Software Testing Exit Criteria

Before a software product is released to customers, it goes through various testing phases to ensure it works as intended. But how do teams decide when to stop testing? This is where the concept of “Exit Criteria” in software testing comes in. For beginners, think of exit criteria as a checklist that must be completed before saying, “We’re done testing.”

What is Software Testing Exit Criteria?

Exit criteria are the predefined conditions or requirements that must be met before testing activities can be considered complete. These conditions help the QA team, project managers, and stakeholders know when the software is ready to move to the next phase or be released. Exit criteria ensure that testing is thorough, complete, and aligns with business goals.

When to Stop Testing?

Testing doesn’t go on forever. QA teams stop testing when the defined exit criteria are met. This might include completing all test cases, achieving a certain pass percentage, fixing all critical bugs, or meeting performance benchmarks. Other times, due to time or budget constraints, testing might stop based on a risk assessment.

Exit Criteria in the Waterfall Model

In the Waterfall model, exit criteria are usually strict and well-defined. Since each phase must be completed before moving to the next, the testing team ensures that all planned tests are executed, all high-severity bugs are fixed, and the system meets all documented requirements.

Exit Criteria in Agile Scrum

In Agile Scrum, exit criteria are more flexible. Testing is continuous throughout the sprint. At the end of each sprint, the team ensures that all user stories in the sprint backlog are completed, accepted by the product owner, and pass the Definition of Done (DoD), which includes both functional and non-functional tests.

Test Plan

The Test Plan document is a central place where exit criteria are formally documented. It outlines what needs to be achieved before testing is considered complete. This helps set clear expectations for the QA team and ensures that everyone is aligned on the goals of testing.

Exit Criteria for Different Types of Testing

Type of Testing	Example Exit Criteria
Unit Testing	All units tested with 100% code coverage; all tests pass without errors.
Integration Testing	All module interactions tested; no high-severity defects remain open.
System Testing	All system test cases executed; at least 95% pass rate achieved.
Regression Testing	No new bugs introduced; all previously fixed bugs remain closed.
Acceptance Testing	All acceptance criteria for user stories are met and approved by stakeholders.
Performance Testing	System meets the performance benchmarks under expected load.
Security Testing	All known vulnerabilities are addressed; no critical security issues remain.
Usability Testing	User feedback is positive; no major usability flaws reported.