What is a test plan?
Answer
A test plan is a document that outlines the testing strategy, objectives, scope, resources, timeline, and approach for a project. It defines what to test, how to test it, who tests it, when testing happens, and what the exit criteria are. Components of a test plan: (1) Scope: what features/functionality will be tested and what will not. (2) Test strategy: types of testing (unit, integration, E2E, performance, security). (3) Test environment: hardware, software, configurations needed. (4) Resources: team members, tools, and time. (5) Test schedule: timeline and milestones. (6) Entry/exit criteria: when testing starts and what constitutes "done." (7) Risk analysis: what risks could affect the test effort. (8) Defect management: how defects are reported, prioritized, and tracked. In agile, a heavy test plan document is replaced by sprint-level testing tasks and acceptance criteria in user stories.