Let’s cover the basics of Manual Testing in a clear way:

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📌 Basics of Manual Testing

1. Definition

Manual Testing is the process of manually executing test cases without the help of automation tools. The tester behaves like an end-user and verifies that the application works as expected.

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2. Key Objectives

• To find defects/bugs in the software.
• To ensure the product meets business requirements.
• To validate functionality, usability, and user experience.
• To improve quality and reliability of the software.

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3. Characteristics of Manual Testing

• Performed by humans (testers).
• Relies on test cases, checklists, or exploratory methods.
• No programming or automation scripts required.
• Requires patience, creativity, and attention to detail.
• Slower than automation but more flexible.

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4. Types of Manual Testing

1. Black Box Testing – Focus on functionality (without looking at code).
2. White Box Testing – Focus on internal logic & code structure.
3. Gray Box Testing – Combination of black & white box.

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5. Levels of Manual Testing

1. Unit Testing – Testing smallest modules/functions (done by developers).
2. Integration Testing – Checking how modules work together.
3. System Testing – Entire application tested as a whole.
4. User Acceptance Testing (UAT) – Final testing by client/end-users.

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6. Phases of Manual Testing

1. Requirement Analysis – Understand what needs to be tested.
2. Test Planning – Define scope, strategy, tools, responsibilities.
3. Test Case Design – Write test cases with steps, inputs, and expected results.
4. Test Execution – Manually run test cases on the application.
5. Defect Reporting – Log bugs into a tool (JIRA, Bugzilla, etc.).
6. Test Closure – After bug fixes, retesting, regression testing, and reporting.

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7. Advantages

✅ Best for small projects or applications with frequent UI changes.
✅ No need for automation skills or tools.
✅ Finds user experience & usability issues.
✅ Cost-effective for short-term projects.

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8. Disadvantages

❌ Time-consuming for large projects.
❌ Repetitive tasks are boring and error-prone.
❌ Not suitable for performance/load testing.
❌ Less reliable (human errors possible).

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9. Examples of Manual Testing

• Filling out a login form to check if login works with valid/invalid inputs.
• Navigating through an e-commerce site to check if cart and checkout work.
• Verifying error messages when incorrect data is entered.

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✅ In short:
Manual Testing = Human-driven process to check if software works as expected. It’s the foundation of testing and helps in ensuring software quality before automation.