. testing in productionA test type performed in the production environment with live data. testing quadrantsA classification model of test types/test levels in four quadrants, relating them to two dimensions of test objectives: ... testwareWork products produced during the test process for use in planning, designing, executing, evaluating and reporting on te... think aloud protocolA usability testing method where users verbalize their thoughts during tasks. think aloud usability testingA usability testing technique where test participants share their thoughts with the moderator and observers by thinking ... think timeThe amount of time required by a user to determine and execute the next action in a sequence of actions. three-point estimationA test estimation technique using three estimates: optimistic, most likely, and pessimistic. These are combined to produ... threshold coverageThe coverage of neurons exceeding a threshold activation value in a neural network for a set of tests. time behaviorThe degree to which a component or system can perform its required functions within required response times, processing ... tokenizationThe process of breaking down text into smaller units called tokens for efficient processing by language models. Total Quality ManagementAn organization-wide management approach to quality based on employee participation to achieve long-term success through... tourA set of exploratory tests organized around a special focus. TPI NextA continuous business-driven framework for test process improvement that describes the key elements of an effective and ... traceabilityThe ability to establish explicit relationships between related work products or items within work products. traceability matrixA two-dimensional table, which correlates two entities (e.g., requirements and test cases). The table allows tracing bac... transcendent qualityA view of quality based on the perception and feeling of individuals. transformerA neural network architecture that excels in language tasks by processing the context of extensive text sequences and le...

U

underfittingA modeling error that occurs when a machine learning model is too simple to capture the underlying pattern in the data. unit test frameworkA tool that provides an environment for unit or component testing in which a component can be tested in isolation or wit... unsupervised learningA type of machine learning where the model learns patterns from unlabeled data without predefined outputs. usabilityThe degree to which a component or system can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals in a specified conte... usability evaluationA process through which information about the usability of a system is gathered in order to improve the system (known as... usability labA test facility in which unintrusive observation of participant reactions and responses to software takes place. usability requirementA requirement on the usability of a component or system. usability test participantA representative user who solves typical tasks in a usability test. usability test scriptA document specifying a sequence of actions for the execution of a usability test. It is used by the moderator to keep t... usability test sessionA test session in usability testing in which a usability test participant is executing tests, moderated by a moderator a... usability test taskA usability test execution activity specified by the moderator that needs to be accomplished by a usability test partici... usability testingTesting to evaluate the degree to which the system can be used by specified users with effectiveness, efficiency and sat... use case testingA black-box test technique in which test cases are designed to exercise use case behaviors. user acceptance testingA type of acceptance testing performed to determine if intended users accept the system. user error protectionThe degree to which a component or system protects users against making errors. user experienceA person's perceptions and responses resulting from the use or anticipated use of a software product. user interfaceAll components of a system that provide information and controls for the user to accomplish specific tasks with the syst... user interface aestheticsThe degree to which a user interface enables pleasing and satisfying interaction for the user. user interface guidelineA low-level, specific rule or recommendation for user interface design that leaves little room for interpretation so des... user storyA user or business requirement consisting of one sentence expressed in the everyday or business language which is captur... user story testingA black-box test technique in which test conditions are the acceptance criteria of user stories. user surveyA usability evaluation whereby a representative sample of users are asked to report subjective evaluation into a questio... user-agent based testingA test type in which a test client is used to switch the user agent string and identify itself as a different client whi... user-based qualityA view of quality measured by the degree that the needs, wants, and desires of a user are met.

V

V-modelA sequential software development lifecycle model describing a one-for-one relationship between major phases of software... validationConfirmation by examination that a work product matches a stakeholder's needs. value change coverageThe coverage of neurons activated where their activation values differ by more than a change amount in the neural networ... value streamThe sequence of activities required to deliver a product or service to a customer. value-based qualityA view of quality measured by the ratio of the cost to the value received from a product or service. verificationThe process of confirming that a work product fulfills its specification. virtual test environmentA test environment in which one or more parts are digitally simulated. virtual userA simulation of activities performed according to a user operational profile. visual testingTesting that uses image recognition to interact with GUI objects. vulnerabilityA weakness in a component, system, procedures, or controls that could allow for a successful security attack. vulnerability scannerA static analyzer that is used to detect particular security vulnerabilities in the code. vulnerability scanningA type of static analysis that detects vulnerabilities in a system.

W

walkthroughA type of review in which an author leads members of the review through a work product and the members ask questions and... weaknessA defect that may lead to undesirable security behavior. Web Content Accessibility GuidelinesA part of a series of web accessibility guidelines published by the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) of the World Wide... Website Analysis and Measurement InventoryA commercial website analysis service providing a questionnaire for measuring user experience and assessing delivery of ... white-box test techniqueA test technique based on the internal structure of a component or system. white-box testingTesting based on an analysis of the internal structure of the component or system. Wideband DelphiAn expert-based test estimation technique where a group of experts provides estimates, discusses them, and iterates unti... wild pointerA pointer that references a location that is out of scope for that pointer or that does not exist.

Z

zero-shot promptingA prompting technique where the model is asked to perform a task without any examples, relying solely on its pre-trained...