Atlas › 11 Manual Testing Fundamentals › Verification vs Validation☰ Read as one page
Verification vs Validation
8.1OverviewThese two terms are frequently confused, even by experienced engineers. Understanding the difference is fundamental to QA thinking — it…8.2The Core DistinctionA development team builds a login system. They follow the specification exactly: - Email field accepts valid email format - Password must…8.3Verification ActivitiesVerification checks whether the implementation matches the specification. It is primarily an internal activity.8.4Validation ActivitiesValidation checks whether the product meets actual user needs. It goes beyond the specification to ask "does this solve the user's problem?"8.5Why Both MatterA product can pass all verification checks and still fail validation. This happens frequently:8.6QA's Role in Both- Write and execute test cases against specifications - Report defects when behavior deviates from specs - Maintain regression test suites…8.7Verification vs Validation in Different Methodologies8.8Related Concepts- Alpha testing: Internal validation by the QA team or internal users, before external release - Beta testing: External validation by real…8.9Practical ExerciseFor the following features, write one verification test and one validation test:8.10Key Takeaways- Verification: "Building the product right" — does it match the spec? - Validation: "Building the right product" — does it meet user…