Acceptance Testing (UAT)
Testing performed by end users or stakeholders to determine if the software meets business requirements.
Full definition
Acceptance testing (often called User Acceptance Testing or UAT) is the final testing phase where actual users or stakeholders verify the software meets their business needs. It answers: 'Does this software do what we actually need it to do?'
Types of acceptance testing:
- User Acceptance Testing (UAT): End users test with real scenarios
- Business Acceptance Testing (BAT): Business stakeholders verify requirements
- Alpha testing: Internal testing in a controlled environment
- Beta testing: External testing by real users in production-like conditions
- Contract acceptance: Verification against contractual requirements
In Agile, acceptance criteria on user stories serve as micro-acceptance tests. The Product Owner reviews completed stories against these criteria during sprint review.
UAT is typically the last gate before production deployment. If UAT fails, the release is delayed.
Interview tip
Know the difference between alpha and beta testing. Alpha = internal users, controlled environment. Beta = external users, real environment.