What should I learn for manual testing?

Manual testing is a crucial aspect of software testing that involves human intervention to ensure the quality and functionality of a software application. To become proficient in manual testing, consider learning the following key areas:

1. Understanding of Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC):

   • Familiarize yourself with different phases of SDLC, such as requirements gathering, design, implementation, testing, deployment, and maintenance.

2. Knowledge of Testing Life Cycle:

   • Learn about the testing life cycle, including test planning, test design, test execution, defect reporting, and test closure.

3. Test Case Design Techniques:

   • Explore various test case design techniques, such as Equivalence Partitioning, Boundary Value Analysis, Decision Table, and State Transition.

4. Defect Life Cycle:

   • Understand the process of defect life cycle, including how to report, track, and verify defects.

5. Test Documentation:

   • Learn to create and maintain test documentation, including test plans, test cases, and test summary reports.

6. Test Execution and Reporting:

   • Gain hands-on experience in executing test cases, logging defects, and preparing test summary reports.

7. Communication Skills:

   • Develop effective communication skills to articulate issues, defects, and testing progress clearly and concisely.

8. Domain Knowledge:

   • Acquire domain-specific knowledge related to the software you are testing. This helps in understanding the application's requirements and functionality better.

9. Testing Types:

   • Understand different testing types, such as functional testing, non-functional testing, regression testing, and user acceptance testing.

10. Testing Tools:

    • Familiarize yourself with common testing tools, even though manual testing is tool-independent. Knowledge of tools can be beneficial for certain tasks like test case management and defect tracking.

11. Critical Thinking and Analytical Skills:

    • Develop critical thinking skills to identify potential issues and scenarios that may not be explicitly defined in requirements.

12. Attention to Detail:

    • Cultivate a keen attention to detail to ensure thorough testing and accurate defect reporting.

13. Test Environment Setup:

    • Learn how to set up test environments and configurations to simulate real-world scenarios.

14. Collaboration:

    • Work on collaboration skills to effectively interact with developers, business analysts, and other stakeholders.

15. Continuous Learning:

    • Stay updated on industry trends, best practices, and emerging technologies related to software testing.

Remember that manual testing is often complemented by automated testing to enhance efficiency. Therefore, having a basic understanding of automated testing concepts and tools can be an additional asset. Keep practicing and refining your skills through hands-on experience and continuous learning.