What is Alpha testing?
Alpha testing is the first phase of development testing for a new product. A team of testers, which is usually made up of other employees in the company, will test the new software product before it goes on to be tested outside of the organisation. It is useful for identifying issues early in the process to ensure that when it is released for general availability, it works seamlessly.
The chosen team of testers will use the product and give detailed feedback to the software development team on their experience and flag any issues they encounter.
Alpha testing is most beneficial when occurring in a controlled environment that is similar to how it will be used when it is fully released. This is to try and replicate the real user experience.
What is Beta testing?
Beta testing is the step that follows alpha testing, where the developed software is tested by a larger group of external users. .
This group of testers are usually made up of volunteers who are willing to try out the software before it’s officially released. To get the best outcome, the group of beta testers will usually be the target audience who will eventually end up using the product.
The purpose of beta testing is to simulate real-world usage to let the testing group use the software as they would if it was generally released.
After testing they will give feedback about their experience, including any bugs and usability issues, as well as providing suggestions on how the product can be improved.
Beta testing often involves multiple rounds, where the development team will release updated versions of the software based on commonalities in feedback and suggestions.
Why is this type of testing used in software development?
Alpha and beta testing are important stages of software development that play a big part in making sure that any new releases are a success. Used together, these testing phases help to deliver a robust, user-friendly product that meets user needs and expectations.
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