Supportsoft Glossary

Beta Testing to Validate App Stability Before Launch

 Beta testing is one of the important steps in the software development lifecycle. It refers to the point at which a manufacturer of an application gives its almost finished version to a select group of real users for testing before the official release. The main objective is to see how the app works in a real environment, find and fix misplaced bugs, and get real user opinions that might not be expressed during internal testing.

At the time of beta testing, the users are able to use the app on their own devices, thus checking its features, ease of use, and stability in general. The developers then get hints about the performance issues, the workflow that the users find most confusing, and the behaviours that are not expected but still might have a negative impact on the user experience. It is also the right time to know about the problems that depend on particular devices, for example, those that arise from having different screen sizes, operating systems, or network conditions.

Beta testing consists of two types, and they are closed and open. 'Closed beta' refers to the testing with a very limited number of participants who have been chosen in advance. Open beta is about expanding the invitation to the public, and it can be up to anyone. Regardless of the type adopted, they both help in getting a product that is really well done in the end by making sure that the app has no bugs and operates smoothly in a non-controlled development environment.