sprdpr

 Profile Answers by sprdpr 

• Jul 17th, 2008

 

If the project or product is developed for multiple customers, acceptance testing will be conducted in two phases called Alpha and Beta testing.

Alpha:  Acceptance testing conducted by the customer  in the developed environment.

This testing will be conducted to identify all the potential issues before releasing it(product/project) to the customers.

Beta: Acceptance testing conducted by the multiple customers in the customer environment.

Alpha and beta always prefered for the products.

Correct me if im wrong.

samir_8956

 Profile Answers by samir_8956 

• Aug 12th, 2008

 

Alpha testing is the testing conducted by the customer at development environment to check whether the product being developed is matching the requirements.

Beta testing is the testing conducted by the end user to check whether the product behavior in customer environment is similar to its behavior in test environment.

Sushma Mosali

 Profile Answers by Sushma Mosali 

• Aug 26th, 2008

 

Alpha Test:  The first test of newly developed hardware or software in a laboratory setting. When the first round of bugs has been fixed, the product goes into beta test with actual users. For custom software, the customer may be invited into the vendor's facilities for an alpha test to ensure the client's vision has been interpreted properly by the developer.

Beta Test: A test of new or revised hardware or software that is performed by users at their facilities under normal operating conditions. Beta testing follows alpha testing. Vendors of packaged software often offer their customers the opportunity of beta testing new releases or versions, and the beta testing of elaborate products such as operating systems can take months

Thanks
Sushma

shruhti

 Profile Answers by shruhti 

• Nov 12th, 2008

 

alpha testing is done inside the company but beta testing is done outside the copmany by real users.

prajeshbe

 Profile Answers by prajeshbe Questions by prajeshbe

• Nov 20th, 2008

 

Let me explain about these two types of testing.

Both of these testings are done by clients only. Only difference is the place where the testing takes place.

In Alpha testing, client comes to testing environment and will do testing while 80% of the application has been developed and tested

In Beta testing, complete application package will be installed in client environment (ie) Real time environment and will do testing in the application which is completed (100%) development and testing

srinivasulub1981

 Profile Answers by srinivasulub1981 Questions by srinivasulub1981

• Feb 20th, 2009

 

Once software gets completed will testing and retesting, then it needs to pass from 2 more phases ie Alpha and Beta testing.

Alpha : Performed by the testers or users at development site and it's considered as internal acceptance testing to goes to Beta testing, if at all any issues found immly devs will fix those issues.

Beta: It comes after alpha testing, can done by limited no.of external users or by customers in a real time environment. It can have versions, in every versions found bugs were fixed.

Srinivas

mathan_vel

 Profile Answers by mathan_vel Questions by mathan_vel

• Jun 13th, 2009

 

# Alpha testing is simulated or actual operational testing by potential users/customers or an independent test team at the developers' site. Alpha testing is often employed for off-the-shelf software as a form of internal acceptance testing, before the software goes to beta testing.

# Beta testing comes after alpha testing. Versions of the software, known as beta versions, are released to a limited audience outside of the programming team. The software is released to groups of people so that further testing can ensure the product has few faults or bugs. Sometimes, beta versions are made available to the open public to increase the feedback field to a maximal number of future users.

nikitasbagwe

 Profile Answers by nikitasbagwe 

• Sep 17th, 2009

 

Alpha testing is a UAT testing done at Developers site where you have developers avaliable at any time to help you

Beta testing - is a UAT testing done at Customer site where you might find developers not avaliable all the time hence customers need to report the defect and same is rectified at the developer site.

kurtz182

 Profile Answers by kurtz182 Questions by kurtz182

• Dec 9th, 2009

 

Alpha testing is the final in-house testing before the software is released to production.  The first phase of Alpha testing is typically performed by in-house developers.   In the second stage, the software is tested by in-house Quality Assurance staff.

Beta testing is performed after Alpha testing is completed.  In some cases, "beta versions" of the software are released and limited public tests are performed by a select group of prospective users.  At other times, "beta versions" are made available to the general public in order to gain as much feedback as possible. 

emmily

 Profile Answers by emmily 

• Sep 14th, 2010

 

Alpha Testing Alpha testing is simulated or actual operational testing by potential users/customers or an independent test team at the developers' site. Alpha testing is often employed for off-the-shelf software as a form of internal acceptance testing

Beta Testing Beta testing comes after alpha testing. Versions of the software, known as beta versions, are released to a limited audience outside of the programming team. The software is released to groups of people so that further testing can ensure the product has few faults or bugs. Sometimes, beta versions are made available to the open public to increase the feedback field to a maximal number of future users

bharti2007

 Profile Answers by bharti2007 

• Nov 21st, 2010

 

Alpha Testing: Here the customer comes to the developing site and uses the software and tells the developer about the errors.

Beta Testing: Here the end users test the software at the customers site and there is no developer.

mithr17

 Profile Answers by mithr17 

• Nov 2nd, 2011

 

@ sprdpr (person who's answers was voted the best)

I would like to correct you answer. Alpha testing is not performed on "developed environment." The definition says it is done at "developer's site." Please use correct terminology, if not the meaning changes.

Alpha and beta testing are UAT (user acceptance testing) types.

Alpha testing is the usual UAT performed by selected group of end-users (of the application) in UAT or pre-production environment under the supervision of QA, or with QA support. Alpha testing (UAT) is done for both service type and product type projects.

What if an insurance company wants to develop an online claims tool in-house (hire an IT team within their company) even then they still need to conduct UAT before the claims tool is rolled out to adjuster and CSR staff. Users from account department, claims adjusters, customer service agents etc - gang of may be 5 - will conduct test the application by using their daily job based activities as test scenarios.

When a new product or a newer version of a product that's rolled out to general public, even then alpha testing (UAT) is first done on UAT or pre-prod environments in-house and then the product will be released as a beta-version to general public. When general public, which includes us too, uses the application we may accidentally uncover some annoying behavior or bugs. Then you email the company and provide your feedback.

Sometimes, companies may not have enough time to test all the features that the release covers, in that case they conduct UAT on working functionality and remove the buggy functionality (features) and release the application as a beta version.

wmes

• Nov 16th, 2011

 

As someone who has defined and developed the Beta Test process for a large organization, I felt I should chime in.

The simplistic answer is that Alpha Testing is internal, Beta Testing is external. The simple reason for the two is that beta testing exercises the product in the customer's environment. We could not hope to have all the varieties of hardware and software setups in house that could mimic the real customer environment.

Understand that we believe we have an industry standard type of process. Our products involve hardware, firmware and software and at any given time we have 50 - 80 programs going through the development portion of the process. Below is what it normally looks like.

Alpha Test: This is product (HW or SW) which is in the development process and has not reached our goal of "feature complete" and no know serious bugs. (please note that we never bring the beta participants in to do testing) While this development is going on we are
- defining our primary and secondary markets to develop our
-- Beta candidate criteria
-- Beta candidate participation methodology & expectations
-- Number of beta participants
- Test schedule (ramp up time, plan for change & idle participants, launch lag)
- Intended mix of the tester team (by market segment)
- Define specific goals or objectives
- Set realistic goals
- Consider building multiple phases (Beta 1, Beta 2)
- Determine who will be responsible for building the Beta Test Plan

We develop the Beta Test Plan
Beta Test: This is product which is feature complete and with no know bugs, or no known critical bugs
We do all the preparatory work, deliver the product for beta test and go through that process.

What you have above for Alpha is a rough outline of the process steps we employ. Each line can be expanded dramatically to provide more detail on each of the steps.
I can do the same for Beta, but would rather check back in a week or two and see if anyone really cares for a similar level of detail.

Regards,

Bill

mithr17

 Profile Answers by mithr17 

• Nov 30th, 2011

 

@ wmes

You have hit the nail on its head! Couldn't agree with you more..Your answer should be the best answer.

Jayesh Palkar

• Aug 17th, 2012

 

1)Alpha- Conducted by a Specific customer 1) Beta-conducted by customer live people

2)Alpha-Conducted in Virtual environment 2) Beta-Conducted in Real time environment

3)Alpha- Conducted on Application i.e before release 3) Beta-conducted for products i.e after release

SWati

• Nov 10th, 2012

 

Alpha Testing:
1. Alpha Testing is testing which is carried out in development environment.
2. Testing is performed in presence of Developer therefore more controlled environment.

Beta Testing:
1. Beta testing is testing carried out by the customers in end users side.
2. It is performed in client side by end users of application in absence of developer.

mithr17

 Profile Answers by mithr17 

• Feb 20th, 2014

 

Sorry my browser was acting up! I meant to rate SPRDPRs response as the best.

jessperr

• Apr 7th, 2014

 

in my opinion and based what i have studied:

alpha testing are typically for internal circulation only and are passed among a select group of mock up(often just the team working on the project

beta testing : are sent to a wider but still select audience with the same caveat

Rajkumar

• Jul 17th, 2014

 

Alpha Testing Beta Testing (Field Testing)
1. It is always performed by the developers at the software development site. 1. It is always performed by the customers at their own site.
2. Sometimes it is also performed by Independent Testing Team. 2. It is not performed by Independent Testing Team.
3. Alpha Testing is not open to the market and public 3. Beta Testing is always open to the market and public.
4. It is conducted for the software application and project. 4. It is usually conducted for software product.
5. It is always performed in Virtual Environment. 5. It is performed in Real Time Environment.
6. It is always performed within the organization. 6. It is always performed outside the organization.
7. It is the form of Acceptance Testing. 7. It is also the form of Acceptance Testing.
8. Alpha Testing is definitely performed and carried out at the developing organizations location with the involvement of developers. 8. Beta Testing (field testing) is performed and carried out by users or you can say people at their own locations and site using customer data.
9. It comes under the category of both White Box Testing and Black Box Testing. 9. It is only a kind of Black Box Testing.
10. Alpha Testing is always performed at the time of Acceptance Testing when developers test the product and project to check whether it meets the user requirements or not. 10. Beta Testing is always performed at the time when software product and project are marketed.
11. It is always performed at the developer’s premises in the absence of the users. 11. It is always performed at the user’s premises in the absence of the development team.
12. Alpha Testing is not known by any other different name. 12 Beta Testing is also known by the name Field Testing means it is also known as field testing.
13. It is considered as the User Acceptance Testing (UAT) which is done at developer’s area. 13. It is also considered as the User Acceptance Testing (UAT) which is done at customers or users area.

Ezilarasn

• Oct 25th, 2017

 

Not correct exactly
Alpha testing is final Testing befor the S/W is realeased to the general public. It has two phase
First Phase Alpha Testing: S/W is tested by developers. They use either debugger s/w or H/W assited debuggers. The goal is to catch bugs quickly.
Second Phase Beta Testing: The S/W is handed over to the S/W QA staff,
Beta Testing:
Conducted at the End user sites
Developer is generally not present
Live app of the s/w Envirments that cannot be controlled by developers.
The End users records the all problems that are encountered and Reports these to the developers at regulars intervals
After complete beta testing, S/W engineer make S/W modifications and prepare for realese of the s/w product to the entire custormer base.
It is also known as field testing. It takes place at custormers sites
It sends the application to users who install it and use it under real-world working conditions