Software testing is the process used to help identify the http://www.answers.com/topic/correctness-2 - correctness , http://www.answers.com/topic/completeness - completeness , http://www.answers.com/topic/information-technology-security-audit - security , and http://www.answers.com/topic/software-quality - quality of developed http://www.answers.com/topic/computer-software - computer software . Testing is a process of technical investigation, performed on behalf of stakeholders, that is intended to reveal quality-related information about the product with respect to the context in which it is intended to operate. This includes, but is not limited to, the process of executing a program or application with the intent of finding errors. Quality is not an absolute; it is value to some person. With that in mind, testing can never completely establish the correctness of arbitrary computer software; testing furnishes a criticism or comparison that compares the state and behaviour of the product against a specification. An important point is that software testing should be distinguished from the separate discipline of software quality assurance, which encompasses all business process areas, not just testing.

There are many approaches to software testing, but effective testing of complex products is essentially a process of investigation, not merely a matter of creating and following routine procedure. One definition of testing is "the process of questioning a product in order to evaluate it", where the "questions" are operations the tester attempts to execute with the product, and the product answers with its behavior in reaction to the probing of the tester^{[citation needed]}. Although most of the intellectual processes of testing are nearly identical to that of review or inspection, the word testing is connoted to mean the dynamic analysis of the product—putting the product through its paces. Some of the common quality attributes include capability, http://www.answers.com/topic/reliability-1 - reliability , http://www.answers.com/topic/algorithmic-efficiency - efficiency , http://www.answers.com/topic/porting - portability , http://www.answers.com/topic/maintainability - maintainability , compatibility and http://www.answers.com/topic/usability - usability . A good test is sometimes described as one which reveals an error; however, more recent thinking suggests that a good test is one which reveals information of interest to someone who matters within the project community.

Refer to the http://www.answers.com/topic/international-organization-for-standardization - ISO standard http://www.answers.com/topic/iso-9126 - ISO 9126 for a list of suggested attributes and criteria.